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Could Renewable Energy be a Good Source for Industrial Jobs?

On Tuesday the Obama administration approved onshore solar and wind farms in the West and pressed for off shore wind power in the Atlantic Ocean, in an attempt to increase renewable energy on each coast. The Interior department approved 300-megawatt solar farm to be placed on public land in Arizona as well as a 200-megawatt wind farm to be located in Southern California. The farms are the 24th and 25th renewable energy...

Future Forecasts

Forecasts are generally what get us through each day. We watch the news for the weather forecast and determine whether we need to bring an umbrella to work that day. We watch for stock market forecasts to figure out whether to buy or sell. And now, we can look to the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI) U.S. Industrial Outlook quarterly report to know what to expect in the coming years...

Ensure Your Industrial Workforce is Properly Trained

Besides technical training, industrial safety knowledge is perhaps one of the most important industrial skill sets plant workers should possess. Today, there are more than 600,000 forklifts operating in manufacturing plants that are powered by propane fuel. And with more and more experienced forklift drivers reaching retirement age, factory owners have to prepare to properly train the next generation of industrial workers, so that their industrial skill sets are not only up...

Alabama Rising to the Top in Auto Production

Currently number five in U.S. auto production, Alabama could potentially reach a top three position by the end of the year with an expected annual auto production at nearly 900,000 units. The incredible turnaround comes with a sigh of relief as just two years ago, in the midst of an economic downturn, Alabama’s auto production reached just below 468,000. According to the Automotive News Data Center, in 2010 Alabama stood at number...

Boeing and Union Make Peace

A major union dispute between Boeing and its employees has hopefully come to a resolution. The unionized workers of Boeing voted to extend a four year long contract that aims to stabilize labor relations while the company plans production of their planes for the next few years. The deal developed by Boeing during several secret meetings that took place over the past few weeks will ensure the new 737 will continue to...

EPA Eases Up on New Boiler Standards

On Friday, the Obama administration proposed a plan for the Environmental Protection Agency to ease up on some of the rules which intend to reduce air pollution from industrial boilers and incinerators. Without compromising the health benefits of the proposed regulations, the EPA revised the emissions limits for industrial boilers so that they are more flexible. The EPA’s top air pollution official, Gina McCarthy, told the press “We have found a way...

November in Numbers

With the beginning of a new month comes the statistics of the past month. And this year, they’re looking positive. Thanks to an increase in new orders and production, U.S. factories saw the greatest increase in business since June 2011. Washington reported that manufacturing has increased for the past 28 consecutive months. The Department of Labor said that the number of unemployment applications increased to approximately 400,000 last week, the greatest increase...

Open for Business

Last week General Motors announced they will start manufacturing the Chevrolet Equinox at its plant in Tennessee. They also plan to start producing additional midsized cars there in the near future. The $244 million investment is expected to create almost 1,900 jobs at the former Saturn plant located just outside of Nashville. To get the ball rolling, General Motors will initially invest $61 million and plans to generate nearly 700 jobs to...

How Plants can Create the Perfect Industrial Employee

With the economy seemingly inching towards recovery, manufacturing managers seem to be more confident in posting more job positions. However, as we discussed previously, filling these positions with skilled workers has proven to be a difficult task. Many prospective hires are in fact hard working individuals eager to work. But often they lacked the essential skills necessary to work effectively and efficiently in a plant. So, how can manufacturers ensure their new...

Industrial Training Tips

When it comes to training industrial employees, creating a program that is tailored to your organizations specific needs is key. If your training initiatives are not planned with your employees in mind, there’s a good chance you will not achieve your desired outcome. As a manager your priority is to make sure the implemented training program is effective and maximizes your return on investment. Here are a few tips to ensure your...

Unemployment Applications Decrease while Manufacturing Jobs Increase

The Labor Department reports the number of unemployment applications fell in the first week of November. The number of applications dropped to the lowest level since April 2011. The drop in applications may be an indication that employers are beginning to feel comfortable hiring again. Additionally, the Commerce Department announced the U.S trade deficit reached its lowest point of the year in September 2011. With foreign sales of American machinery reaching an...

What are Manufacturers’ Looking for in Employees?

The need for advanced skilled workers in the manufacturing industry is at an all-time high. With baby boomers beginning to retire, a new era of skilled workers will need to be trained and developed in order to run a plant smoothly and successfully. Since 2007, nearly 2.4 million manufacturers have been laid off. However, despite the fact that these trade workers are looking to fill the 600,000 job openings, manufacturers are looking...

Training for the Future

With the national unemployment rate reaching around 9% it may seem hard to understand why so many job postings have gone unfilled. But in the manufacturing industry, it’s actually not such a hard concept to grasp. The reason being, most job opening are left unfilled due to the lack of technical and industrial skills. And as the gap between what’s available and what is needed widens, the necessity for a workforce that...

Looking Forward

Across America, many manufacturers are taking the necessary steps to assure their business will succeed in the coming generations. Last week we discussed the benefits of Lean Manufacturing, however this is not the only way to steer plants towards increased productivity through practice improvement. In early October, the American Small Manufacturers Coalition outlined steps that manufacturers can take to stay ahead of the curve in the “2011 Next Generation Manufacturing Study.” The...