Articles
Bulletproofing Virtualized IT Environments
May 30, 2013 1:52 pm | by Frank Hill, Director of Manufacturing Business Development, Stratus Technologies | CommentsToday, many popular manufacturing applications are certified for virtualization and with good reason. The benefits of virtualization, including cost control, higher productivity, and better long-term planning, are indisputable. Yet, some manufacturing engineers and plant IT departments are missing out on these benefits because they think virtualization involves too much risk.
MRO Data Key To Unlocking Cost Savings & Operational Efficiency
May 30, 2013 1:14 pm | by IHS | CommentsMaintenance, repair and operations (MRO) groups at many companies are facing a major challenge: toxic MRO master catalogs stuffed with incomplete data on replacement parts, a problem that drives up costs and creates large-scale problems for multiple corporate divisions.
Manufacturers Lack Supply Chain Visibility
May 30, 2013 12:18 pm | by KPMG | CommentsGlobal manufacturers are putting their supply chains at the center of their business strategies to serve as the foundation for operational efficiency and collaborative innovation, according to KPMG's 4th annual Global Manufacturing Outlook.
Millennials’ Frugal and Green Lifestyles Raise the Bar for Brands
May 29, 2013 12:40 pm | by Suley Muratoglu, Vice President for Marketing and Product Management, Tetra Pak | CommentsAppearances can be deceiving. Millennials represent the fastest-growing segment of luxury goods and services purchasers, according to a recent study by American Express. Yet they are also giving rise to a new lifestyle that can be characterized in two words: frugal and green.
The Key to Mobile Success in Manufacturing
May 29, 2013 9:11 am | by Jim Somers, Antenna Software | CommentsWhile mobile application adoption in traditional industrial manufacturing corporations has lagged some other industries, many people in manufacturing today have begun to realize the vast potential mobility has to benefit their organization.
Smith Dairy Optimizes Back-Office Processes
May 28, 2013 12:00 pm | by Dan Brimm, Office Operations Manager, Smith Dairy | CommentsRunning out of physical storage space and seeing the need to electronically manage content, improve business processes and save time and money, Smith Dairy, a century-old thriving dairy manufacturer, turned to an enterprise content management (ECM) solution.
Scan Before You Replace
May 28, 2013 11:37 am | by Brian Lambert, The Garland Company, Inc. | CommentsAdvanced imaging techniques provide crucial information for medical professionals. Similarly, nondestructive moisture tests provide roofing professionals valuable information concerning the moisture content of roofing insulation.
Protecting Your Brand from the Increasing Threat of Foodborne Pathogens
May 24, 2013 10:57 am | by Mike Rozembajgier, Vice President of Stericycle ExpertRECALL | CommentsThe threat of foodborne pathogens in supply chains is increasing. According to the ExpertRECALL Quarterly Index, the number of recalls issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) due to the presence of salmonella, E. coli and listeria doubled in the first quarter of 2013.
Manufacture the Right Mix of Business and Financial Savvy
May 23, 2013 5:27 pm | by Peter Arendt, Managing Director of Food and Agribusiness, Huntington Bank | CommentsThe playing field has shifted. Businesses along the food chain once intent on growing more, better and faster are now becoming nimble and highly specialized with an intense concentration on how their products are flowing through to the end consumer.
Assess Your Technology Ladder When Addressing Burn Risk
May 22, 2013 5:04 pm | by Scott Brooksby, Olson Brooksby PC | CommentsThe danger of serious burns in any manufacturing environment often are misunderstood or underappreciated — as are the staggering human and economic costs. With a single bad burn, a worker can be scarred for life, and manufacturers or insurers may be exposed to tens of millions of dollars in worker’s compensation payments, settlements or verdicts.
Challenging Lighting Environments
May 22, 2013 4:45 pm | by Rob Bresnahan, Larson Electronics LLC | CommentsNot all operating environments are the same. Differences in humidity, wetness, and temperature ranges, the presence of corrosives, and the presence of flammable or explosive gases and vapors can pose a serious challenge for electrical lighting.
Kellogg's Goes Green, Stays Cool
May 21, 2013 1:43 pm | by Coolerado | CommentsWith manufacturing plants across the globe, Kellogg’s has made its mark on the breakfast cereal industry. Kellogg’s is making great strides toward sustainability, which include choosing energy-efficient air conditioners to cool its plant in Mexicali, Mexico.
Microsoft Q&A: 'Manufacturing Is a Hotbed of Innovation'
May 21, 2013 1:03 pm | by Jeff Reinke, Editorial Director | CommentsAlthough it’s not difficult to find prominent industry leaders willing to tout all the positive elements the manufacturing industry represents, there is the risk of “preaching to the choir” in relaying this information to a manufacturing-centric audience.
Open Innovation Creates New Opportunities in Food Manufacturing
May 21, 2013 11:16 am | by David Feitler, PhD, Senior Program Manager, NineSigma | CommentsOpen innovation is the systematic inclusion of parties outside your four walls and outside your existing networks. Companies practice open innovation because they want to reduce the time it takes to get to market, avoid getting trapped by their own thinking, and pursue with agility new opportunities outside their core expertise.
The New Food Fight: Defending Against Labeling Litigation
May 21, 2013 10:06 am | by Andrew J. Scholz, Matthew R. Shindell, and Matthew D. Cabral, Goldberg Segalla LLP | CommentsAs if American food manufacturers didn’t already face enough challenges, they now face a barrage of lawsuits from a growing number of creative and well-funded trial lawyers who see food and beverage manufacturers as their next big target.
Risk-Management Mechanisms Associated with Gluten Intolerance
May 20, 2013 10:34 am | by Jonathan M. Cohen & Jenna A. Hudson, Gilbert LLP | CommentsA gluten-free product tainted with gluten may make it to consumers despite a company’s best efforts if pre-sale testing fails. If this happens, consumers may allege that a food company is liable for bodily injury or other harms from gluten, leading to potential economic liability and, perhaps, a recall.
Cold Storage Company Cuts Energy Use by $100K
May 20, 2013 9:37 am | by Michael Schratz, Global Marketing Director, Dialight Corporation | CommentsAiming to reduce energy consumption and eliminate ongoing, costly lighting maintenance, Zero Mountain Cold Storage Warehouse, a leader in cold-storage service, recently upgraded two of its facilities to next-generation LED lighting by Dialight Corporation.
Attracting Talent: A Lesson in Battling Perception
May 17, 2013 11:08 am | by Maria Ferrante, Vice President, Education & Workforce Development, PMMI | CommentsFood manufacturers and other processors face many challenges when seeking to place young professionals in engaging, stable positions that require strong mechatronics skills and problem-solving capabilities as well as backgrounds in math and science.
Cheaper Equipment Isn’t Always Less Expensive
May 17, 2013 9:11 am | by Carol Thorsen, Wynright Corporation | CommentsThe difference between shopping at a general site and one that specializes in warehouse and industrial equipment and supplies is that with the latter you can explain what you need, ask questions and ensure that when the products are delivered they’ll actually work in your application.
Ten Commandments of Industrial Ethernet
May 16, 2013 11:45 am | by Mike Fahrion, Director of Product Management, B&B Electronics | CommentsFrom network security to documentation to IP address protocol and siloing of information, this list of 10 "commandments" will keep your network strong, secure and functional and should be front-of-mind for information technology professionals and plant managers alike.
