Manufacture Smarter Blog

8/28/2015 - THE CENTER
In the next seven years, the U.S. Census Bureau is calling for a significant population change in the 55 and older segment. What does this mean? Business leaders and executives are committed to remaining in business longer. Because of an inability to envision leaving their business, older leaders delay conversations regarding succession planning.

8/21/2015 - THE CENTER
Supply chain optimization contributes to the success of any manufacturer. Imagine how much of your business relies on the successful management of the process! The importance of this business function is often overlooked by many small business owners, but proper supply chain management helps alleviate a myriad of problems and contributes to the overall success of your organization. 

8/14/2015 - THE CENTER
ISO 9001 is the world’s most utilized management system standard, and currently, all eyes are on its revision. The anticipated release date later this year of the revised version, ISO 9001:2015, has many companies asking how the revision will affect them. Specifically, what are the key changes required for existing ISO 9001-compliant quality management systems to achieve compliance with the revised standard?

8/7/2015 - THE CENTER
Every business has its fair share of problems. Equipment breaks, deliveries arrive late, or production quality waivers. Overcoming challenges is a normal part of business. However, schedules are often so busy that we can only apply a “quick fix” to our issues.

7/31/2015 - THE CENTER
Most companies have great ideas. The challenge is deciding what to do with them. How can we get over the hurdles, speed up the implementation and turn these ideas into cash, whether it be from revenue or cost savings? Stepping outside the box and trying something new can prove difficult because of FEAR.

7/24/2015 - THE CENTER
Safety is on the minds of Americans every day. When you get into your car, you buckle up. When you go to the lake, you lather on sunscreen. The same expectation of safety is extended to food. Each year, millions of dollars are spent on food safety initiatives. Yet, despite efforts, extensive outbreaks of foodborne illness continue to exist. It leads many to ask: What’s the problem? Is the testing conducted inadequate?

7/17/2015 - THE CENTER
The word Kaizen is often referenced when talking about Lean Manufacturing. Kaizen is a combination of two Japanese words: ‘Kai’ meaning change and ‘Zen’ meaning good. Kaizen combines these words to express the idea that big changes come from many small changes over a period of time. For manufacturers, business process improvement and an increase in profit is the result of many small changes accumulated over time.

7/10/2015 - THE CENTER
All manufacturers want to boost productivity and efficiency while reducing errors and accidents. Standardization of work, which can be difficult to adopt initially, can be an effective way to increase productivity and efficiency since it defines expectations, formalizes processes and creates accountability.

7/2/2015 - THE CENTER
Manufacturers have helped the United States through most of the challenging times confronted as a nation. It was the manufacturing capacity of the United States that proved decisive in World War II. Only America had the manufacturing infrastructure to accomplish such things. The world was a better place because manufacturers played a vital role

6/26/2015 - THE CENTER
Workforce engagement can be interpreted as the execution of discretionary effort. It can be seen as a combination of commitment to the organization and its values, plus a willingness to help colleagues. It is important to note it is NOT the same as employee satisfaction. Thirty years of research tells us a satisfied employee is not necessarily a productive one.