Manufacture Smarter Blog

5/31/2013 - THE CENTER
This week marks the 2013 Detroit Regional Chamber’s Annual Policy Conference at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Each summer, the Wednesday following the Memorial Day holiday, business leaders from around the globe descend on the Grand Hotel to help shape the future of Detroit and to discuss topics ranging from job creation to regional transportation and the key reforms needed for Michigan.

5/24/2013 - THE CENTER
​Monday marks one of my all-time favorite holidays, Memorial Day. Unlike many holidays which center on giving and receiving gifts or treats, Memorial Day is all about remembering – about sacrifice, honor, duty. . . .and freedom – but mostly remembering; specifically remembering those that have fallen in battle while defending our country.

5/17/2013 - THE CENTER
Michigan is known for a lot of things…beautiful lakes…automobiles…college basketball…but many people out of state would be surprised to learn that Michigan is prominent in another key area – food and agriculture!

5/10/2013 - THE CENTER
You read that right – this is about Sales Headlights not Sales Highlights. Tracking Sales performance is an area of the business filled with numbers you can highlight.  Like baseball, you can watch your team’s overall win/loss record, your team’s batting average (wins as a percent of quotes), and the same for individual salespeople on your team.

5/3/2013 - THE CENTER
Training provided by experts ensures that you are using proven systems to accomplish your goals of eliminating waste, reducing costs and increasing customer satisfaction. It’s also beneficial from a marketing standpoint.

4/26/2013 - SOFTWARE ADVICE
Industrial buying activity is moving online. A Thomas Industrial Network survey of more than 3,000 industrial executives and managers found that 90 percent of industrial purchases are now researched, evaluated and selected online. The uptick in online activity means that manufacturers need to step up their online game.

4/19/2013 - THE CENTER
If you’re a manufacturer in Michigan, there’s a pretty good chance you’re looking for ways to appeal to new customers and increase sales. A lot of this has to do with your position in the market and your audience’s perception of your credibility. You need to demonstrate that your company is reliable and manufactures products in an efficient and safe way.

4/12/2013 - THE CENTER
On Monday, April 15th, as many scramble to finalize last minute tax returns, manufacturers from across North America will be gathering in San Antonio for the “Revitalization of North American Manufacturing Conference,” sponsored by the Association for Manufacturing Excellence. AME’s literature indicates that manufacturing is ‘facing a critical period in domestic history’.

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.

3/29/2013 - THE CENTER
​Family-owned businesses are a hot topic in our offices right now. A conservative estimate of 22,800,000 (or 95% of the 24 million small businesses in the U.S. today) are family-owned and they provide employment for at least 60% of all workforce. According to the Small Business Administration, Family-owned businesses are also responsible for 78% of all new jobs created. That’s a chunk of workforce. And