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PMI hits 14-year high in February
Index jumps to 60.8% as production, employment expands.
Smarter service management improves customer outcomes
All companies should form solid customer relationships for success, but the field service industry faces more unique barriers to establishing a good word-of-mouth reputation.
The path to prescriptive maintenance
Three steps to drive reliability while preparing for IIoT.
Top 5 mistakes made when collecting vibration data
Tom Hoenig of GTI Predictive Technology talks about the five most common mistakes maintenance professionals make when using an analyzer. These include proper mounting for accelerometer, ski slope spectrums, finding the right RPM or point location, no FMAX set and using the wrong sensor.
CMMS adoption enhances maintenance strategies
CMMS enhances maintenance strategies of all types and not enough companies have come to realize the benefits that they offer.
2016 Maintenance Study: Seven key findings
Respondents to the Plant Engineering 2016 Maintenance Study identified seven important, high-level findings impacting the manufacturing industries.
Top 5 Plant Engineering articles, August 31 to September 6: Electrical systems and IIoT, predicting equipment lifecycle, college grads salary, more
Articles about optimizing electrical systems through the IIoT. predicting equipment lifecycle, engineering pay for college grads, achieving world-class manufacturing maintenance, and Lean's relevance in today's economy were Plant Engineering’s five most-clicked articles from last week, August 31 to September 6. Were you out last week? Miss something? You can catch up here.
Vertical turning machine for manufacturers and subcontractors
The VL 2 vertical turning machine is a universal production that includes automatic loading and unloading for workpieces.
10 questions to help understand efficiency problems
If Lean manufacturing is initiated with the wrong problems in mind, the problem is exacerbated rather than improved. Here are ten questions aimed at helping uncover the true source of causes.
A beginner’s guide to lean: Lean lessons learned
Now that we have begun a new year, it’s a good time to reflect on lean lessons learned in 2014.
How to build a better capital budget for your food processing plant
When estimating your numbers for food processing projects on the horizon, don’t just base your predictions on what you did the last time around.
Guide your talent: sustainability in 5 straight steps
An honest, realistic evaluation of skills and consistent reinforcement are the key factors
Cavitation by design creates value, avoids destruction
A valuable cleaning tool, cavitation must be properly used to be effective. First of two parts
AME Job Board looks to match professionals with opportunities
Online resource driven by increase in skilled worker need
2014 Maintenance Study: Planned maintenance leads to uptime, safety, productivity
Plants utilize multiple strategies to keep facility up and running.
2014 Maintenance Report
Plant Engineering performed this research to better understand maintenance practices and strategies currently in place in North American manufacturing facilities and the effects of maintenance on productivity and profitability.
Emerson opens Innovations Center to enhance collaboration
New Texas facility builds on concept of integrated operations to help align process manufacturing information.
Companies invest in optimism, study finds
Positive rhetoric in governor’s speeches tied to more investments, hiring.
Investing in economic efficiency
State-of-the-art specialty lubricants contribute to economic, success, or how a small investment makes the difference
PMI Index: Steady, but slower manufacturing growth
Index declines for third straight month, but stays above growth threshold
Manufacturing contracts in November, ISM reports
Economic uncertainty blunts two straight months of growth
Starbucks attacks jobs issue on two fronts
Company announces new Georgia plant investment, works with Ohio ceramics company to make mugs
M2M market potential drives further consolidation
In the last three years, there have been have been numerous acquisitions in the M2M module market.
PMA Business report sees a summer slump coming
Association blames global instability, lack of U.S. government action
Fast-track training program rolls out in Philadelphia
M.O.S.T. works to speed training and placement for manufacturing jobs
ISM forecast: Spending, revenues both expected to keep climbing
Manufacturing sector to keep building on three-year winning streak, report finds.
Metalforming business seen slowing, PMA report says
Metalforming companies anticipate a dip in business during the next three months, according to the April 2012 Precision Metalforming Association Business Conditions Report.
Cisco to buy NDS, sell STB manufacturing?
Value creation in pay-TV distribution is shifting from CPE to software. Cisco is not alone in thinking this.
2011 Leader Under 40: Jason Murphy, 37
Plant Manager, Zeller Plastik
Content distribution disintermediation, likely winners and losers
Disintermediation isn’t a buzzword, its very, very real. Now it has come to video content distribution. It happened to stock brokers, travel agents, and eventually Borders and other booksellers. Blockbuster has already fallen victim, but now the threat of disintermediation looms over the major over-the-top video service providers.
MAPI Business outlook survey climbs off the bottom
Still in contraction, business index up 63% since June
Executive survey: Manufacturing likely to lag when economy improves
Nearly 60 percent of manufacturing executives believe the economy will improve over the next six months, though they are slightly less optimistic about the prospects for the manufacturing sector.
