January 2013

1/25/2013 - THE CENTER
Recently our Federal Sponsor, NIST MEP, posted an article called Challenging Times. In it, Ken Voytek shared some data gleaned from clients surveyed across the MEP network. As part of the survey and to help inform MEP new products and services, clients are asked to identify the top 3 challenges their companies face over the next three years.

1/18/2013 - THE CENTER
What is your company’s biggest asset? Is it your most expensive piece of equipment? Is it a mechanism on your production line that helps you become more efficient?  Whether you’re an automobile manufacturer or produce precision screws, dies or pumps, you’re still going to have the same answer to the question: your staff is your company’s biggest asset.

1/11/2013 - THE CENTER
Customers create value for a business in two different ways: They buy more today, or they improve their disposition toward you and buy more tomorrow. But for a business these two types of value are in conflict just like pace and stride are in conflict for a runner.

1/4/2013 - THE CENTER
This week, the Institute of Supply Management (ISM) reported that December was the fourth consecutive month of expanding orders from American businesses. The ISM export gauge showed sales growth overseas for the first time in seven months. American manufacturers are becoming increasingly optimistic about the outlook for sales in 2013.