Articles
Using Permanent Magnet Technology to Create System Energy Savings
March 12, 2013 10:11 am | by Roman Wajda, Baldor's Industry Business Manager for Air and Unit Handling, Baldor | CommentsAt a time when energy efficiency is of utmost importance, recent developments in motor technology have changed the playing field within cooling tower HVAC systems. This new technology, a permanent magnet (PM), laminated frame direct drive motor allows for the removal of all the mechanical components such as gearboxes, drive shafts, disc couplings and existing motors.
ISM: Manufacturing Continues Its Positive Start To 2013
March 11, 2013 12:24 pm | by Jon Minnick, Associate Editor, Manufacturing Business Technology | CommentsU.S. manufacturing continues its positive start to 2013. “The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) reported that its Index increased to 54.2 from 53.1 in January. A diffusion index greater than 50 indicates that manufacturing is growing,” noted Daniel Meckstroth, Chief Economist for the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation.
Is Your Online Presence Ready For a Mobile-Centric World?
March 11, 2013 10:28 am | by Michael Stutman | CommentsMost manufacturing executives wrestle daily with important issues like industry consolidation, global competition and eco-manufacturing trends. Another issue that many of them should be considering, but don’t, is: How ready is my digital ecosystem for an increasingly mobile, touch-based world?
Mobility: On The Move And In Control (Part II)
March 8, 2013 11:12 am | by IDC Sweden, Sponsored by IFS | CommentsGlobally the main driver across the board is the belief that mobile solutions will offer increased employee productivity and lower costs. There are of course costs involved in supporting a mobile workforce but some companies are able to work out a quick ROI based on cost savings on telecom expenses.
Brewing Company Taps into Automation
March 8, 2013 11:03 am | by Intelligrated | CommentsAlthough Boulevard Brewing Co.’s product range, distribution and legacy has grown since the 1989 founding of the company, the used equipment that started the company remained largely unchanged until recently when the company adopted a new palletizing solution.
Mobility: On The Move And In Control (Part I)
March 7, 2013 11:29 am | by IDC Sweden, Sponsored by IFS | CommentsMobility as a solution has moved from being a voice-centric to a data-centric solution focusing on smartphones and tablets with access to corporate data, and this is creating a whole new set of challenges for CIOs and information technology managers.
Energy Drinks: Considering the Legal Risks (Part II)
March 7, 2013 9:28 am | by Michael Gruver and Glenn Pogust, Kaye Scholer LLP | CommentsAn energy drink maker should consider several questions, in consultation with legal counsel, to assess its potential vulnerability to litigation. These questions will also be useful going forward, in helping to design marketing campaigns and packaging less likely to serve as the basis for consumer litigation.
How to Choose a Manufacturing System
March 6, 2013 11:26 am | by Jean Huy, senior director of product marketing for ERP, Sage North America | CommentsSage has distilled what we’ve learned from our many successful customers and have structured it to deliver a useful tool to help you decide whether or not you are ready to adopt a new manufacturing system. By answering these questions, manufacturers can determine just how ready they are to adopt a new manufacturing system.
Energy Drinks: Considering the Legal Risks (Part I)
March 6, 2013 9:53 am | by Michael Gruver and Glenn Pogust, Kaye Scholer LLP | CommentsIt is not surprising that this increased public attention on energy drinks has been accompanied by litigation. Four energy drink makers were served with personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits in the second half of 2012, and there are now numerous websites that solicit plaintiffs who claim to have suffered energy drink related injuries.
I’m Doing This, and You’re Coming With Me
March 4, 2013 12:40 pm | by Alan Nicol, Executive Member, AlanNicolSolutions | CommentsAccepting the axiom that business and process improvement is fundamentally an outcome of changed behavior, we must address how to lead a change in behavior. In order to do so, we must address the people with the behaviors. To address people, we must discuss leadership.
