CMTC Manufacturing Blog

Posted by Steven Brand

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is still in its early stages, but it has already begun to change the way we live and work. Its impact on society is going to be enormous, with experts predicting the industry to reach $370 billion over the next four years.

Posted by Steven Brand

Whether you’re a B2B or B2C manufacturer, your customers are the lifeblood of your business. While many small and medium-sized manufacturers often look inward for ways to improve business and processes, such as adopting new technology or improving employee training, it’s also important to venture outside your own doors and listen to your customers. 

Posted by Steven Brand

Today’s small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) face many challenges—and many opportunities. And while there are a wealth of resources out there, sometimes it can still seem like you’re operating in a vacuum, cut off from the rest of the manufacturing world outside of the occasional networking event. To remedy this situation for California’s SMMs, Peer Council groups were created. 

Posted by Steven Brand

Small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) have begun to embrace the fourth industrial revolution, investing in new technologies such as advanced robotics, smart manufacturing, flexible hybrid electronics and additive manufacturing in order to grow and compete. However, there’s another often overlooked area they should also invest in to grow their company: their employees. By making an investment in employees, SMMs can begin to build a solid foundation for success and strengthen the backbone of their business.

Posted by Steven Brand

Manufacturing plays a key role within California, which is one of the most powerful economies in the world, leading a variety of industries, including technology, international trade, healthcare, agriculture, and energy. In fact, the World Bank ranks California as the sixth-largest economy in the world, with only the entirety of the United States and China, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom topping it. So, clearly, there are many benefits to keeping your manufacturing business within the Golden State. Of course, there can also be challenges, so we’ll also take a look at how one manufacturer was able to overcome them in order to thrive in California.

Posted by Steven Brand

Manufacturing Day®, an initiative designed to inspire the next generation of manufacturers, arrives October 4, 2019. The annual MFG Day (which can be held anytime during the month) involves thousands of manufacturers across the country holding events, tours, activities, and more. Last year, in California alone, more than 250 sites registered as event hosts and more than 330 manufacturers and support organizations participated in or sponsored events throughout the month of October. 

Posted by Steven Brand

The Golden State began leading the way in workplace anti-harassment training in 2004, establishing Assembly Bill (AB) 1825, which requires supervisors to learn about the subject. Covered under the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), AB 1825 states that employers must “take reasonable steps to prevent and correct wrongful behavior in the workplace.” In 2018, in the wake of the #MeToo movement, California took things a step further, enacting Senate Bill (SB) 1343, an amendment that makes several significant adjustments to the training requirements.

Posted by Steven Brand

Manufacturers across the country are preparing for Manufacturing Day® 2019, or MFG Day. Arriving October 4 this year, MFG Day is designed to inspire and recruit the next generation of manufacturers. The annual event began in 2012, and was created to dispel the notion that all manufacturing jobs are “dark, dirty, and dangerous,” and to show students, businesspeople, politicians, and the media that manufacturing offers some of the most exciting and innovative work environments around.

Posted by Cullen Hilkene, Guest Author

Over the last decade, Additive Manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) has garnered many headlines—from the hype of consumer 3D printing to the substance of its impact on the design and manufacturing community. The amount of ink dedicated to the technology has been substantial and well-deserved. 3D printing changes manufacturing through the way industries design, make production parts and support products in the aftermarket. In this blog post, we delve into the ways that 3D printing is changing manufacturing today. Keep an eye out for upcoming posts about the ways additive stands to further change manufacturing in the future.

Posted by Steven Brand

Every year, billions of dollars are made available to small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) courtesy of government organizations. These initiatives aim to help SMMs get off the ground or aid in their expansion efforts; in fact, we covered eight organizations willing to lend a hand to SMMs in a recent story you can read here. Now, we’re pleased to report that another organization is stepping up and offering financing help: the Small Business Development Center (SBDC).