News

US Economic Growth for Last Quarter is Revised Up to a 5.2% Annual Rate

Shrugging off higher interest rates, America’s consumers spent enough to help drive the economy to a brisk 5.2% annual pace from July through September, the government reported Wednesday in an upgrade from its previous estimate. The government had previously estimated that the economy grew... Continue Reading

What Should I Be Observing When I Walk the Shop Floor?

Identifying opportunities in safety, sustaining 5s and quality should be part of leaders' daily routine. As a leader in the field of manufacturing, as soon as you step onto the shop floor you need to pay attention to your environment. This includes safety, 5s and quality with the process... Continue Reading

LEI for the U.S. Declines Again in October

About the Leading Economic Index and the Coincident Economic Index: The Leading Economic Index provides an early indication of significant turning points in the business cycle and where the economy is heading in the near term. The Coincident Economic Index provides an indication of the current... Continue Reading

Global Manufacturing Economic Update

Weakness in China, Europe Continues to Challenge Global Manufacturers The J.P. Morgan Global Manufacturing PMI™ edged down to 48.8 in October, with activity in the sector contracting for the 14th consecutive month. New orders decreased at a slightly slower rate, but output,... Continue Reading

A Balancing Act: Using AI for Internal Workplace Communications

Human oversight is essential to get the benefit of AI in workplace communication, says Ciara Flaherty of Springboard Communications. Imagine the bustling offices of a multinational, where employees span continents and time zones. Now imagine a scenario where this organization is launching a... Continue Reading

Does Your Business Suffer from Toxic Customers or Clients?

If you’re in business, you’ve likely encountered toxic people like these: The Unreasonable Demander. A small boutique clothing store had a customer who would come in regularly, try on numerous outfits and then demand special discounts for each item. She would threaten to leave... Continue Reading

US Producer Prices Slide 0.5% in October, Biggest Drop Since 2020

U.S. wholesale prices fell sharply last month as inflationary pressure continued to ease after a year and a half of higher interest rates. The Labor Department reported Wednesday that its producer price index — which measures inflation before it hits consumers — dropped 0.5% in... Continue Reading

Cloud Concentration a Significant Emerging Risk

Many organizations are now in a position where they would face severe disruption in the event of the failure of a single provider,” said Gartner report. The risk associated with dependence on a particular cloud provider for multiple business capabilities is in the top five emerging risks... Continue Reading

The Metal Treating Institute: Spearheading Solutions in Heat Treating

Within the complex landscape of the heat treating industry, companies face a multitude of challenges. These range from navigating an uncertain economy and the competition for skilled workers to the transfer of invaluable expertise from seasoned employees to the rising generation. Additionally,... Continue Reading

Workers are Missing Cog in US Manufacturing Gears

There’s a spanner in the freshly restarted U.S. manufacturing machine. A factory construction boom sparked by President Joe Biden’s industrial policies has led to unbridled optimism about the sector for the first time in decades. The hardest part of the process hangs in the balance,... Continue Reading

Women in Manufacturing: Closing the Gap

It’s no secret that women are underrepresented in manufacturing and technical fields. In many manufacturing-oriented companies, awareness of that gap has grown, leading to the creation of targeted programs that enable, support and promote women in their businesses. That awareness is critical... Continue Reading

How Leadership Development Can Reverse Turnover Quickly

Gallup research indicates that 70% of engagement can be traced back to an employee’s relationship with their manager. This just goes to show that at the heart of any thriving culture is thriving leadership. Bristlecone is no exception. When the company attrition rate grew to 27% nearly two... Continue Reading