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. […]
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 […]
Have you ever noticed that people who are really good at their job, tend to bring not one but many skillsets to it? Case in point: Christa Kananen, Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council’s (WSBC) new program manager and sustainability consultant. A quick glance at Kananen’s impressive resume highlights her strong manufacturing capabilities at Green Bay Packaging. […]
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 […]
Read More… from Improving Employee Retention In Manufacturing
Stephen Smiley spent a major portion of his career working for a large, multinational corporation revered for its operational excellence before shifting into leadership roles at smaller manufacturers. Smiley has taken that varied knowledge and experience and transferred it to his role as a senior consultant at WMEP Manufacturing Solutions where he works to make […]
Read More… from Featured WMEP Manufacturing Solutions Staff Member: Stephen Smiley
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
By Mark McDermid, Sustainability Consultant Mark Twain once quipped “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated”. Similarly, reports of the demise of sustainability are also quite exaggerated. Sustainability-driven innovation may be a key to both the recovery and resiliency of many businesses as well as growth and competitive prowess. Consider that 62% of […]
Roxanne Baumann, Director of Global Engagement for WMEP Manufacturing Solutions, has been appointed to the U.S. Department of Commerce Trade Finance Advisory Council. Baumann’s appointment is effective immediately and will run through Aug. 7, 2022. Baumann’s experience and advice will be helpful to the U.S. Department of Commerce in effectively addressing and enhancing a full range of […]