Plant Management
Tech Savvy
June 19, 2013 9:59 am | by Jeff Reinke, Editorial Director | Articles | CommentsAccording to the business consulting firm Jones Lang LaSalle, there has been a significant uptick in the number of tech manufacturing jobs in the U.S. since 2001. One of the major reasons for expanding manufacturing to the U.S. stems from the desire to have factories closer to consumers and those who can then fix problems.
Increased Employee Productivity Through Automation
June 18, 2013 9:37 am | by AbeTech | Articles | CommentsS&S Tire experienced rapid growth in the past few years and needed to become more efficient in its warehouses to service growing customer demand. The lack of defined bin locations in its warehouses made locating tires difficult, time consuming, and costly. Efficiency was a serious concern and in order to continue to grow, the company had to address the situation.
Strong Tours Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of
June 17, 2013 10:37 am | by Cory Schaeffer, Co-Founder of Listen Technologies | Blogs | CommentsI’ve been on a lot of facility tours. Some have been interesting, while others have been scattered, unorganized and uninspiring. And some have been so informative and engaging that after walking out of the building, I have found that I am not only a life-long customer and advocate of the company’s products, but my confidence has been so validated, that I have sought out and purchased stock in the company.
Starboard Says Smithfield Sale Undervalues Company
June 17, 2013 9:53 am | by Michael Felberbaum, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsOne of Smithfield Foods' largest shareholders says a $4.72 billion takeover bid from China's largest meat producer falls short of what the company would be worth if sold off piece by piece. New York-based investment firm Starboard Value LP estimated the pork producer's value at $9 billion to $10.8 billion.
Taking Green To Manufacturing
June 13, 2013 10:29 am | by Ford | Videos | CommentsWhen it comes to reducing the impact of climate change, Ford has taken steps to improve their efficiency on the road by creating a lineup of alternative fuel vehicles. But they've also taken steps to improve their efficiency at home, by making their manufacturing facilities greener than ever.
EEOC Sues Over Criminal Background Checks
June 12, 2013 9:15 am | by Sam Hananel, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed lawsuits Tuesday against discount retailer Dollar General Corp. and a BMW manufacturing plant in South Carolina over their use of criminal background checks to screen out job applicants or fire employees.
Last Engineer Let Go At Idaho Hoku Plant
June 11, 2013 9:13 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsAn estimated $400 million polysilicon plant in eastern Idaho now has only eight workers, all security guards, after its last engineer exited last month amid dwindling hopes the facility will ever produce materials for solar panels.
Exide Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection
June 10, 2013 9:20 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsBattery maker Exide Technologies is seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as it attempts to restructure its U.S. business. The Milton, Ga., company said its international operations are excluded from the filing, which it made Monday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware.
Want More Time Off? Some Employers Let You Buy It
June 10, 2013 9:15 am | by Sam Hananel, Associated Press | News | CommentsA soon-to-be released survey by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 9 percent of employers allowed workers to cash out unused vacation time. Five percent let employees purchase additional vacation days through a payroll deduction.
What Manufacturers Can Learn From The Commandos
June 7, 2013 10:17 am | by Damian McKinney | Articles | CommentsThe world of manufacturing and the soldier seem very far apart at first glance, but they both operate in uncertain and rapidly changing environments. The workforce goes to work, while the military goes to war. Thankfully, in the work environment, people do not often die, but companies can fail and people’s livelihoods can be destroyed through bad decisions.
Safety At Deadly China Plant 'Extremely Chaotic'
June 7, 2013 9:38 am | by Christopher Bodeen, Associated Press | News | CommentsSafety exits were blocked at the Jilin Baoyuanfeng Poultry Co. plant and managers neglected to hold required safety drills or worker education, State Administration of Work Safety head Yang Dongliang said in a statement posted Friday on the administration's website, confirming workers' accounts.
Barriers To Re-Shoring: A Detailed Look
June 5, 2013 10:43 am | by Joel Hans, Managing Editor, Manufacturing.net | Articles | CommentsBack in 2012, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers issued a bold report that stated there are 600,000 unfilled American jobs in the field of high-tech manufacturing. Amid a deep economic slump, it was a shot in the arm of the entire industry. It meant that not only had a cultural shift pushed young Americans away from manufacturing, but also that the frameworks for teaching these kinds of skill have fallen by the wayside.
Ex-Porsche CFO Found Guilty Of Fraud In VW Bid
June 4, 2013 10:31 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsPorsche's ex-finance chief has been convicted of fraud after a court found he provided false information during the German sports car marker's failed 2009 attempt to take over Volkswagen AG. Former Porsche CFO Holger Haerter was fined an unspecified amount after being found guilty Tuesday by a Stuttgart state court, the dpa news agency reported.
