The Smarter Way to Double Output without Doubling Headcount When a manufacturer sets a goal to double output in five years, it’s tempting to think about adding square footage or headcount. But George Nelson, WMEP Consultant, warns that this approach can backfire. “If you don’t make improvements, you’ll need twice the people to double your […]
Year: 2025
Are You Really Ready? What to Check Before Your Next Certification Audit
How to Ensure Your Certification and Audit Investments Deliver Returns Many manufacturers feel confident their systems are ready for certification—until audit day arrives. Whether preparing for an annual audit or seeking a new certification, it’s not uncommon for companies to assume they’re in good shape, only to discover critical gaps at the worst moment. As […]
Read More… from Are You Really Ready? What to Check Before Your Next Certification Audit
Avoiding the Pitfalls of One-Off Automation Projects
Why Manufacturers Need an Automation Strategy and Roadmap, Not Just a Quick Fix For many manufacturers, automation starts with a single pain point—lifting heavy bags, assembling boxes, or fixing an ergonomic challenge. Those are valid reasons to automate, but as Charlie Motley, WMEP Consultant, warns, stopping there can create bigger problems down the line. “When […]
Read More… from Avoiding the Pitfalls of One-Off Automation Projects
Pet Food Meets People Food: What “Human-Grade” Expectations Mean for Small and Mid-size Pet Food Manufacturers
How to Evaluate Feasibility, Update your HACCP, and Meet Human Food Safety Requirements without Guesswork Pet food manufacturers are increasingly being required to meet human food safety standards—a shift that brings new hazards to manage, new controls to implement, and additional documentation to maintain. Peg Dorn, WMEP Consultant and food safety expert, says the key […]
Fractional Leadership: Big Impact without the Full-Time Price Tag
Why More Manufacturers are Turning to Part-time and Project-based Executives to Solve Pressing Challenges For many small and mid-sized manufacturers, bringing in a senior leader in operations or finance can feel like a big leap—especially if you’re not sure the role will generate the return you need. Full-time leadership hires are high-cost, high-commitment decisions that […]
Read More… from Fractional Leadership: Big Impact without the Full-Time Price Tag
When Growth Stalls, Focus Wins
How a Vertical Market Strategy Can Help Manufacturers Drive Growth, Profitability, and Simpler Operations When manufacturers hit a plateau in revenue growth, the instinct is often to expand into new markets or product lines. But according to Chris Baichoo, WMEP’s CEO and Executive Director, that kind of unfocused expansion can backfire. “Many companies start with […]
How Contract Manufacturers Can Use Pricing Granularity and Transparency to Win More Business and Improve Margins
A Smarter Approach to Quoting and Partnership that Builds Trust and Profitability For contract manufacturers, pricing is one of the most important business tools because it drives profitability, wins new customers, and strengthens existing relationships—but only if it’s approached strategically. Too often, quotes are developed quickly, with limited detail or visibility into how costs break […]
Too Many Eggs in One Basket? Customer Concentration May Be Quietly Putting Your Business at Risk
How Customer Overdependence Can Undermine Your Growth, Margins, and Future For many small and mid-size manufacturers, long-term customer relationships can feel like a safety net. But what happens when that net becomes a trap? Stephen Smiley, WMEP’s Business Transformation Services Leader, explains that manufacturers can face significant business risks—perhaps more than they realize—when one or […]
From Flailing to Focused: How Manufacturers Can Break the Revenue Rollercoaster
Is Your Business Stuck in a Cycle of Highs and Lows? It Might be Time for a Strategy Reset It’s a scenario playing out across Wisconsin and beyond: a manufacturer sees a sharp drop in orders, scrambles to cut costs, and waits for business to return. When it does, the team is overextended. Then the […]
Read More… from From Flailing to Focused: How Manufacturers Can Break the Revenue Rollercoaster
Less Chaos, More Control: Lean Offers Real-World Tools for Manufacturers Under Pressure
How Lean Thinking Can Help You Break the Cycle of Firefighting Manufacturers today face rising costs, labor shortages, and disruptions that can make every day feel like a fire drill. If you’re constantly in reaction mode, or dealing with the same daily problems, it’s time for a new approach. As Beth Aldana, WMEP’s Operational Excellence […]