November - 2018

MANUFACTURING STRONG PENNSYLVANIA COMMUNITIES

Western Central Northeast Erie Southeast

Steel Valley Authority

SVA

Search by Category

Search By Date

Search By Tags

Follow Us

Big Data is Great, but Don’t Overlook the Power of Small Data

Neil Michel for Chiefmarketer.com

Nov 29, 2018

Big Data is Great, but Don’t Overlook the Power of Small Data

Big data continues to capture the imaginations—and budgets—of brand marketers across industries, but should it? Certainly the ability to harness huge data sets, collect vast ranges of data types in real-time, and mine that data for insights can yield profound results. But running to big data is often a lot more involved and expensive than what many marketing teams actually require. While big data projects carry prestige and new-toy appeal, they require significant (and almost

Wolf administration expands contract eligibility for certain small businesses

Jason Scott for Central Penn Business Journal

Nov 27, 2018

Wolf administration expands contract eligibility for certain small businesses

The Wolf administration has raised the annual revenue cap for small and small-diverse businesses hoping to compete for government contracts in Pennsylvania. The state Department of General Services on Tuesday said the revenue threshold for the state's small-business contracting program has been raised to $38.5 million — in line with the federal government. The program was previously limited to small businesses with annual revenue of less than $7 million for building design se

How Well Do You Really KNOW Your Customers?

Bob Value, Deputy Director, SEWN

Nov 15, 2018

How Well Do You Really KNOW Your Customers?

Voice Of The Customer is a much-used term in the marketing discipline. Often this is accomplished utilizing formal and informal surveys. Non-quantifiable surveys leave much to be desired as a tool. The customer may tell you what they think you wish to hear or you may hear what you want to hear, in short they can be fairly subjective. There is a technique that was taught to me by one of our consulting firms, Crossroads Development Group who graciously allows me to highlight

Wendell August Forge Gives Back

Carrie Mihalko, SEWN Program

Nov 15, 2018

Wendell August Forge Gives Back

Our friends at Wendell August Forge are doing their part to give back to the area. The company is selling a "Stronger Than Hate" ornament with proceeds benefiting the victims of the Squirrel Hill synagogue shooting. The piece depicts the Pittsburgh skyline with various city bridges forming the border. According to the team who designed the ornament, "it shows how Pittsburgh is a melting pot of people and cultures but still deeply connected as a community. Funds raised will be

Skills Gap Isn’t the Only Workforce Challenge

Andrea Olson for Thomas

Nov 15, 2018

Skills Gap Isn’t the Only Workforce Challenge

Image Credit: Marcin Balcerzak/Shutterstock.com In recent years, there's been much talk about the “skills gap” facing the manufacturing world. The problem is, this is only partially true. Yes, there’s a deficit in our skilled trades pipeline, and we as employers, educators, and communities need to rally around the value of skilled trades, supporting the growth of this critical workforce — starting in junior high, if not earlier. But there’s another issue at play for mid-marke

As Infrastructure Crumbles, So Does US Manufacturing

Michael Collins for IndustryWeek

Nov 13, 2018

As Infrastructure Crumbles, So Does US Manufacturing

America is essentially in an infrastructure collapse that is having dire effects on manufacturing. Crumbling water systems that are unreliable can shut down production lines. Congested highways mean late deliveries, production loss, increased fuel and wage costs and excessive wear on assets. Port congestion, lock delays and the penalty associated with not having infrastructure in place to handle larger ships make American products more expensive. Before I address the benefits

Zero-Based Budgeting: How to Do It Right

Kyle Hawke for IndustryWeek

Nov 8, 2018

Zero-Based Budgeting: How to Do It Right

As margins tighten in industry after industry, more companies are talking about zero-based budgeting (ZBB)—the deceptively simple idea that each year’s budget should start from a zero base, rather than from the prior year’s spending. The trouble is that too often, companies see ZBB as just about cost control. In fact, when done right, ZBB changes a company’s entire culture, instilling a return-on-investment mentality where people throughout the company think about value, not

5 Essential Steps on the Path to Smart Asset Management

John Dauskurdas for IndustryWeek

Nov 6, 2018

5 Essential Steps on the Path to Smart Asset Management

Over the past decade, supply chain complexity has increased substantially with the rising pressure on retailers to offer unlimited, fast and free shipping. Frequent disruptions, like damaged or delayed goods, are the most common symptoms of this trend. In manufacturing, an asset-intensive sector, the cost of even small disruptions can add up quickly. Some manufacturers are already leveraging digital technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data and advanced analyti

Don't Let Knowledge Walk Out the Door

Norbert Majerus for IndustryWeek

Nov 1, 2018

Don't Let Knowledge Walk Out the Door

As Baby Boomers retire, companies wonder how to retain the knowledge that walks out with them. They have spent billions of dollars generating knowledge, and some of them do an excellent job sharing and reusing that knowledge. Solid knowledge reuse practices prevent companies from wasting time and money reinventing knowledge that already exists. But these companies are not the norm: The average amount of reused knowledge in manufacturing remains low, reportedly about 30%. Reas