The G1 production line will manufacture automotive glass and architectural float glass. Production line construction is expected to begin this summer and be completed by the end of the year. The North American glass company hopes to offer the available new jobs to those that were recently laid off due to the shutdown of its Blue Ridge plant in Kingsport. The K1 production line in Kingsport produces glass for the solar industry. Since its shutdown AGC officials say that business has been negatively affected by the large amounts of imports from China.

President and CEO of the AGC Glass Company, Mark Ishiko, stated “We plan to service the growing demands of the North American automotive business, and grow our architectural business with higher quality clear and tinted float glass…Northeast Tennessee is an important region for our company and hopefully this restart [in Church Hill] will help lessen the effects from the K1 shutdown.”

Tennessee state officials as well as The Hawkins County Industrial Development Board have been working with AGC over the past two years to help secure taxes and other incentives to help restart the Church Hill plant. AGC Glass Company says they plan to include the latest environmentally friendly equipment as part of the reconstruction and have already for its state construction permit. AGC is based in Alpharetta, GA and is owned by Asahi Glass of Japan.

Increased hiring always leads to the opportunity to further industrial training skills. With easily accessible online courseware, employees are able receive industrial training from virtually anywhere and advance their education in an effort to boost productivity on the plant floor.

Industrial training is the heart of every manufacturing business. From safety training to maintenance training to basic boiler and air compressor training, industrial training skills serve as one of the most important building blocks to a successful plant. Just ask durable goods manufacturers around the U.S. who saw a strong 3% increase in December.

On January 26^th, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that during the final month of 2011 manufactured durable goods increased $6.2 billion amounting to a whopping $214.5 billion. Transportation equipment alone has increased for two consecutive months and had the largest growth of nearly $3.0 billion, totaling $58.4 billion. All of which was due to non-defense aircraft and parts. Cliff Waldman, economist for the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation stated, “Like other recent data, the December report on demand for long lasting goods paints a picture of an economy that ended a volatile and challenging 2011 on a positive note…Total new orders, now up during five of the last six months, increased a strong 3% after an even stronger 4.3% advance in November and for the year registered a solid 10% gain over 2010 levels”

Waldman’s statement has given the industry a sense of hope which may incite restored confidence in many manufacturers who have been hesitant to begin hiring new talent. But with a brighter outlook on the new year as the first month comes to a close, manufacturers should see an opportunity to tailor new hires and create an effective and productive industrial worker. How? Simple, by offering easy to use industrial training courseware. Whether it is via an online SCORM based platform or through the use of full motion video courseware, quality industrial training is bound to give you the greatest return on investment. Looking for a nudge in the right direction? Contact ITC Learning today to find out how our industrial training courseware can benefit your plant and your workforce.

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Despite tough economic times the United States is still the leading manufacturing nation in the world. This past Tuesday night President Barak Obama spoke to millions of viewers in his State of Union address. In his speech he reminded the American public that manufacturing has long been the backbone of the American economy and if invested in, the industry can boost our economy back to stability. While there have been struggles over the past years, the percent of GDP that manufacturing fills has remained nearly the same for more than 30 years. Businesses also provide a great portion of taxes that help run state and local governments and manufacturing is in close second, contributing nearly 20% of business taxation.

With the government taking a stand on improving the manufacturing industry and employers becoming more confident when it comes to hiring, a chance to train presents itself. Initial training and retraining are equally important when it comes to industrial skills. Manufacturing laborers often work in a wide variety of areas within the plant and without proper training it is almost certain they will not be able to perform their job safely or correctly. By allowing your workforce to improve their industrial skills and expand their expertise you’re giving them a chance to help themselves and your business.

ITC Learning is dedicated to providing quality courseware to help train your industrial employees. The goal of any industrial training skills program is to minimize downtime and maximize productivity, but at ITC Learning we take industrial skills training a step further by offering not only safety and mechanical training but also process training, control training, boiler training and much more. In an unsure time there is one thing you should be sure confident in, and that is the capabilities and the talent of your team. By providing comprehensive courseware that includes animations, audio and interactive exercises trainees receive a well-rounded learning experience. Additionally, all ITC content has undergone a thorough SME review to ensure accuracy and can be tailored to your business. Contact ITC Learning today to find out how interactive online courseware can increase your bottom line.

