Interviews with industry leaders look ahead to manufacturing in a post-recession environment.
04/12/2011
Last February, CFE Media talked to a group of automation and manufacturing industry leaders at the ARC Advisory Group World Industry Forum. The discussions, hosted by Bob Vavra, focused on changing conditions for manufacturers moving through 2011.
Part 1
Companies included in Part 1:
- General Electric Intelligent Platforms;
- Invensys Operations Management;
- Mitsubishi Electric Automation;
- Rockwell Automation;
- Schneider Electric; and
- Yokogawa.
The questions are:
We’re emerging from the great recession into an ever more globalized and competitive manufacturing environment. What are your customers telling you are the greatest challenges they face in this environment?
Asia, the Middle East, and now South America are building greenfield plants with the latest technology. Does this create a technology gap for older North American and European facilities? Is the difference in skilled talent in developed countries enough to match the greenfield technologies?
Companies included in Part 2:
- Cardinal Ethanol;
- Emerson Process Management;
- General Electric Intelligent Platforms;
- Invensys Operations Management;
- Mitsubishi Electric Automation;
- Reichhold Chemical;
- Rockwell Automation;
- Schneider Electric; and
- Yokogawa.
The questions are:
Prices have been generally stable in the recession in the U.S. What’s the global perspective on prices in the near term, and what are the pressures on price?
If the U.S. is going to rebuild its manufacturing leadership, what does it need to do today?
Peter Welander, pwelander(at)cfemedia.com