If the shop floor is your primary area of focus, you might want to consider adding the capabilities of a Manufacturing Execution System to your company tool kit. What is an MES? A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) manages and reports on what is happening on the shop floor. This exclusive focus sets MES systems apart from ERP (Enterprise Resource System)
Read moreThe Great Lakes TAAC collects performance data from the companies it works with every year as part of our internal evaluation process and program improvement efforts. Last year’s survey included 88 manufacturers located throughout Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. The results were strong. Indeed, GLTAAC’s established clients and recent program grads (“GLTAAC firms”) outperformed the manufacturing sector as a whole! Sales:
Read moreImport Exposure … Wait – There’s More! As covered in my last blog, GLTAAC is now putting the most current import exposure info available describing manufacturing import exposure in the Great Lakes region on its website. Now, we will also be providing this data at the state level for the 3 states we serve – Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Here
Read moreMonthly Import Exposure Status Now Online The Great Lakes TAAC has long tracked and analyzed U.S. imports and the potential import exposure on manufacturers in our region (Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio). However, we’ve recently improved this information and are now going to make it available on our website. GLTAAC will post monthly updates, as the import data are released. At
Read moreAttract and Retain Skilled Labor The U.S. economy added 13,000 manufacturing jobs in January, and employment in the sector has been growing since the end of the Great Recession. That’s good news, but this positive trend does pose a challenge to manufacturers that need more skilled workers. In fact, in a recent survey, 52% of manufacturers identified finding skilled labor
Read more