Manufacture Smarter Blog

4/28/2017 - BY: DAVID BRADLEY
As costs continue to rise and customers repeatedly seek price reductions, it’s no surprise that manufacturing profits are feeling the pinch. That’s why it’s critical for businesses to look into environmental performance as a means to save money.

3/17/2017 - BY: DALE WICKER
Manufacturing processes require vast amounts of energy including: heating, cooling, lighting, office equipment and the production line itself. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that energy costs continue to be a major expense for manufacturers.

10/28/2016 - THE CENTER
For small businesses in today’s global and technologically advanced market, it is crucial to maintain competitiveness and stay aligned with larger organizations.

5/13/2016 - THE CENTER
For years, one of the requirements for ISO 14001 was to make the Environmental Policy “available to the public”. The most common way to accomplish this was to place it on the company’s website. With ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015, the current requirement is to make the policy: “available to interested parties” (ISO 14001:2015 Clause 5.2) “available to relevant interested parties, as appropriate” (ISO 9001:2015 Clause 5.2.2) Identifying “Interested” So, the question is: Outside of the website, how do you make the policy available?  Before you start jumping through hoops, let’s find out what hoops need to be jumped through.

4/29/2016 - THE CENTER
For those of you whose organization has a Quality Management System (QMS) and an Environmental Management System (EMS), the act of integrating both systems into one can prove difficult. When ISO 14001:2015 was released, a sign of relief was heard around the world when it was discovered it followed the same High Level Structure (HLS) as ISO 9001:2015.

6/19/2015 - THE CENTER
Kermit the Frog famously says, “It’s not easy being green.” With all do respect to Kermit, it’s easier than you think!The “green” movement is the sister of sustainability. Sustainability, or green manufacturing, means working within the means of natural ecosystems without causing harm to others or jeopardizing future needs. It also means reducing environmental impact and cultivating renewable resources.

5/8/2015 - THE CENTER
As most of you have probably heard, ISO 14001 has an updated version due out in late 2015. So after 11 years of getting used to the present requirements, it’s all about to change. ISO 14001’s major revision will reflect what is called the “High Level Structure” based on ISO’s Annex SL. If you don’t understand it, don’t worry as it will all be explained soon!

4/5/2013 - THE CENTER
If you’re a manufacturer in Michigan, you’ve probably heard the phrase “going green.” Going green used to be a trendy thing for celebrities to talk about, but this is more than a trend for the manufacturing community.

10/12/2012 - THE CENTER
Kermit may have had it right when he sang “it’s not easy being green,” but it may be profitable. More and more companies are finding that what used to promise only incremental change can now improve margins by 10% to 15% and in a lot less time. The environmental payoff is immediate, but for companies struggling to stay afloat, it can’t just be about recycling and reducing waste.