Archive for June, 2008
June 18th, 2008
Another market that I am trying to penetrate is China; I received some very quick and helpful responses from the State of Illinois Office of Trade Office in Shanghai. I will try to see if I can get in. Being a component manufacturer, it’s a bit harder than being a machinery manufacturer. I received several names and addresses of distributors/agents there, so I will follow up with them.
I will also attend the China Matchmaking meeting tomorrow and see if I can create some interest.
http://www.rrstar.com/communities/x222990163/Chinese-business-government-officials-to-visit-Rockford
I’ll let you know how this progresses.
June 17th, 2008
I just returned from Elmhurst visiting one of our distributors. Left Rockford around 9:30 a.m. down I-90 to Elmhurst and came back here around 3 p.m. I was amazed at the steady stream of cars and trucks. In both directions and at both times, on a Tuesday!
Now, if there is a recession and high gas prices are causing less travel by car, then what’s going on?
It must be the bubbling manufacturing economy in the Rockford area that is causing all this traffic….what else could it be?
June 16th, 2008
We are again saddened by the recent passing of another Rockford entrepreneur, Tom Lindem, the founder of Atometrics, a Micro-Machining company. A family of machines was developed by he and his son, Tom, who will continue growing the business. Atometrics was recently the recipient of funding from the State Line Angels, a private investment organization comprised of local Rockford area investors. Our thoughts and prayers goes to his family.
http://www.legacy.com/rrstar/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=111465743
June 13th, 2008
Here is a detailed rundown on Caterpillar’s $1 billion investments in lllinois factories.
Rock River Valley customers of Cat should see some benefit to this action.
http://www.pjstar.com/business/x390608211/Cat-announces-1-billion-plant-expansion-project-truck-alliance
June 13th, 2008
Soaring transportation costs are forcing manufacturers bring jobs home.
In a continuing coverage from a previous edition of Daily Executive Briefing, the Wall Street Journal (6/13, A1, Aeppel) reports in a page-one article, “The rising cost of shipping everything…is forcing some manufacturers to bring production back to North America,” while “freezing plans to send even more work overseas.” According to Claude Hayes, president of the retail heating division at DESA LLC, the “cost of getting a shipping container” in the U.S. from China “has jumped about 15 percent, to about $5,300, since January and is set to increase again next month to $5,600.” DESA “recently moved most of its production back to Bowling Green, Ky., from China.” Hayes asserted that “the company was lucky to have held onto its manufacturing machinery.” Edward Monser, Emerson’s CEO, noted that his company’s “larger strategy is to regionalize manufacturing, producing as much as possible within the part of the world where its sold.” Yet, “moving production closer to markets won’t avoid all the problems associated with rising transportation costs.”
June 12th, 2008
The Rock River Valley has enjoyed the benefit of WOTM for 5 years. A dynamic group of women AND men started WTOM as a local NFP that would focus on Manufacturing and those who support that business.
They focused on three things:
1- Member Education and Networking—Ten months out of the year they meet to network and haveEducational Speakers. This month on June 12th, 2008, Mike Mastroiani, Rock Valley College will speak about “Dealing with Difficult People in the workplace”. Meetings are the 2nd Thursday of the month, ten months out of the year. See www.wotm-rockford.org for topics and dates of future events. This is a great group of people. They meet at Lino’s. If you are involved in the manufacturing sector you will benefit from this group! Membership is an incredibly low $75 and all of the money stays in the region.
2-Encouraging young people to go into a Manufacturing related field—-this has evolved in many directions. Manufacturing Camp was started at Techworks. Students going in to 8th, 9th and 10th grade are exposed to what manufacturing is all about. They have hands on experience with measuring, CADCAM, working with manual machines and CNC machines as well as plant tours. Student get excited about school and some have moved on to further there education in a manufacturing related field. WOTM has sponsored the local Robotics teams, and the Rockford Chamber event to send High School students to FabTech or IMTECH. We have been speakers in class rooms, opened our shops for tours and set in on meetings about how to encourge this interest in young people.
3- Setting up a scholarship fund, at the Community Foundation, for High School Graduates going into a Manufacturing related field. Look at the Community Foundation web-site www.cfnil.org for how you can donate funds or apply for a Scholarship. Two 1,500 Scholarships have already been given out this year but mark your calendar to apply for the 2009 funds. Companies and individuals can help grow this fund by donating to the WOTM Manufacturing Scholarship.
If you are interested in strengthening the regions manufacturing sector belonging to this organization is for you. They are very active and interested in particiapating in the community.
Ruthann Gaston is the current President and Joy Baldwin is the current membership chairman. Contact them with any questions or visit the web site at www.wotm-rockford.org.
June 12th, 2008
In an earlier post, I mentioned that I attended the recent Go Global Seminar at NIU. It was a good refresher for me and got me working on trying to find distributors in Mexico. I am using the State of Illinois office of Trade and Investment office in Mexico City; they are “on the hunt” for me. I am also taking advantage of a local manufacturer to network with their agent in Mexico to see if they can help. All this while I sit at my computer in Rockford;Â sure beats the hassle of flying around!
I’ll keep you posted to see how it all turns out.
June 11th, 2008
A small take away from the Procurement Conference this week coordinated by the Rockford Chamber Manufacturer’s Council, sponsored by Blackhawk Bank, and hosted at Hamilton Sundstrand:
As always the aerospace cluster in Rockford is indicative of the talents and skills of our citizens. Tim Morris, President of Hamilton Sunstrand’s Rockford operations talked about the ever growing number of planes in the air and the wealth brought to our region with international customers in this industry. Rockford is blessed to be highly respected in this arena. Brigadier General Wendy Mosiello was on hand to present how the Air Force is reorganizing from a procurement perspective. The Air Force is structuring regional centers to help suppliers have one point of contact for their dealings with the procurement office. For Illinois the center is located at Scott Air Force Base. A suggestion that came out of the session was that a bus trip be organized for a larger group as an alternative to everyone doing their own thing. I would welcome comments as to the level of interest in such an event.
June 9th, 2008
In the quest for the elusive “qualified worker” is it possible the country needs another Works Progress Administration (WPA)? Millions were employed by the WPA in the ’30s and ’40s and many learned vocational skills because of the WPA.
In light of the recent stimulus checks, would a WPA-like program have been more beneficial to our local workforce?
June 9th, 2008
Until the end, Cedric Blazer stayed active with his company, Zenith Cutter Co. Rockford area loses one of manufacturings’ activists and philanthropists. I met Cedric once while we were at the Hydro-Line, Inc. equipment auction in 2001 and he wished me well in our new company start-up. Now, I wish his family, employees and his many colleagues well during life without this man.
http://www.rrstar.com/communities/x902824667/Rockford-philanthropist-industrialist-Blazer-dies-at-77
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