By Troy Nix, executive director, MAPP Health benefits remain one of the largest – and most unpredictable – line items in a manufacturing company’s budget. Recent reporting underscores just how acute the challenge has become. According to The New York Post, US employers are facing projected healthcare cost increases of 7% to 10% over the next 12 months, the steepest rise in … [Read more...] about Get Out of the Rate Race… A Smarter Way for Manufacturers to Manage Healthcare Costs
Business Planning
Building a Practical AI Strategy: Lessons from BRI
By Adam Noble, vice president, Blue Ridge Industries IntroductionBlue Ridge Industries (BRI) is a custom contract manufacturer specializing in injection molding, high-volume automation and engineering design – creating quality solutions since 1985. The company was founded by technical owners who excel at creating quality solutions and this technical, data-driven culture only … [Read more...] about Building a Practical AI Strategy: Lessons from BRI
Capability Is the New Capacity in Plastics Manufacturing
By Amber Galford, founder, PeopleROI, LLC Plastics processors have become exceptionally good at squeezing performance out of what can be measured. They justify automation to eliminate touchpoints, upgrade presses to improve cycle consistency, and refine tooling to drive out variation. Every major investment is expected to produce a clear, quantifiable return. Cost of … [Read more...] about Capability Is the New Capacity in Plastics Manufacturing
From Chaos to Control: How MAPP Members Are Taking Charge of MRO Spending with Grainger
By Shelby Lasley, GPO Director, MAPP In the world of manufacturing, most companies can quickly identify their biggest cost drivers: labor, raw materials and energy. But tucked behind the scenes, in storerooms and tool cribs, lurks a category that often goes unnoticed until something breaks – maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) supplies. More than 40% of MRO purchases … [Read more...] about From Chaos to Control: How MAPP Members Are Taking Charge of MRO Spending with Grainger
Mastering the Marathon: Four Strategies for Managing Long Sales Cycles
By Troy Harrison, sales navigator, speaker and author Most people haven’t ever run a marathon. But many salespeople run them every day – the long sales cycle. Salespeople love the quick win – that satisfying moment when a prospect becomes a customer in a matter of days or weeks. Sometimes, it’s even the fabled “one call close.” But what about those industries, or even … [Read more...] about Mastering the Marathon: Four Strategies for Managing Long Sales Cycles