84% of Wisconsin manufacturers with over $5 million in revenue, and 61% of manufacturers overall report that automation is important to their companies future according to the recent Wisconsin Manufacturing Report (WMR). The WMR also reported that 48% of manufacturers expected to increase their investment in Automation, Systems, and Technology. This, up more than 10% […]
Year: 2022
What level of risk are you comfortable with?
By: Kathie Mahoney I have been thinking a lot about the risks we take everyday. Some we do not even process as a risk. Risk is seen differently from person to person. Some people are comfortable jumping out of a plane. I have an extreme fear of heights. Walking up open stairs sends me into […]
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Manufacturers Identify Top Challenges They Expect to Face
By: Megean Blum and Nico Thomas When Nico asked me if I wanted to collaborate on this year’s challenges blog, my second thought after agreeing to the idea was a scene from the 2007 film “Music and Lyrics,” which I likely have not seen since approximately 2008. Why this popped into my head is unknown but ha! POP! […]
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Wisconsin manufacturing economy resilient and expecting slower, more sustainable growth
Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) Secretary, Peter Barca, and John Koskinen, Chief Economist for the Wisconsin Department of Revenue spoke to WMEP Manufacturing Solutions team members about “The Economy and Its Impact on Wisconsin Manufacturing” on Monday, September 12th at UW Oshkosh at Fond du Lac’s Prairie Theatre. Secretary Barca’s presentation highlighted the strength of The […]
How Smaller Manufacturers Can Develop Risk Management Strategies for Their Supply Chains
By: Katie Rapp The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light a stark reality about current supply chains. As Nissan Motor Co.’s Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta points out, “The just-in-time model is designed for supply-chain efficiencies and economies of scale. The repercussions of an unprecedented crisis like COVID highlight the fragility of our supply-chain model.” The U.S. […]
Intro to the AS9100 Standard
If you’re a small or medium-sized manufacturer (SMM) working in the aviation, aerospace, or defense industry — or if you’re planning on breaking into this sector — it can be difficult to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory standards that govern this niche. This is especially true for the AS9100 Standard, a particularly stringent […]
Improving Employee Retention In Manufacturing
Competing for talent in a tight labor market is challenging enough, but once Wisconsin manufacturers have success in attracting employees, it becomes increasingly important to then focus on retention strategies. There are several factors that companies have control over as it relates to retaining employees, starting with the onboarding process for new hires. “This ultimately […]
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Investing In Manufacturing Automation
Faced with an array of workforce challenges, Wisconsin manufacturers are investing in process improvement and automation as a means of dealing with an increasingly tight labor market. Such steps are often strategic, and necessary, for manufacturers to build capacity and increase output without boosting staffing levels. A first step towards that end tends to be […]
Prioritizing Sustainability Topics
By Michelle Miller, Senior Sustainability & Product Stewardship Specialist, Appvion Operations, Inc. With so many different topics in sustainability, it’s hard to know where to start sometimes. You have water usage, energy efficiency, pollution prevention, employee training and education, community engagement, wellness programs, product life cycle assessment, responsible sourcing… and that is just to name […]
Promega’s Corporate Responsibility Journey
Questions by Mark McDermid, Sustainability Consultant, WMEP & WBSC Answers by Corey Meek, Corporate Responsibility Lead, Promega Corporation Why and how did you get started on your sustainability journey? Environmental stewardship has been part of Promega since the early days of the company. From restoring a native prairie on the Fitchburg campus to becoming the […]