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Manufacturers have long been playing the waiting game when it comes to hiring new employees. The question is consistently whether to hire then train or to wait for the properly trained employee to come along. Well, the problem with the latter is that as the Baby Boomer generation continues to retire, older skilled workers are going to be hard to come by. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, a third of manufacturers are already facing relatively serious shortages of skilled employees left in the labor pool. So the only answer is to recruit, develop and maintain a talented workforce.

In order to develop and maintain a workforce rich in industrial training skills, top level managers must realize that the culture of their plant may also need to adapt to the younger industrial worker. Instead of a command and control environment, the younger generation responds better to working as a team.

When it comes to hiring, manufacturers need to look at the long term rather than the immediate. Although an employee that has extensive industrial skills upon hiring may seem ideal, technology is constantly changing and retraining will be required at some point. So then, why not train new hires properly when they first hit the plant floor? By developing the industrial skill sets of committed workers, younger employees can see the potential path ahead of them and in turn work harder to achieve those goals. But in order for them to reach those ambitions they must not only work hard but also efficiently and productively. By providing industrial skills training, manufacturers will benefit their business and their workforce. The return on investment is obvious, as productivity is bound to increase when abled and knowledgeable employees are working the plant floor.

So in today’s high tech society how do we supply training skills to new hires in an easy and accessible format? SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) based e learning systems make this simple. With SCORM online courseware is required to meet specific software standards so that trainees can access modules from an office computer or even their home computer. SCORM also makes it easy for plant managers to track their progress and update the courseware. In a quickly evolving world, SCORM makes delivering online industrial training simple and effective.

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On Tuesday the Samsung Group, an electronics firm headquartered in South Korea, announced they will invest upwards of 47.8 trillion won, which translates to approximately 41.56 billion U.S. dollars, in expansion. They plan to spend this year which will prompt them to hire nearly 26,000 new employees. The electronics conglomerate has proposed to largely invest funds in their new business segment. The group is made up of 66 affiliates which range from electronics to insurance and even finance. In South Korea, the top 30 business groups vowed to invest a collective 151.4 trillion won in 2012 and hire nearly 123,000 new workers.

With new plants come new responsibilities and in many cases new hires as well. All plant developers, owners and managers want their new beginning to run smoothly and profitably. So, in an effort to meet that goal, employing a properly trained workforce can help. Over the years technology has greatly affected process monitoring, control and industrial automation which has in turn helped improve productivity. This is precisely why control training and process training are critical when it comes to educating a new staff. Same goes for hydraulic training, pump training and boiler training.

Since all aspects of the manufacturing industry are constantly changing, we recommend keeping your employees up to date on the newest industrial advances and procedures. Online training courseware, like ITC Learning’s, can make training new employees and re-training your existing staff simple and affordable. Our online courseware was built following the SCORM standards so that we could provide our clients with the most user friendly industrial courseware that could be accessed from anywhere. Not only has SCORM allowed us to offer easily accessible online courseware but it also permits us to deliver courses that are easy to track and update, so you can see the progression of your trainees. Contact ITC Learning today to learn more.

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The Council on Competitiveness recently published Make: An American Manufacturing Movement, a report which aims to encourage the American public to remember that manufacturing is and has been the cornerstone to economic prosperity. The series of reports focuses on innovation, expansion, talent and productivity. All of which were shown to the government as a non-partisan strategy in an effort to resolve pressures the American manufacturing industry might face down the road.

Concerning industrial skills, the Council on Competitiveness sees harnessing the power and potential of American talent as one of the main challenges that is faced when it comes to today’s industrial training skills. Their recommended solution is to prepare the next generation of researchers, innovators and skilled workers through different vehicles of industrial skills training.

A few of their recommended courses of action include having federal, state and local governments team up with high schools, universities and community colleges to promote student participation in engineering and manufacturing programs. They also suggest that Congress should implement immigration reform that would allow the world’s brightest talent to work in the U.S. They recommend that the Small Business Administration (SBA) create a program like SCORE to bring retired business executives together and have them mentor younger entrepreneurs. Other recommendations included state of the art apprentice ships, study abroad programs for Americans and for Congress to create opportunities for older generations to remain critical contributors to the industrial workforce.

