By Laurie Harbour, president and CEO, Harbour Results, Inc. It’s been an interesting three years for the manufacturing industry. In 2020, the industry was hit by COVID-19. Together, everyone learned what to do. Despite starts and stops, ups and downs, the tooling industry persevered. Then, in 2021, it was a year of unprecedented high demand for energy and major durable … [Read more...] about Recession and Growth: Building Resiliency in a Mold Shop
Supply Chain
Tool Builders Focus on 2023 Priorities
By Maggie Taylor, writer, The American Mold Builder After several unpredictable years, the mold manufacturing industry is primarily reporting positive sentiments as the first quarter of 2023 gets underway. “We’re on very good momentum right now,” said Tammy Barras, president of Westec Plastics Corporation in Livermore, California. “We’ve made a lot of improvements over … [Read more...] about Tool Builders Focus on 2023 Priorities
Closing in on a Domestic Industrial Strategy
by Omar Nashashibi, co-founder, The Franklin Partnership, LLC The US Congress and American manufacturers are one step closer to developing a domestic industrial strategy to counter China and invest in US supply chains. After months of delay, Democrats in the US House of Representatives released their counterproposal to the Senate’s bipartisan US Innovation and Competition … [Read more...] about Closing in on a Domestic Industrial Strategy
Mold Builders feel Supply Chain Disruptions
by Liz Stevens, writer, The American Mold Builder As 2022 gets underway, mold builders are facing many pressures. An increased demand for products is crashing head-on into the lingering worker shortage and a crippling supply chain crunch. With the current tight material supply and rising prices, logistics madness and a booming market for consumer products, it is no surprise … [Read more...] about Mold Builders feel Supply Chain Disruptions
Durable Goods Demand Leads to Optimistic Tooling Forecast
by Dianna Brodine, managing editor, The American Mold Builder As the US economy recovers from the impact of the pandemic, consumers continue their dramatic increase in durable goods purchases. This spells good news for toolmakers in automotive, aerospace, appliance and more. Economic impacts In November, Harbour Results Director Cara Walton spoke to a group of plastic … [Read more...] about Durable Goods Demand Leads to Optimistic Tooling Forecast
Filling the Sales Pipeline: Existing Customers and New Prospects
by Nicole Mitchell, writer, The American Mold Builder With product demand booming in nearly all consumer markets, now is the time to pursue aggressively additional business opportunities from existing customers and new prospects. “The gestation period on new customers is quite long in this business,” said Carl Jacobsen, estimator/tooling engineer, M&M Tool. “It’s very rare … [Read more...] about Filling the Sales Pipeline: Existing Customers and New Prospects