Articles
Manufacturing
Don’t Blame Lean Manufacturing
Lean manufacturing has been blamed for the recent supply chain crisis, with critics claiming lean and just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing encouraged extremely low inventories of raw materials and components. When the pandemic arrived, and supplies were disrupted, manufacturers had to stop production due to material shortages. This had cascading effects all the way down the supply […]
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Discrete Manufacturing: Definition, Benefits, and Examples
In the past, manufacturing tended to involve long assembly lines with armies of workers playing a part in creating the finished products. This description fits well for conventional manufacturing industries. However, with rapid technological advancements, various alternative manufacturing options exist now. Discrete manufacturing is one of the most prevalent manufacturing processes that utilize a production […]
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Just In Time Manufacturing: Definition, Benefits, and Origin
New technologies, raw materials, and production strategies are being adopted daily as companies strive to remain competitive in their respective industries and to meet changing customers’ demands. Manufacturers must remain flexible and adaptable in their production methods to allow adjustments to their supply chain. Manufacturers can adopt many different production strategies, each with advantages and […]
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Gary Harber: A Window Into Success
Gary Harber is distribution manager for Milgard Windows and Doors, a residential window and door manufacturer based in Tacoma, Washington.
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2023: A Year of Opportunity for U.S. Manufacturing
Despite the global economic turmoil of the past two years, we are amidst a once-in-a-generation shift of global manufacturing footprints, and 2023 should continue to be a year of opportunity for manufacturers in the United States. This translates to a lot of sustained site selection activity in the market.
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Helping Manufacturers Weather the Storm
The manufacturing sector continues to chug along, with demand and production levels hitting new highs. But economic uncertainty and inflation may soon create some clouds on the horizon.
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Nearshoring Picks Up Steam
All of the global supply chain snafus that have taken place over the past two years have caused many manufacturers to reexamine their supply chain and production networks. The question they all seem to be asking is: Should we bring production closer to consumption? A new report from Accenture indicates that answer is “yes.”
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Manufacturers Feel the Disruption Burden
Supply chain disruptions over the past 12-18 months—including shipping delays and parts shortages due to truck driver issues and congested ports—have heavily impacted manufacturers (see chart). That’s the consensus of Deloitte’s new study, Meeting the Challenge of Supply Chain Disruption, which was conducted in partnership with Manufacturers Alliance. (see chart).
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On Manufacturing Pessimism
“Given current economic trends, it’s understandable that manufacturers’ optimism is declining. Yet, increased demand offers some promising news. To keep up, business leaders should diversify their material suppliers and challenge logistics providers to find ways to tighten delivery times. And, to address employee shortages, companies must revisit their talent strategies and implement comprehensive recruitment and […]
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Materials Management: Definition, Process, Benefits
Materials management is an aspect of supply chain management and planning. The primary purpose of materials management is to ensure that manufacturers have all the raw materials they need to make goods. Materials management also focuses on ensuring that no components are wasted and optimizing inventory maintenance and management. While materials management requires understanding what […]
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