Impact Dakota Blog is a blog dedicated to supporting North Dakota’s manufacturing community improve People, Purpose, Processes and Performance. Entries provide information on opportunities, new ideas, quick tips, celebrations of success, and well, frankly, anything to help you become a better manufacturer.
The fact that about 85% of the global market is outside the U.S. should alone be a compelling enough reason for manufacturers to pursue international sales. Exporting allows manufacturers to diversify their customer base, tap into new markets, and mitigate the impact of economic fluctuations in any one region.
In the heartland of America, where dairy farms dot the landscape, the spirit of conservation runs deep. The Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (part of the MEP National Network™) works with strategic partners, such as the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council (WSBC), to provide additional services and information to Wisconsin manufacturers. Together with the WSBC, the MEP Center’s suite of sustainability services supports manufacturers to advance sustainability programs, increase efficiency, and get the credentials needed to integrate and operate sustainably.
As Director of the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP), Phil Mintz drives outreach to North Carolina manufacturers, builds relationships with federal and state leaders, and coordinates efforts to stimulate profitable manufacturing growth in the state. Working at NCMEP was a homecoming for him — he did his undergraduate degree at NC State. His career took a winding path for a while, away from his home state and away from manufacturing. But 25 years ago, an ad in the paper for an MEP position brought him back home. Read how it happened.
Manufacturing internships are one of the most effective methods for building your company’s talent pipeline. Small and medium-sized manufacturers may find it challenging to compete with bigger companies for students. This makes it especially important to widen the net when recruiting for internship programs. In addition to considering candidates from technical fields, also look for well-rounded students. Consider students’ social skills and look for a variety of academic majors to find potential interns who can bring fresh ideas to your company. Learn more from Mayra Ramirez of CIRAS, the Iowa MEP Center.
As a manufacturer you understand that supply chain disruptions happen all the time. What you don’t know is when or how they will impact your operation and business. But assessing your supply chain risks and implementing good supply chain management practices can be daunting.
Fortunately, there is a great way to gain visibility into your supply chain with a reasonable investment of resources: Map the supply chain for one of your key products. In this blog we’ll look at a process for mapping your supply chain that was developed by Iowa State University’s Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS), which is part of the MEP National Network.
Without a basic grasp of financial concepts at the C-suite (executive) level, small and medium-sized manufacturers may be limited in their ability to compete in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
Building your financial literacy, beginning with your C-suite financial vocabulary, is a great way to increase your competitive edge. In this blog, Gene Russell of Manex, part of California Manufacturing Technology Consulting and the MEP National Network, illustrates the importance of financial literacy in manufacturing, including some of the most important concepts that impact your business operations.
The 51 Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers that make up the MEP National Network™ work to enhance the competitiveness of small and medium-sized manufacturers within the United States.
Officially launched on June 1, 2023, the Supply Chain Optimization and Intelligence Network (SCOIN) expands the MEP National Network’s scope from working primarily with individual companies to include taking a more comprehensive approach to manufacturing supply chains. The initiative will help establish new MEP service offerings to provide manufacturers with what they need to improve existing supply chain networks and fill gaps in the supply chain. Learn more about the benefits SCOIN can provide.
Triangle Precision contacted FastLane, part of the Ohio MEP and the MEP National Network™, to see how it could leverage automation to improve efficiency and provide more capabilities to new and existing clients in the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) supply chain.
Leveraging the Ohio Defense Manufacturing Community (ODMC) grant, FastLane helped Triangle to automate its new three-axis CNC machine by adding an articulating arm and conveyor system. This created the opportunity for lights-out machining (a production method that requires little to no human interaction), making the Triangle team more productive.
Results of this engagement included $2,300,000 in new or retained sales, 22 created or retained jobs, $243,000 in new investment and $142,000 in cost savings.
45% annual growth. It’s a number that could make any workforce or economic development professional’s eyes pop out of their sockets. This is the expected annual growth rate of the demand for wind turbine service technicians. This profession is just one of many new green job industries growing throughout the United States.
For the MEP National Network™, which is dedicated to nurturing and advancing the manufacturing sector, embracing the green jobs movement aligns seamlessly with our mission. Because of our national reach and close relationships with more than 100,000 manufacturing businesses, our National Network is in a unique position not only to develop more wind turbine service technicians, but also to create seamless talent pipelines for a wide range of green jobs, which have grown more than 50% since 2019.
In the digital landscape, outsiders are actively attempting to harvest your data anytime it’s sent out. This goes beyond the run-of-the-mill hackers and malicious actors. Government agencies, major private tech companies like Apple, and even nation-state actors – as seen in the allegations against TikTok for in-app browser data harvesting on behalf of China – are all part of this sweeping collection effort. This blog gives helpful tips for implementing a zero-clear mindset.