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Resources
HBR Article: A Manager's Guide to Augmented Reality
Aug 7, 2018How IIoT changes the idea of ownership
May 22, 2017PTC: PPT of How Smart, Connected Products are Transforming Competition and Companies
Aug 15, 2018Connected Service Equipment Knowledge as Competitive Power
Mar 19, 2017
Leading by Example: Technology Companies Help Save Scarce Water Resources
Jul 5, 2017Why Manufacturers Need to Rethink How They Value Water
Mar 28, 2017Benefits of Creating a Corporate Water Strategy – and Tips for Ensuring Success
Mar 18, 20175 Ideas for Improving Energy Use
Aug 16, 2018
Powering Innovation in Manufacturing
It is so easy to exist instead of live. Unless you know there is a clock ticking.
Apr 19, 2021
Anna Quindlen, writer, journalist, columnist
Monday Economic Report
Apr 19, 2021
Fueled by stimulus payments and pent-up demand, consumer spending at retailers jumped 9.8% in March, the largest monthly gain in 10 months. Excluding gasoline and motor vehicle sales, retail spending rose 8.2% in March. More than anything, the data speak to the increased willingness of Americans to leave their homes -- thanks to increased vaccination rates--and to spend much of the additional dollars in their pockets from stimulus checks. That growth should be largely sustained in the coming months, with the U.S. economy expected to continue rebounding very strongly. Read more.
Apprenticeship preps students for robotics careers
Apr 19, 2021
The York County Manufacturers Association in Pennsylvania is launching a new robotic apprenticeship program. Officials say the program will prepare students for in-demand jobs in a growing industry. WHP-TV (Harrisburg, Pa.) (4/16)
General Mills connects sustainability with financing
Apr 19, 2021
General Mills is the first consumer packaged goods company in the US to establish a revolving line of credit with financial partners that is linked to the progress it makes with sustainability initiatives. "Integrating General Mills' environmental impact metrics into this financing structure underscores our commitment to drive resilience for the planet, its resources and its people," said Kofi Bruce, General Mills' chief financial officer. Food Business News (free registration) (4/16)
The hidden benefits of IIoT pilot projects
Apr 19, 2021
Pilot-scale industrial internet of things projects don't always succeed, but manufacturers can still identify areas ripe for change, understand how internal communication can be improved and learn other lessons, writes Martin Keenan, technical director for Avnet Abacus. IndustryWeek (4/15)
Supply logjam threatens sales of farm machinery
Apr 19, 2021
Farm equipment makers including AGCO, Deere & Co. and CNH Industrial are grappling with surging demand, supply chain disruptions and a pandemic-driven labor shortage among some suppliers. "It's our number one challenge right now by far -- managing all the logistics and the volatility in the system," AGCO CEO Eric Hansotia says. Reuters (4/19)
Analysis: EVs need better battery technology
Apr 19, 2021
The worldwide automotive industry is making a transition to emphasizing production of electric vehicles, yet the status of EV battery technology could be a limiting factor, this analysis notes. "In a conservative scenario, we expect lithium-ion battery demand to increase at least tenfold between 2020 and 2030," said Logan Goldie-Scot of BloombergNEF. National Public Radio (4/15)
Iowa manufacturer repeats on list of top private firms
Apr 19, 2021
Kent Corp., based in Muscatine, Iowa, was named for the second consecutive year to a Deloitte-Wall Street Journal list of best-run private companies with at least $250 million in revenue. "I really think, in the light of last year's pandemic specifically, it was really a reflection of our resiliency and consistency during that really turbulent year," says company representative Carol Reynolds. Muscatine Journal (Iowa) (4/15)
Fabricators should combine lean with automation
Apr 19, 2021
Fabricators shouldn't feel they have to choose between lean manufacturing tools or advanced technology and automation, as they each can help improve operations and reduce dependence on labor. This article examines how lean and technology work together while advising on how to make smart tech investments. The Fabricator online (4/15)