Articles Tagged with ''general business''

When I began my career in the chemical industry, my company’s initiatives impressed and intrigued me. The leadership would lay out our direction and focus, as well as the metrics by which we would measure success in the coming year. Eventually, I came to understand that, even with the push to improve profitability through various company initiatives, it makes good business sense to not lose sight of the measurable basics.

When I was a child, one of my favorite movies was “The Wizard of Oz.” What an amazing piece of work it was, with music that remains timeless. I will never forget how, whenever Walt Disney announced that it would be showing this classic, I could hardly contain myself until the day arrived. My whole family would gather around our cabinet-model television that looked more like a chest freezer than a TV, and woe to anyone whom dared speak once the show began. I will never forget how much my family enjoyed the show―and still does to this day. They certainly don’t make them like that anymore.

Is your company the next Blockbuster? Not a blockbuster hit, but Blockbuster, the company that owned the video rental market until it was upended by an innovative competitor, Netflix. One thing is for certain: If your company isn’t innovating, all of its products or services eventually become commodities. Or they’re toppled by the next Netflix.

Adhesive selectors, whether published guides or human, typically begin with determining which adhesive product or products will adhere to the substrate. That approach is necessary for repair applications, and may even be necessary for fixing a production issue on-the-fly. Engineers working in assembly need to consider the functionality of the device first. Adjusting substrate materials, processes, or joint designs may also be considered, but not automatically required. Next, testing to verify performance is necessary—and strongly recommended.

Someone asked me recently my thoughts on smart manufacturing—the so-called IT revolution in the factory. They couldn’t believe that I didn’t see smart manufacturing as the salvation of American manufacturing. Don’t misunderstand me; smart manufacturing has a place in reviving American manufacturing.