Manufacture Smarter Blog

8/30/2019 - THE CENTER
Happy Labor Day!

8/23/2019 - BY: ROGER TOMLINSON
How well does your company communicate? In the current business landscape, effective communication plays a major role in determining organizational success as this directly contributes to employee engagement and inclusion. To improve the flow of information in your facility, while making employees feel heard and valued, conduct skip level meetings.

8/16/2019 - BY: JOHN SPILLSON
By far the biggest buzz in the food industry in 2019 is the rise of alternative meat products. By why now? Some consumers are fueled by the desire to improve their diet by cutting back on their red meat consumption. Others are hoping to reduce their environmental impact by choosing more sustainable food options. With these goals in mind, let's see how these various meat alternatives stack up against each other and the real thing. 

8/9/2019 - BY: ROB STAUFFER
As any experienced project manager knows, there are many things, such as scope creep and budget issues, that can go wrong when working on a project. When these problems inevitably arise, all heads turn to the project manager for a solution. To ensure your future projects don't fail, follow these key steps.

8/2/2019 - BY: DALE WICKER
Even in today's manufacturing world, differing beliefs surrounding quality still exist. One of the most popular myths in the industry is the belief that 'Quality' with a capital Q, is solely the responsibilty of the Quality Department. That is... False! To truly achieve quality in a given product or process, manufacturers must establish quality as a strategic priority throughout the entire organization, not just the Quality Department. 

7/26/2019 - BY: DAVE NELSON
How many times during your career have you found yourself feeling stuck in a rut? When this happens, there are two ways to respond: wait for things around you to change or proactively make changes yourself.

7/19/2019 - BY: KARA KUCINSKI
Manufacturing is entering a new era. And while the current business landscape may be vastly different than what manufacturers have experienced before, the same tools and concepts from the past can be used to inspire change and improve practices in this new setting. One such tool is Kaizen.

7/12/2019 - BY: BOB JENKINS
Today, virtually all young people interested in engineering programs are proficient in drawing and creating 3D models that make a computer screen come alive with visuals. Painfully, however, many high schools no longer provide the option of taking a drafting class, which forms the basis of all CAD drawings. Despite the lack of attention in schools, learning skills in blueprint reading and drafting should not be overlooked by those who work in manufacturing.

7/4/2019 - THE CENTER
Happy Fourth of July!

6/28/2019 - BY: TRICIA ONESIAN
The days of the stereotypical salesman are gone. No longer are salespeople encouraged to succeed by pushing unneeded services or products to customers, or by stretching the truth just to get a sale. The role of salespeople has changed. Now, it's about customer service and honesty.