Supply chain management: industrial manufacturing - Articles - Page 6

With Sales Forecasts Not Panning Out, Many Small Manufacturing Companies Unable to Pay Bills

July 23, 2015

Planning for a pickup in sales, some small manufacturers borrowed money from their larger counterparts to ramp up production. Now, a growing number can't pay for the investments as their forecasts aren't panning out, with energy-related companies being among the hardest hit.

Mexico Is Bright Spot in Otherwise Unspectacular Manufacturing Picture in Latin America

July 21, 2015

MAPI

The MAPI Foundation's manufacturing production index for Latin America is expected to decline 0.9 percent in 2015, although this regional picture masks sizable differences across countries. The deeper than expected recession in Brazil, for instance, is offsetting the solid performance of Mexican factories. Argentina's manufacturers are also in recession, but it is milder than Brazil's.

Despite Steel Glut, China Buys Into Africa's Steelworks With Eye on Future Demand

July 16, 2015

The Economist

Africa's second-largest iron-ore mine, in Tonkolili, Sierra Leone, was snapped up by China's state-owned Shandong Iron and Steel Group in April. In fact, Chinese firms, it seems, are buying into the market while stocks are cheap. Hebei Iron and Steel Group is building a massive steelworks in South Africa; last month it received approval to takeover the Swiss firm Duferco's African steel processing and sales network.

Growing Demand Seen for Industrial Machinery After-sales Service

July 10, 2015

UPS

Seventy-eight percent of small- to mid-sized industrial machinery companies believe their customers' expectations for after-sales service are rising, but just 12 percent of those manufacturers say replacement parts and service are top differentiators for their business.

Measures That Traditional Distributors Can Take to Compete With Amazon Supply, Other Giants

July 8, 2015

SupplyHT

Amazon Supply still is not selling china or fiberglass, but it does offer more than 54,000 fittings, valves, tubing, pumps and meters. It also offers 5,300 HVAC supplies, tools and meters, but no equipment.

Internet of Things Transforms After-sales Service, Report Says

July 2, 2015

IDC Manufacturing Insights

The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) has brought with it increased focus on "connected products." As manufacturers work to retrofit existing products with connectivity and build it into new products, they are faced with the question of how these connected products will transform the after-sales services they provide, and possibly even their business models.

Manufacturers Returning to U.S. Must Find Ways to Finance Equipment Needs

July 1, 2015

Industry Week

Onshoring has become a major trend in the United States. U.S.-based companies are increasingly pulling their overseas manufacturing efforts and setting up shop in the States. How are they meeting their needs for heavy equipment?

The Job of the Chief Information Officer in Manufacturing Is Evolving Greatly

June 29, 2015

Verizon Enterprise

The manufacturing CIO has long been associated with managing new technology implementation, strategic IT planning and keeping tabs on the latest solutions that could boost productivity. The job entails much more than that today.

Modern Manufacturing In Its Fourth Major Upheaval

June 25, 2015

McKinsey

Industry 4.0 is more than just a flashy catchphrase. A confluence of trends and technologies promises to reshape the way things are made.

Today's Robots Are a Different Breed

June 22, 2015

Wall Street Journal

A new generation of robots is on the way - smarter, more mobile, more collaborative and more adaptable. They promise to bring major changes to the factory floor, as well as potentially to the global competitive landscape.