The Truth About Your Inventory
Having worked with hundreds of manufacturing organizations over the last 30 years, it has never ceased to amaze me that inventory control is still the number-one concern. It can be a real issue even...
View ArticleIs America still No. 1? Does it matter?
Reprinted from Portsmouth Herald / Seacoastonline.com –10 February 21, 2011 Recent reports from the U.N. and several industry associations indicate that China may have overtaken the United States as...
View ArticleRebuilding U.S. Manufacturing
China has become the world’s factory because of the availability of lots of labor at very low rates. Just about any product with a measurable amount of labor content can be acquired from a Chinese...
View ArticleMade in the USA
US Manufacturing getting a push Wal-Mart wants more US-made goods and is holding a series of supplier conferences to encourage more U.S. manufacturing. The government is also pushing hard to bolster...
View ArticleVertical Integration and the Extended Supply Chain
A company has more control over suppliers and distributors that it owns, but is it a good idea to own other links in the supply chain? (full length article) Chocolate producers have a big...
View ArticleHow big is your warehouse?
Is your warehouse (or stockroom) too big or too small? Is it being used effectively? These are critical business questions because warehouse space, the cost of owning and operating that space, and the...
View ArticleRegional Sourcing
The re-shoring phenomenon that you heard so much about over the last year or two is continuing, with varying impact on industries, producers and regions. The bulk of the headlines have dealt with the...
View ArticleAbout Manufacturing 4.0
As usual, December and January blogs and newsletters have been full of predictions for the coming year. There seems to be a consensus, among pundits at least, that so-called manufacturing 4.0 will...
View ArticleManufacturing embraces the Industrial Internet of Things
The high level of interest and hype surrounding the Internet of Things is driven by the proliferation of everyday objects with an Internet connection — everything from kitchen appliances and household...
View ArticleIs U.S. Manufacturing Still Strong?
It’s hard to find anything positive in the general media about U.S. manufacturing: Hundreds of manufacturing jobs have been “exported to China”. U.S. manufacturing can’t compete. There are no more...
View ArticleThe Unique U-Shaped Effect of Automation on Today’s Labor
Automation continues to be a very significant factor in the loss of manufacturing jobs. Ever-increasing productivity is a two-edged sword as fewer workers are needed to produce more goods. The simple...
View ArticleThe Effect of Automation on Today’s Labor
Automation continues to be a very significant factor in the loss of manufacturing jobs. Ever-increasing productivity is a two-edged sword as fewer workers are needed to produce more goods. The simple...
View ArticleYou Want it When?
E-commerce is growing rapidly, taking market share from brick-and-mortar retailers at an alarming pace. Many traditional retailers are closing stores while trying to beef up the E-commerce side of...
View ArticleMade in the USA
US Manufacturing getting a push Wal-Mart wants more US-made goods and is holding a series of supplier conferences to encourage more U.S. manufacturing. The government is also pushing hard to bolster...
View ArticleVertical Integration and the Extended Supply Chain
A company has more control over suppliers and distributors that it owns, but is it a good idea to own other links in the supply chain? (full length article) Chocolate producers have a big...
View ArticleHow big is your warehouse?
Is your warehouse (or stockroom) too big or too small? Is it being used effectively? These are critical business questions because warehouse space, the cost of owning and operating that space, and the...
View ArticleRegional Sourcing
The re-shoring phenomenon that you heard so much about over the last year or two is continuing, with varying impact on industries, producers and regions. The bulk of the headlines have dealt with the...
View ArticleAbout Manufacturing 4.0
As usual, December and January blogs and newsletters have been full of predictions for the coming year. There seems to be a consensus, among pundits at least, that so-called manufacturing 4.0 will...
View ArticleManufacturing embraces the Industrial Internet of Things
The high level of interest and hype surrounding the Internet of Things is driven by the proliferation of everyday objects with an Internet connection — everything from kitchen appliances and household...
View ArticleIs U.S. Manufacturing Still Strong?
It’s hard to find anything positive in the general media about U.S. manufacturing: Hundreds of manufacturing jobs have been “exported to China”. U.S. manufacturing can’t compete. There are no more...
View Article