Record-setting coin mosaic supports manufacturing

On Sept. 10, the Guinness World Record for the "World's Largest Coin Mosaic" was broken during the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago. In an effort to raise awareness of the role the manufacturing industry plays in the U.S. economy and the opportunities it presents for the next generation of workers, the mosaic incorporated more than $65,000 worth of coins to represent the amount of money manufacturing contributes to the U.S. economy each second.

"While achieving this Guinness World Record is an enormous accomplishment for the industry itself, it is truly gratifying to know that the sum of the coins used, as well as additional donations from event sponsors, will benefit our industry and the future generations that strive to keep it alive," said Klas Forsström, president of toolmaker Sandvik Coromant AB, Sandviken, Sweden. (Sandvik Coromant's U.S. operations as based in Fair Lawn, N.J.) "The overall goal in creating this mosaic was to raise awareness about the vital role manufacturing plays in the U.S. economy and the advantageous career opportunities it presents our children for the future."

The money used in the creation of the mosaic will be donated to The Manufacturing Institute, a 501(c)(3) non-profit-organization. This donation will help students take advantage of STEM-education and help fund the organization's summer camps, as well as other initiatives including "Dream It. Do It." and "STEP Ahead," a women-in-manufacturing initiative.

"It has been such a rewarding experience to be involved in an event that places as much value on the future of the manufacturing industry as we do," said Jennifer McNelly, president of The Manufacturing Institute. "This donation will make a big impact for individuals enrolled in our STEM-education initiatives and give them the tools to have successful futures in the field."

To symbolize the importance of career development within the industry, the mosaic's design illustrates a manufacturing worker holding a gear surrounding a globe, highlighting North America. A set of rising bar graphs further depicts the growth manufacturing has brought to the U.S. economy, with the words "Manufacturing Our Future" headlining the image. The final mosaic, comprised of more than 214,000 dollar, quarter, dime, nickel and penny coins, covered an area of more than 840 sq. ft., surpassing the previous record holder by 24.76 sq. ft.

Construction on the mosaic began on Monday, Sept. 8 in the South Parking Lot A-2 of Chicago's Soldier Field. The mosaic was open for viewing to the public starting Sept. 9, with the official unveil and confirmation of the Guinness World Record held at 10 a.m. on Sept. 10.

The mosaic was made possible with help from event sponsors including Haas Automation, the Gene Haas Foundation, Amazon, Blackhawk Industrial, Doosan Infracore Machine Tools, Okuma America and Quality Mill Supply.