CMTC Manufacturing Blog

When you think about Manufacturing Day, you may be thinking to yourself, “I don’t have the time to host an event. What I manufacture isn’t that interesting. Is it really that big of a deal?” Well, actually, it is a big deal.  Manufacturing Day is a national celebration, which occurs every year on the first Friday in October (this year it's October 6, 2017).

It was started as a way to help change common misperceptions about manufacturing; to get the word out about manufacturing and how 21^st Century manufacturing is not manufacturing as your parents or grandparents knew it.  Not to imply that manufacturing wasn’t important during those years.  It was huge.  

The best managers are always seeking cost-saving opportunities within their manufacturing operations. Of all of those opportunities, there is no better cost to mitigate than that of poor quality. Lost labor hours and scrapping valuable food materials contributes zero value to your goals.

Therefore, to eliminate waste and improve quality, you must maintain a strategic approach which incorporates the following list to help improve product quality in food manufacturing.

While the outlook is largely positive for the manufacturing industry in 2017, this doesn’t mean that there will be zero challenges. With growth comes competition, and manufacturers will need to adapt to these challenges if they want to become leaders and remain agile in the market place.

A fancy title and office with a window will not make you a strong leader. Being a great leader is no easy task as you must inspire, motivate and be effective while becoming a well-respected member of your company. Whether or not you are comfortable with it, you will be in the spotlight with high expectations for your effectiveness. Those who work for you are looking for direction and guidance while your direct reports expect to see results.

Labor costs are likely the largest line item on your company balance sheet. Therefore, a successful cost reduction strategy must adequately balance resourcing and cost controls.

While laying off part of the workforce may seem like the quickest and easiest solution to reducing labor costs in manufacturing, it may not be the best way to resolve the issue. The cost of finding and training new employees is extremely high—so it makes more financial sense to hold on to your employees and keep them happy.

As a small or medium-sized manufacturer, you always have to work to your full potential to stay competitive. There are quotas to meet and deliveries to be made to satisfy existing customers and uphold a good reputation. Failing to be effective in throughput can lead to slow or delayed orders which in turn can lead to customers turning to your competition.

Over the past several decades, major shifts in the manufacturing environment have occurred that have proven beneficial for domestic manufacturers. Industry statistics show that there is a rise in non-traditional manufacturing operations, especially among small and medium-sized companies. Much of this work continues to require human beings in conjunction with automation. Current trends are seeming to favor small and medium-sized manufacturers.

Manufacturing Day occurs every year on the first Friday in October – this year it’s Friday, October 6^th.  Although that may seem like a long way off, it’s amazing how time can fly by and all of a sudden you find yourself scrambling trying to figure out how you want to participate.  We see it happen every year with companies who contact us a month or two before the event date asking us for advice on how they can get involved.  And, believe me, it happens to us too!  As the statewide Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Center for California, part of CMTC’s mission is to promote Manufacturing Day. But, just like you, we get busy with other pressing business and then we look at the calendar and say, “Wow, Manufacturing Day isn’t that far off!”  So we can definitely empathize with you on how hard it is to add one more project to your “to do” list.  However, we also know how important Manufacturing Day is.

The aerospace industry in California has played a large role in the region’s economy for over a half century. With recent changes in the economy and a new administration in the White House, this is a good time to review the outlook for this vital industry.

Overall, things are looking good for California’s aerospace industry in 2017. Here are a few trends that point toward positive growth for small and mid-sized manufacturers in the near future:

Since the introduction of 3D printing in the 1980s, the benefits of producing small amounts of complex parts have been well understood to manufacturers. With new technology coming out and so many companies turning toward additive manufacturing in recent years, more and more advantages are being revealed on a regular basis.