Here are ten lessons that emerged from the great dialog in my two recent Feedback Boot Camp workshops. We all appreciate feedback from trusted sources on what we are doing that is working and what we can strengthen or change to improve our success. In general, people feel as if they don’t... Continue Reading
Successful audits start with successful heat treat processes that are managed, controlled, and documented properly. The essentials are sometimes easy, maybe even obvious, and can usually be implemented quickly to kick-start your preparations for the next audit. The appropriate production... Continue Reading
Why tomorrow’s maintenance function will combine the strengths of lean and agile organizations. Over the past seventy years, lean management’s focus on the reduction of waste and process variability through rigorous standardization and continuous improvement has transformed... Continue Reading
With multiple new technologies being introduced to the suffering oil and gas industry in 2020, 3D printing is the latest fad to gain traction in the space. Additive manufacturing has been extremely useful during the Covid-19 pandemic, delivering vital PPE to frontline workers across the globe. But... Continue Reading
NEWS RELEASE Date: December 10, 2020 Paulo Products Awarded 2020 Commercial Heat Treater of the Year Award At its Fall Virtual Membership Update on December 2nd, the Metal Treating Institute (MTI), the largest network of heat treaters in the world, in partnership with Industrial... Continue Reading
The Metal Treating Institute is excited to announce the Board of Trustees has approved a year-end donation of $52,000 from the proceeds of the FNA Virtual Conference and Trade Show to the MTI Educational Foundation. MTI President, Jim Oakes from Super Systems stated, “Given the impact of... Continue Reading
How managers can make the most of a mixed-age team to maximize its efforts. Manufacturers in the U.S. find themselves in a challenging position as they try to find the right people to fill the job openings within their ranks. The generational gap has never been greater in the manufacturing... Continue Reading
Problem-solving steps up for metal fabricators in uncertain times of the COVID-19 era. During the depths of the lockdown in April and May, Lean manufacturing—especially just-in-time inventory management—got some bad press. Were supply chains too Lean? Did manufacturers need to... Continue Reading
Crises are humbling. They unmask imposters and reveal dormant strengths. During COVID-19, many leaders navigated unrelenting and unchartered territory from their bedrooms, not their boardrooms. Some found themselves uttering previously unspoken words like “I don’t know,”... Continue Reading
A more thoughtful balance between homegrown capabilities and outsourcing can help companies generate more value from an often-overlooked opportunity. For many organizations, indirect procurement—purchases of services and supplies that support business operations—is a source of... Continue Reading
Historically paperbound processes are advancing from automation to intelligence. But first, procurement departments must address data and culture change. Up to half of the purchase orders from the purchasing department at Chicago-based manufacturer JBT required a change before the product was... Continue Reading
Ransomware attack leads to the world's largest office furniture manufacturer shuttering its operations. In late October, another manufacturer fell victim to a serious ransomware attack. Specifically, Grand Rapids, MI-based Steelcase suffered a Ryuk ransomware attack, forcing it to halt global... Continue Reading
