MI2 Holds First KY Metals Executive Roundtable in Frankfort

[Image: Andy at Table]

In April, the Metals Innovation Initiative, industry leaders, government officials, and strategic partners convened in Frankfort for a roundtable discussion. Among the attendees were Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and representatives from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, reflecting a unified commitment to continue to move the state toward becoming the recognized global leader in metals innovation.

The roundtable began with a quick review of the work over the past two years to establish MI2 and create a structure for collaboration across all these entities on open innovation on pre-competitive challenges and opportunities for the metals industry, de-risking investment in innovation for this critical supply chain industry.

[Image: Sign]

This included a discussion of several MI2 initiatives that have brought the state government and the metals industry together in collaboration and the significant growth in the past couple of years for Kentucky metals companies, as well as federal funding opportunities that can help support that growth.

From there, leaders from the steel, copper, and aluminum industries talked with Gov. Beshear and other Kentucky government officials and key strategic partners about those most pressing challenges and opportunities on which MI2 can help lead initiatives.

[Image: Vijay with table]

The roundtable focused on the importance of collaboration around this critical supply chain industry and raised key priorities in areas such as talent and workforce, clean energy, and recycling—alongside a commitment to continued collaboration and efforts to make Kentucky’s focus on, and innovation in, the metals industry increasingly visible on a national and international scale.

Metals company leaders attended from Ball Corporation, Bilstein Cold Rolled Steel, Century Aluminum, Crown, Hitachi, Logan Aluminum, North American Stainless, Novelis, Nucor, River Metals Recycling, Toyota Tsusho, and Wieland. They were joined by Gov. Andy Beshear, the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, the Kentucky Community & Technical College System, the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, and the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce.

[Image: Vijay Talking 1]

After the event concluded, MI2 hosted a dinner for many of the leaders in attendance to further brainstorm the opportunities ahead for Kentucky’s metals industry. Symbolically, as the discussion was underway, a train came through the middle of Frankfort, right in front of the windows of Serafini restaurant, transporting aluminum products, leading to cheers from all involved. It was a symbolic close to a key day in MI2’s planning process in our state’s capitol.

[Image: Roundtable Dinner]

As MI2 continues executing on our FY23-24 initiatives, April’s Kentucky Metals Executive Roundtable helped kick off the discussion about MI2’s plans for FY24-25. In the coming months, MI2’s leadership will be working with our board and our Metals Leadership Council to formalize those plans and goals that will shape the next phase of our work.