Marketing matters: Tracking & reporting tools let small businesses dig deep into data
In this economy, there’s not a company out there with marketing dollars to spare—particularly when it comes to small business. But cutting marketing hinders growth, and even leads to loss in market share or revenue. VerticalResponse says its solutions let small businesses proceed with marketing in the smartest, most precise, most cost-effective way possible while removing the guesswork.
Bob Fei named president at Life Cycle Engineering
New position will helkp continue to drive client growth
“Nauseating detail”: Credit index shows widespread carnage in manufacturing, service sectors
While both the services and manufacturing indexes fell to record lows to finish out 2008, and all 20 of the collective components fell below 50 as indicated by the index, 2009 may offer signs of hope for the business landscape.
Tax-time advisory: Business services leaders help midmarket companies boost returns on R&D investments
Because manufacturers perform the bulk of private sector R&D to drive new products and process improvements, taking full advantage of the R&D credit is crucial. The fact is IRS scrutiny of this tax incentive has risen in recent years. As tax time comes to a close, RSM McGladrey and Axiom Solutions are offering tax credit services that some companies can take advantage of now.
Manufacturing survey indicates industry confidence on the rise
The National Association of Manufacturers/Industry Week business outlook survey for the second quarter of 2007 points to confidence edging up from both large and small companies after declining during the prior four quarters.
NAM outlook: Overall industry confidence rising
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)/Industry Week business outlook survey for Q2 2007 points to confidence edging up from both large and small companies, after declining during the prior four quarters.
Current conditions EBCI slides in May, but six-month outlook improves
The Electroindustry Business Confidence Index for current North American conditions slipped to 38.6 in the latest month, down from 62 in April, its highest level in a year. However, evidence suggests that the present deterioration in conditions may be short-lived, according to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.
Hulit named Fluke president
Barbara B. Hulit has been named president of Fluke Corporation, with responsibility for the Fluke Industrial and Fluke Precision Measurement businesses. Hulit comes to Fluke from The Boston Consulting Group, where she was a vice president and director with responsibility for the firm’s packaged goods sector.As president of Fluke, Hulit will report to Jim Lico, executive vice president for Danaher Corporation, the parent company of Fluke. “Barbara’s experience, business acumen and keen insight will be invaluable as Fluke continues to strengthen its traditional business and expand into new markets,” said Lico.“While at BCG, Barbara has had a long and productive relationship with Danaher and has been an effective business partner in helping drive Danaher’s growth in new market opportunities.Barbara has partnered with many of our senior leaders in strategy and business development, as well as having played an active role in developing our Danaher Business Systems (DBS) Growth Tools initiatives.” Over the past seven years, Hulit has worked extensively with Fluke and was instrumental in the identification of the company’s new indoor air quality and thermography businesses.At BCG, she helped grow the global packaged goods sector by roughly 20% annually, leveraging her expertise in uncovering and driving new business opportunities.Her background also includes senior positions in sales and marketing for Noxell Corporation, Frito Lay and Marketing Corporation of America.Hulit holds an MBA from the KelloggSchool at NorthwesternUniversity and a BA in Marketing from the University of Texas-Austin.
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Study: Metalforming business steady
Metalforming companies are forecasting little change in near-term business conditions, according to the October 1 Precision Metalforming Association Business Conditions Report. When asked what they expect the trend in general economic activity to be over the next three months, the response from metalforming companies in October, 26% of participants reported that business conditions will improve...
Measuring overall craft effectiveness
This is the final part of a three-part series. Part 2 appeared in the November issue, p 31. World-class overall craft effectiveness is still being defined, since the concept of OCE is rather new. There are a limited number of case studies outside the real-world experiences of Maintenance Excellence Institute staff and alliance members.
Contract maintenance update
Every plant outsources some maintenance services. It frankly doesn't make sense — financial or otherwise — to try to do everything yourself. But when we talk about contract maintenance, we're talking about a long-term commitment to have nonemployees take over substantial responsibilities for normal maintenance operations, perhaps even all of them.
Contact Us – 2002-11-11
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Outsourcing maintenance: How it can improve the bottom line
In a global economy, there is no question that companies must continually improve to remain competitive. When a company is in financial danger-and even when it is not-internal analysts look for opportunities to minimize expenditures.
Vendor selection
There are a number of questions you should ask yourself before entering into an outsourcing contract.
NAPM reports show that business activity slowed in November
The monthly surveys that the National Association of Purchasing Management (NAPM) compiles for both the manufacturing and nonmanufacturing sectors of the economy suggest that fourth-quarter 1998 GDP growth was considerably lower than the third quarter's 3.9% rate. Preliminary figures on total economic activity in last year's final three months will be released on January 29th. The NAPM's nonmanufacturing index of business activity slipped to a level of 53 in November -- a full six points lower than in September. And the closely-watched NAPM manufacturing index dropped to a much weaker 46.8 in November.
Economic growth during 1997 hits a 9-yr high
Real GDP is estimated to have increased at a solid 4.3% annual rate during the October-December period of last year. This preliminary estimate from the Commerce Dept. was just the latest in a long string of better-than average reports on U.S.
