Mazak’s North American Manufacturing Headquarters in Florence, Kentucky welcomed more than 3,000 guests October 8-16 for DISCOVER 2013. As the year’s largest technology and education-driven manufacturing event, DISCOVER 2013 went way beyond the typical manufacturing industry open house. 
Attendees not only experienced the industry’s most advanced manufacturing technology, but also expanded their metalworking knowledge through interactive learning opportunities that provided them with strategies to boost productivity. The event also opened Mazak's North American Headquarters Campus for guided tours of the company’s North American Manufacturing Plant and North American Parts Center.
DISCOVER 2013 kicked off with the Mfg the Nxt Genr8n event where more than 230 students from Northern Kentucky high schools, Gateway Community and Technical College and Cincinnati State College visited Mazak’s National Technology Center and Center for Multi-Tasking Excellence
and toured the manufacturing plant. The day centered on dispelling outdated manufacturing myths and inspiring a new generation of manufacturers. The students left with the realization that careers in manufacturing can be exciting, rewarding and lucrative.
Mazak Apprenticeship Program members provided local students and their teachers a firsthand look at advanced manufacturing in a real-world factory environment. Mazak Corporation President Brian Papke and Gateway Community and Technical College President G. Edward Hughes were also on site to discuss the importance of North American manufacturing and the abundant opportunities the industry provides. An additional 100 students from other area schools visited during the remainder of DISCOVER 2013.
With significant emphasis on education and advanced manufacturing technology, manufacturers from across the United States, Canada, Mexico and Latin America had access to more than 70 different presentations throughout DISCOVER 2013. From technical seminars to small-group Intelligence Zones, attendees received a wide variety of expert-led learning opportunities designed to provide tips on how to increase production efficiency, improve part quality, shorten lead times and reduce operational costs. Mazak Value Inspired Partners significantly added to the technology on hand, demonstrating and educating attendees on the latest productivity improving techniques and equipment.
In addition to education, live cutting demonstrations took place on more than 30 different Mazak machines. 
The machines were organized by industry segment to showcase the company’s breath of manufacturing solutions and ensure attendees optimized their time throughout DISCOVER 2013. Several new machines were also introduced, including Mazak’s VERTICAL CENTER UNIVERSAL 300, 400 and 500 Vertical Machining Centers.
During manufacturing campus tours, DISCOVER 2013 attendees experienced 11 new machine models involved in the latest expansion to the manufacturing plant and the machine tool OEM industry’s first plant wide conversion to MTConnect ’s open communications protocol. Visitors also toured Mazak’s Parts Center for a closer look at one of the industry's largest inventories of spare parts.
In all, DISCOVER 2013 set a new standard for future manufacturing events and reinforced the company’s commitment to customers and the industry at large. By going above and beyond the typical open houses of the industry, DISCOVER 2013 drew a record-breaking crowd and significant attendee praise.