When you ask a child want they want to be when they grow up, they will often say: astronaut, teacher, firefighter, or ballet dancer. They have a vision of themselves in the future. Yet, very few children have a plan to get to that vision. The goals are missing.
2020 has taught us that Hope, Reflection and Gratitude, and the simple meanings behind each can be quite difficult to do or demonstrate in today’s environment…..as individuals, members of a community, manufacturing team members and leaders, each one of us has our own unique vantage point and an individual story on how this pandemic has affected us both personally and/or professionally.
2020 highlighted the resiliency and significance of our manufacturers. Illinois manufacturers have been on the forefront as heroes during challenging times, contributing to efforts to become leaders in global competitiveness. Manufacturing leaders understand that in times of uncertainty, it is much better to navigate the unknown together with other forward-thinking leaders who are finding innovative ways to solve current challenges and build a stronger future.
Dedicated to cultivating ideas and sharing knowledge that can help Illinois manufacturers solve challenges and thrive through uncertainty, IMEC launched Manufacturing Leader Buzz Sessions over the summer. Buzz
An original article from the NIST Manufacturing Innovation Blog.
As a proud son of the Midwest (yes, my family does exchange holiday cheese, and yes, it’s delicious, we have no regrets), I was particularly interested in the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Partnership Extension (NIST MEP) virtual round table for Midwest manufacturers. All our nation’s manufacturers are important to me and, of course, we at NIST MEP love them all equally, but there’s always a certain extra curiosity about how the home team’s doing, isn’t there? On Aug. 26, 2020, we brought together manufacturers virtually as part of a series of conversations about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing economic impact. Our goal in hosting these listening sessions, which we call the “National Conversation with Manufacturers,” was to discern how best to support manufacturers through the current uncertainty and beyond.
There is a lot of conversation right now about reshoring, but not about its relevance to small and medium-sized manufacturing firms. The basic premise of reshoring is easy to understand – bring jobs back to America by encouraging companies currently offshoring to “reshore” and purchase labor or materials from a U.S. firm. This in turn benefits the local economy and stabilizes the buyers’ supply chain by not relying on overseas partners.
Social media is drastically changing the way customers interact with manufacturers. Not only are there more users on social media today, but more and more businesses in the B2B space are starting to realize the power of connecting socially with existing clients and new prospects to form a more lasting customer experience.
Jeffrey Taylor is the President and CEO of Crafts Technology in Elk Grove Village, a manufacturing firm with decades of experience producing products that demand super hard materials. As one of our newest Board members, Taylor spoke with us virtually and gave insight into his manufacturing background and why he’s excited to be on the IMEC board.
This is an original article by Michelle Kelly of K+L Storytellers.
This is an original article by Custom Direct, Inc.
Vintage is all the rage, but out-of-date details on your website are never in style. Your site is filled with important information about your business. In many ways, it becomes your round-the-clock salesman, accounting for much of the decision-making process conducted by potential customers. Ensuring website content is up-to-date and reliable is key in establishing legitimacy and trust - making the difference in gaining a new customer, or losing a sale. Here are the 5 areas of your site which might need updating. Some of these are “quick” fixes, while others may require a bit more effort. Regardless of time involved, each item on this checklist is valuable to your digital presence, and should be reviewed for accuracy:
