Obama: Debt Could Fuel ‘Double-Dip Recession’

Add comment November 18th, 2009

Encourage business investment and slow down the other programs that are adding to the debt!  Debt

Let’s Get the Government Involved-Not; Part 2

Add comment November 18th, 2009

 Since I posted this last night  part 1 , I just heard an interview with the President who said, in response to the question about the economy and jobs, that he would consider tax breaks for business!  Surely, he read my post!

I don’t think it’s fair to blame all businesses or manufacturers on the stupidity of a few who abose their office with excessive salaries and bonuses.

I do believe that small manufacturers could benefit from  incentives to invest in equipment, in assisting their exports and anything that will raise demand for their products.  That isthe sure-fired way to get more people back to work.

New Business, Not Small Business, Is What Creates Jobs

Add comment November 9th, 2009

According to the Census Bureau, nearly all net job creation in the U.S. since 1980 occurred in firms less than five years old.

There are countless new businesses sparking job creation throughout the U.S. economy. But countless other young companies never expand or even get off the ground because of regulatory and economic barriers.

Policy makers should be eliminating these barriers and creating incentives to foster the creation and growth of new businesses. Four measures to do so stand out: see the here..  New

U. S. Still on Top of Manufacturing World

Add comment November 5th, 2009

The U.S. has never been more important in global manufacturing. Manufacturing.net spoke with Dr. Chris Kuehl, Economic Analyst, Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, to learn what he believes the future holds for U.S. manufacturing.  See it here.. US

The Future of Manufacturing 2009

6 comments October 23rd, 2009

“We should all be concerned about the future because we will have to spend the rest of our lives there.” — Charles F. Kettering

See what The  Future of Manufacturing holds…

Access to Innovation in a Challenging Economy

Add comment October 19th, 2009

A FREE half-day workshop for Illinois Manufacturing Companies; Sponsored by the Illinois Coalition for Manufacturing Innovation

Argonne National Laboratories, Illinois Institute of Technology and Chicago Manufacturing Center are teaming up with the SBA and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce to provide executive-level insights on how manufacturing companies are taking innovative steps to stay competitive in a global economy.

When: Wednesday, November 4 from 7:30 am – 1 pm

Where: Harper College, Wojeck Conference Center

Building W,  1200 W Algonquin Road, Palatine, IL

Who should attend: Presidents, Chief Operating Officers, General Managers, VP Manufacturing, Director of Operations, Plant Managers, Director Supply Chain Procurement, Marketing Directors

Program Overview:

The Need for Innovation: David Baker, VP External Relations, Illinois Institute of Technology

How to Gain Access to Capital and Compete Globally

Panel:  Robert Esquivel, Finance Chief, Small Business Administration; David Hansberger, President, Applied Strategies International; Mark Ryczek, Vice President, Business Banking, National City; Moderator: Bonnie Richter, Director, Illinois Small Business Development Center

How to Gain Access to Technology and Supporting Funding

Panel: Philip Nash, Ph.D, Mechanical, Materials & Aerospace Engineering, IIT;  Ed Daniels, Director, Argonne National Laboratory; Guy Brada, Chief Metallurgist, A. Finkl & Sons Co.; Moderator: Jamal Yagoobi, Chair, Mechanical, Materials & Aerospace Engineering, IIT

The Need for Innovation – Legislation and Policy

Panel: Eric Mittelstadt, CEO, National Council for Advanced Manufacturing; Lance Pressl, President, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Foundation Moderator: Demetria Giannisis, President, Chicago Manufacturing Center

Networking Lunch – Issues and Opportunities

SPACE IS LIMITED; Register on-line at: www.innovatenow.us/icmi

How Leading Companies Thrive After the Recession

Add comment October 17th, 2009

 Once the recession ends (and it will end), something interesting will happen. Some companies will emerge from the downturn in a better position than their competitors and start to outperform them. What sets these strong performers apart?See the answers here

Critical Costs in Modern Manufacturing

5 comments October 17th, 2009

The United States manufacturing industry is still the largest in the world, but today it faces a set of increasing challenges to its global competitiveness, a new report claims.

The manufacturing sector has long played a major role in the economic health of the United States, but many of the conditions that made it a successful industry in the past are being offset by a new series of challenges, according to a new report.  Follow it here.. Costs

Rising Costs Imposed on Manufacturers Threaten Job Growth, Competitiveness

Add comment October 8th, 2009

A new handbook produced in by The Manufacturing Institute, the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI and the U.S. Department of Commerce, concludes that U.S.  manufacturing is being challenged by increasing costs including corporate taxes, health care and pensions, regulations and energy and tort litigation.

“The facts clearly illustrate that manufacturing is central to America’s economic future,” said Emily Stover DeRocco, president, The Manufacturing Institute. “The U.S. has the largest manufacturing economy in the world, producing $1.6 trillion in goods annually. America’s global market share of manufacturing has held steady at around 22% for 30 years. Productivity growth is higher in manufacturing than in other sectors, holding down inflation and contributing to a higher standard of living.

And one in six U.S. jobs is in or directly tied to manufacturing, which still pays premium wages and benefits. “Manufacturing continues to generate more economic activity per dollar of production than any other business sector in the country. And manufacturing drives innovation by conducting nearly half of all research and development and creating the bulk of technology in the nation,” she added.

See the rest here…  Costs

As American Job Losses Continue to Rise, Manzullo Echoes U.S. Commerce Secretary’s Call for Export Control Reform

1 comment October 3rd, 2009

Congressman Don Manzullo (R-Egan) today said America’s antiquated export control system continues to prevent U.S. companies from selling non-threatening goods overseas and is in critical need of reform, especially considering another 263,000 Americans lost their jobs last month and unemployment rose to 9.8 percent.Manzullo, co-founder of the House Export Control Working Group, thanked U.S. Commerce Department Secretary Gary Locke for his proposal to fix two key export control problems that hamper American manufacturing and job growth. Locke offered his reforms yesterday during the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Update Conference on Export Controls.

Secretary Locke proposed yesterday that the Commerce Department, in cooperation with other appropriate federal agencies, pursue two reforms that will provide substantial and immediate relief to U.S. exporters while strengthening U.S. national security and foreign policy interests: eliminating dual-use export license requirements for our closest allies and partner nations; and implementing a fast-track procedure for the review of dual-use export licenses for other key allies.

“American manufacturing workers takes a hit every time a U.S. company loses a sale to a foreign company when the customer chooses to avoid dealing with our unwieldy export control licensing system. Even worse, we’ve seen too many examples of U.S. technologies actively designed out of foreign and multi-national projects,” Manzullo said. “I wholeheartedly support Secretary Locke’s efforts, and I appreciate his emphasis on reform in conjunction with enforcement efforts. I will continue to work in a bipartisan fashion with my colleagues in Congress and our partners in the Administration to answer the President’s recent call for a broad-based interagency review of the U.S. export control system.”

A copy of the Secretary’s speech can be found here.