Management

Last year was tough on the building and construction market, but hope shines eternal, as was evidenced at this year's International Builders Show in Las Vegas, a fitting place for these who continue to bet on a return of the housing market.

When a heat exchanger begins to fail or becomes problematic, it may be indicative of various problems ranging from inappropriate mechanical design to unforeseen chemical reactions. But, is it better to replace or to repair a heat exchanger?—By American Power Services (Erlanger, KY)

PlasticsToday's Clare Goldsberry has written books for molders and moldmakers that include business and marketing strategies. Based on her long experience, she's come up with five key points to running a successful mold manufacturing operation.

A new report from the Apollo Alliance and Good Jobs First says the United States must develop a domestic manufacturing capability to meet the growing demand for clean energy components and systems, or lose the race to lead that sector of the global economy, and the jobs that go with it.

Swiss extruder manufacturer Maillefer has chosen a new CEO, promoting Peter Roos to the position. His predeccesor, Pentti Hätälä, recently turned 65 but will continue as the chairman of the board of the Maillefer Group. 

In 1969, a 32-year-old Ken Groff saw an opportunity to launch a business in a rejected part program. Forty years later, the original Franzus Clothes Steamer is no longer around, but the company Groff founded, Venture Plastics, definitely is.

On March 1, 10 U.S. senators sent a letter to U.S. President Obama that, among other things, acknowledged Obama's release last year of "A Framework for Revitalizing American Manufacturing," requested more information about how the administration is implementing the strategies in that Framework, said the 10 would work with Obama to promote U.S. manufacturing, and called for a multi-industry strategy to promote emerging manufacturing opportunities.

Even though manufacturing activity at U.S. firms slowed up a bit compared with January, the latest data from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM; Tempe, AZ) showed February was the seventh successive positive month. The hope is that the activity will filter into other sectors; the fear is that current activity may be largely due to replacement of depleted inventories.

Innovation, attention to detail, and specialization have fueled sustainable growth for medical molder Medron Inc., helping it stand out in a region with a burgeoning medical manufacturing base.

Did the recession slow the pace of progress at your company? Likely it did, 
but that does not mean you still aren’t striving to improve. In this, first in a 
four-part series, MPW will be tracking one company’s efforts to be sustainable 
and profitable.

Officials at Xten Industries, a custom injection molder and contract manufacturer in Kenosha, WI, believe that sustainability and profitability are not competing goals. They also are out to prove that profitable manufacturing and “Made in the U.S.A.” are not mutually exclusive terms.