Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association (MESA) International is a worldwide not-for-profit community of manufacturing companies, information technology hardware and software suppliers, system integrators, consulting service providers, analysts, editors, academics and students. The combined purpose is to improve business results and production operations through optimized application and implementation of information technology and best management practices. MESA member companies and individuals and our knowledgebase span the full range of manufacturing environments from discrete to batch to mixed model to process. The association's efforts are focused on helping the manufacturing community to use information technology to provide real-time visibility into the production process. Further, MESA is committed to connecting that visibility to create business results, achieving such real value chain objectives such as lean manufacturing, collaborative supply chain management, quality and regulatory compliance, asset performance management, and product lifecycle management. MESA provides a variety of programs and events that work together to help manufacturers: -Better understand what is possible in terms of information technology to improve profitability, business value, agility, and customer satisfaction -Engage "best practices" to see what other manufacturers have done to achieve measurable success -Approach investment decisions in technology with more confidence -Learn to improve the deployment of new technology MESA's Global Education Program and events present to manufacturing businesses those best practices used to solve critical problems within their corporation and those that extend to their suppliers, customers, and partners. As members, both manufacturers and information system providers benefit from working together on solving critical business issues and furthering the state of the industry in the use of integrated information systems.