Do you remember your introduction to smartphones? Ryan, our techy son-in-law, was the first person I knew with an iPhone. Usually understated, Ryan declared that the iPhone was the first technology he’d seen that would change how he lived his life in small and significant everyday moments.... Continue Reading
It takes constant review and enhancements to keep employees happy. Continental’s Wahpeton, North Dakota, facility got its start as family-owned WCCO Belting, a company which grew from a few employees to more than 300 over the 70 years it has been in business. Now, as a Continental... Continue Reading
As many of you know, the UAW is negotiating a new labor agreement with important automotive manufacturers as the current contract expires September 14. The consequences of a strike would have a potentially devastating impact not just on the vast automotive supply chain but many related sectors... Continue Reading
Artificial intelligence won't miraculously solve your problems unless your company is good at curiosity, effective data-gathering and use of data in decision-making. A 2016 U.S. Department of Commerce survey of 80 U.S. manufacturers and vendors reported that smart manufacturing would provide $57... Continue Reading
Leadership focus on sustainability, nearshoring and DE&I is critical to manufacturing's future, writes the CEO of Chicago-based grid manufacturer S&C Electric. Who can forget those early, confusing, and scary days of the COVID-19 pandemic? Overnight, our world changed. In the midst of... Continue Reading
Manufacturing often frets about the aging of its workforce. Some nimble companies revel in it. The past decade has featured a long march of news about manufacturing’s labor shortage. At last count, some 800,000 manufacturing jobs were going unfilled in the United States. Less well-known,... Continue Reading
The artificial intelligence revolution has arrived, and it’s here to stay. ChatGPT has provided us the indisputable evidence that this long-awaited technology is entering a more mature—and more valuable—stage. In fact, generative AI will produce between $170 billion and $290... Continue Reading
The U.S. trade deficit narrowed sharply in June as businesses cut back on purchases of foreign-made capital goods, resulting in imports falling to the lowest level in more than 1-1/2 years. The decline in imports reported by the Commerce Department on Tuesday potentially signals a slowdown in... Continue Reading
I am obsessed with the Wall Street Journal story about America’s many new, young workers who are oblivious to workplace behavior norms and skill expectations. One person thinks it’s OK to read a book while store customers are present. A fast food worker manning the fryer thinks... Continue Reading
Albert Einstein said, “’The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” What he didn’t elaborate on is knowing when it’s time to change. In the business world, leaders are called upon to anticipate and address their continually changing environment for the... Continue Reading
The Metal Treating Institute is excited to announce it has hit its funding goal to begin production on the Jobs of Tomorrow Workforce Development project. MTI had 23 companies commit to a total of $48,000 needed to jumpstart the project. The remaining $72,000 will be funded through a $30,000... Continue Reading
With AI advancing, EQ has become more important than ever. Here’s how to ensure it remains a core component of your organization. If your business is like most businesses, you are likely currently experimenting with ways in which artificial intelligence can make you better. Maybe you are... Continue Reading
