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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Organic Milk Processor Packs A Punch
November 7, 2012 5:29 pm | by Krystal Gabert, Editor, Food Manufacturing | CommentsWhiteWave Foods’ Horizon Organic facility in City of Industry, CA, is making organic milk accessible to a larger consumer base than ever before. In fact, Horizon Organic is the fastest growing unique brand in the country. The City of Industry facility employs a continuous improvement culture to reduce downtime and bottlenecks and has improved OEE performance by up to 34 percent on some production lines.
The Reality Of IP Theft
November 7, 2012 8:38 am | by Joel Hans, Managing Editor, Manufacturing.net | CommentsVerizon has recently released its fifth annual Data Breach Investigations Report, which investigates the various ways that attackers — both internal to a company or external, both intentional and accidental — breach security systems and gain access to sensitive data. This year, Verizon’s RISK team decided to take a closer look at the data in the effort to discover trends in attacks related directly to intellectual property.
ISM: Manufacturing Continues To Grow
November 6, 2012 7:09 am | by Mike Schmidt. Associate Editor, Manufacturing Business Technology | CommentsThe October registered 51.7 percent, an increase of 0.2 percentage point from September’s reading of 51.5 percent, indicating growth in manufacturing at a slightly faster rate. “This helps to remind people that manufacturing is growing, despite its ups and downs and everything going on around us,” said Holcomb, CPSM, CPSD, chair of the Institute for Supply Management Manufacturing Business Survey Committee.
Legacy Automation Systems: Maintain Or Overhaul?
November 5, 2012 7:09 am | by Mike Schmidt, Associate Editor, Manufacturing Business Technology | CommentsThere is no shortage of reasons why manufacturers consider addressing the limitations of their legacy automation systems. From increased efficiency to widespread customization, there is obvious value in overhauling or maintaining aging equipment. Then why are manufacturers sticking with legacy systems that don’t offer the desired performance? More importantly, what are their options when they decide they are ready to make a change?
Lack of Leadership Seen To Thwart Manufacturing Renaissance
November 5, 2012 7:08 am | by Deloitte | CommentsThe public feels that American leadership is off-course in improving manufacturing competitiveness and that the national economy is weak and fragile, according to a new survey from Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute. The survey found that Americans have a jaundiced view of the nation’s overall economic health, with 59 percent indicating that the economy has “not improved or gotten better” in recent years.
Keeping The Chicks In A Row
November 2, 2012 8:05 am | by Lindsey Coblentz, Associate Editor, Food Manufacturing | CommentsThroughout its 89-year history, Just Born in Bethlehem, Penn., has produced such iconic candy brands as PEEPS® and MIKE AND IKE®. The family-owned company prides itself in maintaining a sense of tradition, while continuing to generate growth through innovative production processes.
Choosing Between Air And Electric Clutch-Brakes
October 31, 2012 8:08 am | by Edd Brooks, Senior Product Specialist, Nexen Group | CommentsTo accommodate current industry demands for enhanced cost-effectiveness and productivity, machine builders must consider the performance capabilities and operational overhead of each component that goes into every design. Stopping and starting capacity are two of the most important performance aspects of machine automation, with inferior clutches and brakes having a direct impact on production efficiency and product quality.
Entrepreneurial Nation
October 30, 2012 8:13 am | CommentsRo Khanna spent two years as deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he worked with the country’s most influential labor leaders to rebuild the nation’s manufacturing sector and increase America’s exports. He recently discussed what manufacturers can learn from the aerospace industry, why Solyndra is not a U.S. solar manufacturing failure, and what he sees for the future of American manufacturing.
The New Paradigm: Lean, Automate, Differentiate
October 29, 2012 8:14 am | by Joel Hans, Managing Editor, Manufacturing.net | CommentsFresh out of college with a manufacturing engineering degree, Duncan believed that he could revolutionize the furniture industry by eschewing old-line manufacturing processes and focusing on Lean and burgeoning technology. He incorporated American Leather in 1990 with a simple-but-bold premise: He would make custom leather furniture and get it out the door in less than 30 days.
U.S. Industrial Manufacturers Remain Positive
October 29, 2012 8:13 am | by PwC | CommentsDespite continued uncertainty about the prospects of both the U.S. and global economies, the majority of U.S. industrial manufacturers remain positive regarding the overall revenue outlook for the next 12 months, according to the Q3 2012 Manufacturing Barometer released today by PwC US.
Developing The Workforce Of Tomorrow (Part 2)
October 26, 2012 8:12 am | by Patricia Riedl, Booz & Co.; Maria Ferrante, PMMI | CommentsFor many years, manufacturing has been characterized as a less than desirable career choice, so the Gen Ys look at manufacturing as a last resort — or not an option at all. Parents are under the impression that jobs are not stable, pay is low and the environment is dirty. But the reality is that today’s manufacturing jobs require a highly skilled workforce to operate and maintain high tech, highly automated equipment.
Logistics Clusters: Delivering Value & Driving Growth
October 26, 2012 8:11 am | CommentsYossi Sheffi, an international expert in supply chain management, discusses his new book, Logistics Clusters. He has worked with leading manufacturers around the world on logistics issues and is an active entrepreneur, having founded or cofounded five companies since 1987.
Developing The Workforce Of Tomorrow (Part 1)
October 24, 2012 8:12 am | by Patricia Riedl, Booz & Co.; Maria Ferrante, PMMI | CommentsIn the next few years, thousands of Baby Boomers are going to retire, leaving factory jobs to Generation Y, who will be presented with dual challenges; increasing productivity and making the overall U.S. economy more competitive. The transition between the generations of workers will be difficult because the two generations are profoundly different in terms of attitude, skills, and work styles.
Equipment Financing: At Year-End And Throughout The Year
October 24, 2012 8:11 am | by William G. Sutton, CAE, President and CEO, Equipment Leasing and Finance Association | CommentsMany businesses give special consideration to equipment financing as the end of the year approaches in order to take advantage of special incentives lenders and captive vendors may offer. While such deals are often available, it’s important to keep financing in mind for acquiring the equipment your business needs, regardless of the time of year.
Ferrules: Your Best Insurance Against Costly Connection Failure
October 23, 2012 8:11 am | by Weidmuller | CommentsThe use of ferrules indicates a prudent allocation of resources. The expense of ferrules and the time it takes to crimp them to the end of a wire pale in comparison to the delays and substantial costs of shorts and failed connections that occur when stranded wire frays or breaks. Simply put, ferrules are the cost-efficient choice.
