Business Strategy
Niche Auto Molds Prove to Be a Profitable for Cavalier Tool
Capitalizing on its specialty of molds for fans and shrouds in the automotive industry—on their own terms with no PPAP—drives this moldmaker’s success.
Read More
Honoring the Industry
The Annual Leadtime Leader Awards—sponsored by Progressive Components—were designed to recognize outstanding North American mold manufacturers.
Read MoreThe Value of Lean
Last month, I wrote of the value of manufacturing and business communities taking active roles in supporting the shops and plants that make up their local eco-systems. I gave examples of how some communities and groups have been very successful at helping their communities thrive through those efforts. Ironically, I recently heard some interesting news about our largest community—our country—that got me to thinking of how important it is for us to help ourselves as individual companies.
Read MoreBe Proactive, Not Reactive
News from the auto industry today is full of doom and gloom. However, there are steps mold manufacturers can take to remain profitable during this time.
Read MoreFive Tips for Capital Equipment Purchases
Cash flow is the foundation of any business, but it plays an especially important role when it comes to capital equipment purchases. By financing such purchases, businesses can realize several benefits, such as more consistent cash flow, preservation of working capital, better management of the company’s bottom line, tax advantages, streamlining of the purchasing process, and preservation of bank lines of credit.
Read MoreIt’s Time to Advertise
We are into another one of these cycles that the mold building industry goes through.
Read More
Beating Business Volatility in Automotive Tooling
Constant-velocity cutting offers low-cost, high-tech option to hand finishing EDM electrodes.
Read More
Reaching Out to a Different Market to Survive Tough Times
This mold manufacturer has reassessed its market base and began dabbling in the energy industry based on its experience with CNC machining—making it a natural transition.
Read MoreAdapting Scouting Skills to Your Shop
A common factor among all of us in achieving our goals— whether personal or business—is our past associations.
Read MoreHow Success Happens
All too often lately, I sense a feeling of entitlement in some areas of manufacturing. I know how that sounds—U.S. manufacturers rightly believe that they’ve been bludgeoned over the past 20 years or so by government trade policies, along with a shifting perception in our culture that a career in manufacturing is in some way less-than-noble/lucrative/rewarding. But there are some SMMs that I speak with who say things are hopeless. They tell me that their industry and government have abandoned them, and there’s nothing they can do about it.
Read More
