by Hank McHale, Hank McHale & Associates In today's economy, manufacturing companies must continuously work toward keeping their manufacturing costs low or risk losing their competitive edge. US manufacturing costs have been rising over the last five years; labor costs have risen 10 percent (Deloitte, 2013 Global Manufacturing Competitive Index). Direct labor can be a … [Read more...] about Review Direct Labor Cost Controls
Business Planning
Q&A: Planning for Success
Flexibility, planning and continual education are keys to a successful business, accoring to Laurie Harbour and Jeff Mengel, two speakers at the MAPP Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference last October. During a town hall-style discussion, moderated by MAPP Executive Director Troy Nix, Mengel, a partner at Plante Moran, and Harbour, president and CEO of Harbour Results, … [Read more...] about Q&A: Planning for Success
Challenges for the Tooling Industry will Impact Processors
by Laurie Harbour, Harbour Results, Inc. In October of 2013, Harbour Results, Inc. (HRI) and the Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA) collaborated on a study of automotive tooling. The initial goal for this benchmarking study was to analyze payment terms and sourcing practices within the industry, which are two very hot topics for tool suppliers. However, the … [Read more...] about Challenges for the Tooling Industry will Impact Processors
After Gridlock, Plastics Industry Looks to Federal Policy Modernization and Cutting Red Tape
by William Carteaux, SPI Looking back on 2013 – a year marked by partisan bickering in Washington that resulted in the first government shutdown in over 17 years – we in the plastics industry are hopeful that at least a few key issues are ripe for bipartisan solutions in 2014. Importantly, though, where consensus cannot be reached despite our best efforts, we must continue to … [Read more...] about After Gridlock, Plastics Industry Looks to Federal Policy Modernization and Cutting Red Tape
Manufacturing Buzz Tempered by Challenges from China and Mexico
by Laurie Harbour, Harbour Results, Inc. The buzz today for manufacturing is exciting. From large companies moving critical manufacturing operations back to the US to universities starting new programs for manufacturing to companies that are growing and adding employees, the manufacturing industry is booming in the US. From our perspective, there is no better time for US … [Read more...] about Manufacturing Buzz Tempered by Challenges from China and Mexico