Senator Ron Johnson visits Dalco Metals

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Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson visited Dalco Metals last month.

He was there to observe the recent expansion of services that includes a new fiber laser.

He also spent time answering questions and listening to comments from the Dalco team.

Manufacturers Team Up with Teachers

It’s becoming a common and beneficial scenario: high school and technical educators are touring manufacturers in their area, learning more about the processes and potential for their students.

One example comes from Washington County, Wisconsin, where more than 100 teachers and administrators from three school districts toured Maysteel, Triton Trailers, Regal Ware and Signicast and others.

“We should be preparing students for the world of work, but how often do we get out into the real world of work?” said Daren Sievers, the superintendent of the Slinger School District. “We needed to take a day to get out and see how it functions today.”

You can read more about it from BizTimes Milwaukee here

National Manufacturing Day’s Winning Video

In recognition of National Manufacturing Day on October 4th, manufacturers had the opportunity to create an in-house video, and enter it into a nationwide competition. Dozens of companies entered their work, promoting the business and career opportunities of manufacturing in America.

Six Regional winners were chosen, based on content and creativity. And from those six, Wisconsin's own Waukesha Metal Products was voted best of them all.

Take a few minutes to see all of the winning videos here

Seven Simple Innovation Tools

Running a business is far from ‘simple,’ but becoming more innovative to gain a competitive edge can be.

In this month’s Industry Week, Renee Snell outlines seven ‘tools’ that can bring out the innovation in your next project. They're rooted in what is called "fresh eyes" thinking, or looking at a procedure or goal from multiple vantage points...and helping your team to do the same. (In fact, it's their 'fresh eyes' that can be the very thing that ignites the innovation.)

Check out the complete article here, and add some innovative thinking to your next challenge.

A 3-D Printing Update

It’s not a must have tool for metal fab….at least not yet. That’s according to Dan Davis, head of the Fabricator and Manufacturers Association.

But, with prices on the machines dropping and new prototype design applications becoming commonplace, it is, as Davis puts it, “time to start paying attention.”

For more on exactly what 3-D printing is, and some of the innovations being used in fabricating, check out this article in thefabricator.com

Manufacturing Outlook: Positive!

There’s a lot of news crossing your desk almost daily projecting either manufacturing growth (BOOM) or manufacturing declines (Bust). Here’s one study that digs deeper into the facts, and gives manufacturing a all-out positive projection. It’s global study by Moody’s Investor Service showing a more wide-ranging recovery based on strength in key end markets…and that’s definitely good news for local manufacturing.

It points to continued growth in key end-markets like energy and commercial aerospace, but also more wide-ranging markets, including building products/tools, HVAC, automotive, industrial automation and construction.

Their overall assessment: “The continuing recovery of the global economy should provide a support for industrial activity.”

You can read more about it here

The Thriving Factory Floor

Everyone has meetings to attend, but this one caught our eye because it’s a ‘meeting of the minds,’ with fresh, constructive ideas from some of the best minds in manufacturing.

This Manufacturing Summit is happening October 1st in Milwaukee and will cover topics like lean manufacturing, commodity costs, supply chain management and staff recruitment.

All the details can be found here.