by Chris Kuehl, managing director, Armada Corporate Intelligence By now every commodity category one can think of has been experiencing dramatic price hikes. Oil is trending above $80, natural gas prices surged by over 500%, steel was up by 216% and during the summer the price of lumber hit record levels. To some degree this surge was anticipated but the extent of the price … [Read more...] about What’s Up with Inflation These Days?
Supply Chain
State of the Plastics Industry: Mostly Sunny with a Chance of Thunderstorms
by Laurie Harbour, president and CEO, Harbour Results, Inc. In 2020, if processors asked, “What would the state of the plastics industry be in 2021?” the sentiment would have been pessimistic. Many predicted the COVID-19-spurred recession to last 12 to 18 months and shutdowns and drop in consumer spending would result in many distressed businesses and industries. Business … [Read more...] about State of the Plastics Industry: Mostly Sunny with a Chance of Thunderstorms
What Processors Can Do to Maintain a Healthy Flow in Their Resin Supply Chain
by Liz Stevens, writer, Plastics Business As 2021 comes to a close, plastics manufacturers are facing enormous pressures. An increased demand for their products is crashing head-on into the lingering worker shortage and a relatively new but crippling resin supply chain crunch. Processors have struggled for some time to find trained workers during a period when fewer workers … [Read more...] about What Processors Can Do to Maintain a Healthy Flow in Their Resin Supply Chain
Finding Waste on the Plant Floor
by Liz Stevens, contributing writer, Plastics Business Jedd Smith is the director of quality and operations at EirMed in Menomonie, Wisconsin. EirMed specializes in the design, engineering, manufacturing, assembly and packaging of medical devices. The company serves an array of medical markets, including cardiovascular, dentistry, ear/nose/throat, ophthalmic, orthopedic, … [Read more...] about Finding Waste on the Plant Floor
5 Steps to Better Supply Agreements
by H. Alan Rothenbuecher, partner Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP Supply agreements serve as the lifeblood of many manufacturing companies. These agreements outline the terms and conditions controlling the supply of goods and services between various parties. Without this framework, many businesses could not meet the pressing demands of the modern-day … [Read more...] about 5 Steps to Better Supply Agreements