Manufacture Smarter Blog

10/28/2022 - BY: EMILY WICKER
Marketing is a key piece of the business strategy that puts value to products or services to satisfy a customer’s wants and/or needs. As technology continues to play a role in our everyday lives, it is important for manufacturers to utilize Digital Marketing within their overall business strategy.

10/21/2022 - BY: STEVE VAMPLEW
One of the many services we provide at the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (The Center) is conducting internal audits on our client’s Quality Management System (QMS) or Environmental Management System (EMS). In today’s manufacturing climate, where labor shortages abound, we are being called upon more than ever to perform these internal audits.

10/14/2022 - BY: JEFF WILLIAMS
There’s no doubt we are living in a time where technology and computers have become an integral part of our day-to-day business, and these critical systems are not exempt from the need to be maintained, supported and upgraded. Along with this technology, there is an increased risk to business due to cyber criminals and cyberattacks.

10/7/2022 - BY: ROB STAUFFER
Most manufacturers are facing inflation, which drives up the cost of just about everything they buy. At the same time, the price of petroleum has risen, increasing the cost of transporting items to and from their factories. The current talent and workforce shortage, particularly in manufacturing, has caused an upward pressure on wages. And to make things even more challenging, many economic indicators are predicting a looming recession, which tends to shrink consumption and slow down production.

9/30/2022 - BY: REBEKAH MCCARTER
Using CONNEX™ Michigan, buyers are shortening their search process and finding suppliers with the capabilities they need to mitigate their risk and expand their product footprint. It’s time to start local and grow national. Maximize the success of your searches with CONNEX™ today.

9/23/2022 - BY: ROGER TOMLINSON
Take a look at your facility. Are there ways you could improve the layout of your plant? Are employees walking far between jobs? Does the arrangement of equipment make the most sense for optimum efficiency? Plant layout is a great way to minimize operating costs by ensuring efficient workflow throughout the shop floor.

9/16/2022 - BY: TRICIA ONESIAN
With the manufacturing world struggling to retain and attract talent, having a culture of loyalty and investing in your workforce is more important than ever. Today, workers don’t necessarily seek employment with the highest paying opportunity, but rather with one where their career progression and development is important. Loyalty to an employer is now based on the loyalty the employer has to the employee.

9/9/2022 - BY: GEORGE SINGOS
As we all know, technology is advancing by the day, hour and minute, which means so is manufacturing. To assist manufacturers, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (The Center) provides free Technology Opportunity Assessments. During this assessment, The Center’s experts visit a manufacturing site to see where automation and technologies could help ensure the company doesn’t get left behind. So, what have we learned after completing more than 200 of them?

9/2/2022 - BY: THE CENTER
We wish everyone a happy Labor Day weekend. Thank you to all our Michigan manufacturers who work hard year-round! 

8/19/2022 - BY: THE CENTER
Last week, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center’s Smart Technology Zone was on the road again. It was a huge hit at the Advanced Manufacturing Expo in Grand Rapids, Mich., where our Industry 4.0 team joined our West Michigan team to talk about all things tech with hundreds of attendees.