In the meantime, industrial training skills remain the most important element to maintain a productive and knowledgeable workforce. While the Council on Competitiveness lobbies for manufacturing training programs in all areas of education, plant managers must still educate their current employees to maintain a dynamic team. By implementing online industrial training, industrial skills’ training becomes a breeze. Trainees can learn on the job or from the comfort of their own home through online courseware which meets SCORM standards. Without essential manufacturing training the industry and the current workforce will suffer, but with the right training skills manufacturers can increase output and see a quick return on investment. Click here to contact ITC Learning and learn more about the advantages of industrial skills training.

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SCORM is all the more critical as more and more agencies are beginning to hire. For example, the head of Bombardier Business Air says they plan to expand the company’s Learjet site located in Wichita and create almost 450 new jobs over the next seven to ten years. The news of expansion from one Learjet manufacturer comes with a sigh of relief for many Kansas industrial workers, as The Boeing Co. announce last week they plan to shut down their facilities in Wichita by the end of 2013.

Tennessee also received good news in Clinton when Magna International Inc. announced they are planning a $64 million expansion to be implemented over the next five years. The expansion for the automotive parts supplier hopes to add 188 jobs in their facility. New jobs will include assembly and press operators as well as laser operators and maintenance professionals. Also in Chicago, Illinois the freight company Coyote Logistics announced its plan to create 400 new jobs this year in their facility.

As companies regain confidence to hire and create industrial jobs they also have the chance to safeguard the future or their plant’s performance by employing an industrial skills training program that is both effective and user friendly. And SCORM based online courseware is just that. There is a great training opportunity with new hires and even current employees, take advantage and utilize industrial training skills that will advance your business.

With the manufacturing production output for the coming year seeming much more positive than those of the past, many economists are already looking to 2013 as another great year for hiring. The once struggling automaker, Chrysler, plans to add nearly 1,250 jobs to two Detroit factories. 1,100 new hires will go to The Jefferson North Assembly Plant which will also add a third shift to help produce the new diesel model of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. An addition 150 new hires will go to the Conner Avenue factory once it reopens later this year to produce a new version of the Dodge Viper for the Street Racing Team.

Eager for new hiring to begin, the United Auto Workers Union Vice President General Holiefield stated, “Our workers nationwide have had a rough couple of years along with the American auto industry and we are proud to be partners in building a future of success starting right here in Detroit.”

Last Thursday, an update to Mayor Dave Bing’s financial and operational restricting plan noted the city’s unemployment rate had reached 24 percent. The Chief of Governmental and Corporate Affairs, Kirk Lewis, said the percentage accounted for those in Detroit actively looking for work. He said, “It could be as high as 40 percent of our citizens who don’t have jobs.”

A state appointed review team is currently looking into the city’s finances which could ultimately result in Michigan taking over Detroit’s city government. As of now the city is faced with a general fund deficit of almost $200 million. In an effort to save nearly $14 million, thousands of city jobs will be cut in the next few weeks. The hope is that a stable auto industry hiring will help fill jobs.

During the bailouts of 2009 the U.S. auto industry reached record lows over the past 30 years. Since then, auto sales have grown for two years and are expected to rise again this year. Automakers are once again making profits which give high hopes to those searching for manufacturing jobs in the industry.

When new jobs are in development, training your industrial employees becomes an essential part of hiring. The greatest benefit to industrial skills training is that it benefits both your business and your workforce. By enhancing the industrial training skills of your employees you can potentially increase output and ultimately increase revenue. With ITC Learning’s SORM based online courseware industrial skills training is made easy to learn and track. With increased output and a properly trained workforce your return on investment will be easy to see.

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December of 2011 has been noted as the month in which manufacturing grew at the fastest pace during the past six months. Hiring in U.S. factories continued to rise, with plants hiring more people more quickly since June of 2011. New orders also increased which shows a positive future in store for production. According to the Institute for Supply Management, in November the manufacturing index rose from 52.7 to 53.9-any reading above 50 marks expansion.

With the end of 2011 indicating expansions in the manufacturing industry, stocks surged on the first trading day of 2012 partly due to news that manufacturing also grew in India and China. The industrial average of the Dow Jones was reported to have gone up more than 250 points during the first hour of trading.

