By David Hoffman, Jaemi 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 development … [Read more...] about It’s Not Just a Skills Gap. It’s a Knowledge Gap.
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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
Benefits That Matter: A Q&A on Redefining Employee Experience
By Lindsey Munson, managing editor, Plastics Business With the plastics industry shifting toward advanced equipment, automation and technologies in recent years, companies continue to recognize that their greatest asset and strongest advantage is their people. Recruiting and retaining skilled employees has become one of the industry’s toughest challenges – prompting … [Read more...] about Benefits That Matter: A Q&A on Redefining Employee Experience
Plastics Business Celebrates 20 Years
By Dianna Brodine, vice president of editorial, Plastics Business Those who know me well have probably heard me tell two stories about the early days of Plastics Business magazine. The first cover story featured Makuta Technics (now Makuta, Inc.), a precision micro molding company in Indiana led by the fantastic Stu Kaplan. While I had writing and interviewing … [Read more...] about Plastics Business Celebrates 20 Years