Dell Trimmed CEO's Pay Amid PC Slump
June 4, 2013 10:28 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsDell Inc. trimmed CEO Michael Dell's pay by 14 percent to $13.9 million last year amid a slump that culminated in a proposed $24.4 billion deal that could end the personal computer maker's 25-year history as a publicly traded company. Most of Michael Dell's compensation last year consisted of stock awards designed to give him a greater incentive to boost the Round Rock, Texas, company's market value.
Control System Integrators Forecast Busy Year Ahead
May 31, 2013 10:01 am | by Control System Integrators Association (CSIA) | News | CommentsThose responsible for manufacturing plants and process facilities are increasingly turning to members of the Control System Integrators Association (CSIA) for help in boosting productivity and guarding against catastrophic computer failures that can interrupt operations. This was among the messages that came out at the recent 2013 CSIA Annual Executive Conference in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Results Of SMB Hiring Outlook Survey Released
May 31, 2013 9:52 am | by Sage | News | CommentsDriven by increased demand for their products and services, almost a third of manufacturing and distribution firms in the small and midsized business (SMB) sector expect to increase the size of their workforce in 2013, and 45 percent plan to keep it the same, according to the results of a survey announced by Sage North America.
Inside Chinese Firm's Deal To Buy Smithfield Foods
May 30, 2013 9:38 am | by CBS News | Videos | CommentsSmithfield Foods, the world's largest pork producer, is being bought by Shuanghui. The price: almost $5 billion. If approved, it will be the largest takeover of an American company by a Chinese buyer. This is the latest in a string of American companies being purchased by China. So why this company -- and why now?
Integrating Inventory Management And Accounting Systems
May 29, 2013 10:52 am | by Jason Sentell, Product Marketing Manager, Wasp Barcode Technologies | Articles | CommentsAre you wasting money on excessive labor costs because your warehouse isn’t optimized? What is your cash flow outlook? What many warehouse administrators, logistic departments, small business controllers and even accounting teams may not consider is the business value realized from an integrated accounting and inventory management system.
France Won't Force Companies To Cap Executive Pay
May 24, 2013 10:24 am | by Sarah DiLorenzo, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsThe French government is trying to woo executives and entrepreneurs, amid concerns that it has antagonized the businesses needed to reinvigorate the economy. Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici announced Friday that the government no longer plans to push for a law to cap executive salaries in the private sector.
Increasing U.S. Manufacturing In Technology
May 23, 2013 10:08 am | by HectorRuizSlingshot | Videos | CommentsIn many industries today, particularly in technology, the U.S. is experiencing some transformational changes that will open the opportunity for the U.S. to regain a foothold in manufacturing. The U.S. lost that edge because companies were tempted by the idea that low cost labor was important forever, and moved significant amounts of infrastructure to other countries, which made it difficult to stay competitive.
British Firms Face Ethical Dilemmas In Bangladesh
May 23, 2013 9:34 am | by NBC News | Videos | CommentsFor the first time, Tesco, one of the largest retailers in the world, opened the doors to its factory in Bangladesh. ITV News visited a production center said to be ethically run. It manufactures many of the 40 million garments made in Bangladesh every year for the supermarket giant Tesco.
Indian Guest Workers Sue Company In Miss., Texas
May 22, 2013 9:27 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsDozens of Indian guest workers are suing an Alabama-based marine and fabrication company, claiming it financially exploited them and forced them to live in squalid conditions after bringing them to work at Gulf Coast shipyards after Hurricane Katrina.
Advances In Mobile Collaboration: Virtual Presence Brings Experts To The Problem
May 20, 2013 11:22 am | by Marieke Wijtkamp, Vice President of Marketing and Client Services, Librestream Technologies Inc. | Articles | CommentsEquipment downtime, lost production, delays in product reviews and high travel costs to troubleshoot problems can kill the bottom line. Time is money and it’s never been truer for companies with operations spread across the globe. When the best expert is located in New York and the assembly line is in the Far East, costs mount quickly when decisions are delayed.
Go Inside A Bangladeshi Garment Factory
May 20, 2013 10:55 am | by CNN Money | Videos | CommentsGarment factory owners struggle to shake off the stigma of poor working conditions after the tragic collapse of a rented facility that was not equipped for factory use. Garment workers now question how safe they are at their own factory jobs.
At Least 12 Dead In China Factory Explosion
May 20, 2013 9:43 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe force of the blast flung broken glass, smashed concrete, and other debris as far as 200 meters (600 feet), reports said. Walls in outlying buildings were flattened and glass shattered. A total of 34 people were inside the factory at the time of the blast, and survivors were rushed to hospital. The cause of the blast and condition of those injured were not immediately known.
