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BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart convened its third annual U.S. manufacturing summit and open call at its corporate offices here this month.
Walmart convened its third annual U.S. manufacturing summit and open call at its corporate offices here this month.
Federal, state and local officials joined Walmart executives and representatives from a variety of domestic manufacturers that were drawn to the event by the chance to pitch products to or pick the brains of buyers from Walmart, Walmart.com and Sam’s Club.
"Walmart understands the importance of the manufacturing sector to the health of our nation’s economy," Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said in her keynote address.
Walmart has made a 10-year commitment to purchase $250 billion more in products from U.S. manufacturers.
Cindi Marsiglio, vice president of U.S. manufacturing at Walmart, used the session to announce a new round of grants through the company’s Innovation Fund. The new grants would be dedicated to innovation in the textile field, she said.
Walmart also announced that it has partnered with manufacturer database operator ThomasNet to help its vendors find U.S. suppliers to make their products. The move is designed to help restore some of the U.S. supplier infrastructure that over the years has been lost to China and other countries.