State Senator Heather Steans meets with
company leaders and IMEC officials; tours facility

From left to right: Mark Buckner-Tempel General Manager, Chicago ; Tim Taylor- Tempel President and COO; Senator Heather Steans; Tucker Kennedy-IMEC VP, Marketing and Communications; Harry Feldmann-Tempel VP, North American Operations 

Leaders from Tempel Steel Company recently hosted a briefing with State Senator Heather Steans to highlight the job-creating improvements the company has made with the help from the Illinois Manufacturing Extension Center (IMEC). Tim Taylor, President and Chief Operating Officer, told Steans that the 65-year-old manufacturing company has reduced operating costs and improved efficiency in the face of immense global competition. Productivity gains have enabled the company to reinvest in its Chicago facility and add workers at a time when other manufacturers were shedding employment.

May 11 conference will connect small manufacturers with buyers from growing sectors

Click Here to Register

Helping small and mid-sized manufacturers develop strategies to win business in fast-growing industries is the focus of a one-day Supply Chain Growth conference on May 11th at the University of Illinois-Chicago. The event will feature purchasing leaders from companies in the aerospace & rail transportation, renewable energy, and medical device sectors who will share background on their companies and offer information on how companies can become successful suppliers to these industries.

In the near future, going green will no longer be optional. Rather than waiting to react to regulatory mandates and competitors’ moves, manufacturers that have their eye on the future have begun to turn sustainability into a competitive advantage. Join PNC and Smart Business for a special one-hour Webinar, where we’ll focus on what you need to know about incorporating sustainability into your manufacturing operations. The session will also highlight best practices from the CEOs of two manufacturers that have figured out how to successfully do so.

Join Carlos Cardoso, CEO of Kennametal, and Tony Petrelli, COO of CardPak, as they discuss:

- How to outline specific goals for achievable sustainability, as well as how to build a system that creates buy in for employees

- Why sustainability goes far beyond just environmental issues and 'going green'

- What you need to consider when measuring ROI on sustainability best practices

Everyone knows story about the goose that lays golden eggs. I was reminded of this fable when news surfaced about a letter sent by Caterpillar’s CEO to Governor Quinn, expressing concern about the direction of the Illinois economy.

In recent years, much has been made of the growth of the service economy and the perceived decline in manufacturing. Pundits assert that our “geese” are now intangible things like knowledge, information, and innovation. While I am not denying the importance of these economic segments, are we confusing the eggs with the geese?