After the recession was officially over in 2009, factories were the first area of the economy to see improvement. And now, consumers have become more confident and in turn are spending more money. The Conference Board says its consumer confidence index increased in December to the highest point since last April. This greatly affects the economy as consumer spending accounts for approximately 70% of the economy.  Economists predict that car sales also went up in December due to increased sales in November. Not only will those increased sales boost output of automakers but also for other industry suppliers such as steel companies and tire makers. The Department of Commerce reported that orders made for long-lasting goods also rose in November, mostly due to increased commercial aircraft orders.

Unemployment applications continue to drop as well, which proves companies have laid off fewer employees and are expanding their workforces. During the past three months, weekly applications have dropped by almost 10%. With such positive outlooks for 2012, an Associated Press survey of economists predicts a steady expansion of 2.4% in 2012.

As confidence grows and agencies continue to hire, proper industrial training increases in importance. ITC Learning offers SCORM based online courseware which is dedicated to improving the industrial skills of your employees. From control training and process training to air compressor repair and boiler training, ITC Learning administers all necessary training skills in an online format that is sure to educate your workforce.  Contact us today to learn how our manufacturing training courseware can make a difference in your output.

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In 1871, the first professional baseball game was played in Fort Wayne, Indiana. And today, almost 141 years later, Indiana is proving to be more than just a great place to hold baseball games, it has become a welcoming host to the manufacturing industry.

In 2003, Brian Emerick narrowed the focus of his Columbia City, Indiana based manufacturing plant to concentrate on the medical device industry after business in other segments had slowed down. Today, Mr. Emerick says it was the greatest move he ever made for his privately owned company, Micropulse Inc. Now, Micropulse has upwards of 200 employees and operates out of a 100,000 square foot manufacturing plant in Columbia City, Indiana, just 30 minutes outside of Warsaw where medical device manufacturing moguls such as Biomet, Symmetry Medical and Zimmer are headquartered. Fortunately, Columbia City is far enough from the Warsaw that is has no trouble finding qualified help. Emerick says, “There’s a rich manufacturing heritage in the area. It’s a very stable climate”. Micropulse has experienced steady expansion since it started and with the help of Whitley County and the state of Indiana it’s been able to further its business even more. In 2007, Micropulse was given tax cuts and matching funds to help add 47,000 square feet to their manufacturing facility in Columbia City.

While Warsaw has proven to be the orthopedic device manufacturing capital of the world, Northeast Indiana is in close second. With Fort Wayne at its center, the 10 county region is home to over 60 medical device companies that employ almost 2,000 workers. The areas proximity to Warsaw is also a major factor. In fact, it was a major selling point to Iotron Industries Canada Inc., a manufacturer that uses electron-beam radiation technology to sterilize agricultural products and medical devices. Iotron, which is based out of Vancouver, is currently finishing up a $15.3 million project that will build a new 54,000 square foot facility near Columbia County which is due to start production in 2012.

Not too far from Iotron, Fort Wayne Metals, which already has six facilities in Northeast Indiana, is expanding their production capabilities even more with a $12.9 million expansion project that hopes to create approximately 68 jobs by 2014. The metal manufacturer produces fine-grade wire used in medical tools.

While the medical device manufacturing industry is booming in the region, Northeast Indiana’s largest money makers continue to be industries such as transportation equipment, metals and plastics and rubber. General Motors is the region’s biggest industry employer and just recently announced in October that they will invest almost $275 million in its Fort Wayne plant in order to develop its next generation pickup truck.

Government officials in the region have made it a top priority to make sure the 335,000 industrial employees in the region continue to be properly prepared and placed for their work in the manufacturing field. With this effort in mind, there is a $20 million grant in the works, named the Talent Initiative, which plans to improve the industrial skill sets of the areas labor force. The Talent Initiative, which is being funded by a philanthropic foundation based in Indianapolis, will attempt to retrain adult workers for manufacturing jobs that are evolving due to changing technologies, expand engineering programs at Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne and start New Tech high schools that utilize project based learning models in an effort to keep the youth interested in the manufacturing industry.

While government intervention is a great way to amp up industrial training, ultimately the responsibility is left to manufacturing employers to ensure their workforce is properly trained with the right industrial skill sets. At ITC Learning we offer superior industrial training that is offered through a variety of mediums, each of which enables trainees to educate themselves on the basic and advanced industrial skills sets necessary in the manufacturing industry. Contact ITC Learning today to find out how you can get stared.

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