Thermal Imagers: A Priceless Investment
March 4, 2013 12:24 pm | by Rachel Leisemann Immel, Associate Editor, IMPO | CommentsIndustrial inspection cameras have revolutionized the predictive maintenance industry. From the many types of cameras available, thermal imagers are ones that have claimed their place in a manufacturer’s predictive maintenance arsenal. Sensitivity, resolution, and especially price are continuing to evolve, allowing thermal inspection cameras to become a priceless necessity.
The New Dawn of Revenue Management & Why You’re Not Prepared
March 1, 2013 12:01 pm | by Michael Kerman, director of industry development, Revitas | CommentsManufacturing has reached a state of complexity that threatens many manufacturers’ revenue — to a tune of more than $15 million per year. As the number of markets, channel partners, and locations continues to expand, many companies are watching their sales incentives spin out of control.
No Use Denying over Spilled Milk
February 28, 2013 1:59 pm | by Robert D. Chesler, Steven J. Pudell, and Kathleen F. Donovan of Anderson Kill & Olick | CommentsWhen food companies face loss or liability stemming from product recalls induced by allegations of food contamination, insurance companies often deny coverage on grounds that there was no actual property damage. A second often-contested question is whether product recall exclusions apply to liability incurred by a company when a customer recalls its product.
Sustainability & the Supply Chain: How to Reduce Cost & Save the Environment
February 28, 2013 1:29 pm | by Yves Leclerc, West Monroe Partners | CommentsFor years now, the “green” and “sustainable” trends have transitioned to a standard. From corporate offices to high-rise apartments and clothing manufacturers, most industries have begun to seriously invest in sustainability. The modern consumer is more sustainability-savvy, and brands are beginning to realize that purchasing power is often directed towards businesses that are up to par on remaining socially responsible.
PwC: 2012 Manufacturing M&A Surpassed 2011
February 28, 2013 12:32 pm | CommentsAmid high uncertainty over the direction of the global economy, the fourth quarter of 2012 saw a slowdown in the number of announced industrial manufacturing transactions. However, despite the reduction in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity during the last quarter, 2012 proved to be a favorable year for dealmaking in the industrial manufacturing space.
Is a Cloud-Based WMS Pie in The Sky?
February 27, 2013 12:29 pm | by Chuck Fuerst, director of product strategy, HighJump Software | CommentsYou have probably already heard about the benefits of a warehouse management system (WMS) a million times: Increased productivity, real-time access to information, up to 99+ percent inventory accuracy, faster shipping, and on and on. But perhaps it’s time to upgrade your current system and you’re not sure you have the IT resourcesto do so.
Integration for Strategic Sales & Operations Planning
February 27, 2013 9:40 am | by Shaun Phillips, product manager, sales and operations planning (S&OP), Infor | CommentsFew business leaders would argue that the ability to predict, shape and fulfill demand with precision in the short, medium and long term, is critical to the future success of their organization. Surely, every CEO in the world would love the real world equivalent of a crystal ball.
Integrating LEAN Process Improvement
February 26, 2013 10:14 am | by Stephen J. Benefield, enVista | CommentsCompanies can see tremendous improvement by focusing on the principals of LEAN Process Improvement. Previously developed improvement approaches can be rejuvenated and modified to capture past success while maximizing future opportunities through LEAN Process Improvement.
Entering the Gluten-Free Arena
February 25, 2013 10:46 am | by Emily Kaufman, Emport, LLC for GlutenTox | CommentsMore consumers are asking about it. More journalists are writing about it. More health practitioners are recommending it: gluten-free food. The market for gluten-free products is big and getting bigger, totaling $4.2 billion and reaching an estimated 21 million households in 2012.
Q&A: The Importance of Food Safety Training
February 25, 2013 9:29 am | by Lindsey Jahn, Associate Editor | CommentsSince the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has placed a greater emphasis on training as a preventive control, Food Manufacturing asked Jeff Eastman of Alchemy Systems for his views about training’s impact on food safety, its role as a preventive control under FSMA and how to ensure employees comprehend and apply their training at all times.
