The 2026 MAPP Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference will bring together leaders from across the plastics processing industry for three days of benchmarking, operational insight and peer-driven learning. Taking place September 29-October 1 in Indianapolis, the event provides manufacturers with practical strategies to improve performance, profitability and long-term … [Read more...] about MAPP Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference 2026
Articles
Stop Blaming the Economy: Five Ways Smart Business Owners Take Control in Any Market
By Melissa Willis, coaching and consulting Smart business owners focus on what they CAN control rather than worrying about what they CAN’T control. No amount of pacing and handwringing will change the current economy or the pace of inflation. While it might be tempting to keep lamenting about what’s not working, business owners whose doors stay open will be putting on … [Read more...] about Stop Blaming the Economy: Five Ways Smart Business Owners Take Control in Any Market
It’s Not Just a Skills Gap. It’s a Knowledge Gap.
By David Hoffman, Jaemin Aoh and Nora Ganzil, AIM Institute If a room of manufacturing leaders is asked to name their biggest business challenge, workforce development almost always tops the list. Yet, when looking at where those same companies actually allocate their annual spend, a contradiction emerges. Despite being the industry’s primary concern, workforce … [Read more...] about It’s Not Just a Skills Gap. It’s a Knowledge Gap.
Not as Bad as Feared but Challenges Still Loom
By Chris Kuehl, managing director, Armada Corporate Intelligence It is an old saying, but it remains quite accurate: “Life is what happens when one is making other plans.” The economic issues facing the plastics industry always are complex, but they are not usually this unpredictable. This global volatility comes through when surveys are conducted. It can be seen in the … [Read more...] about Not as Bad as Feared but Challenges Still Loom
Automation on the Injection Molding Floor: A Practical Guide to Higher Efficiency
By Eric Smith, senior sales and automation specialist, QSI Automation Labor shortages may have driven the first wave of automation investments in plastics manufacturing, but today’s competitive pressures demand much more than replacing manual tasks with robots. Rising labor costs, increasing quality expectations and pressure to maximize productivity are forcing … [Read more...] about Automation on the Injection Molding Floor: A Practical Guide to Higher Efficiency