A Practical Guide to Recruiting in Manufacturing
U.S. manufacturers face a volatile hiring pool as layoffs and a shrinking skilled‑labor supply intersect with rapid automation. Demand is moving from low‑skill roles to mechatronics technicians, robotics programmers, CNC and PLC specialists, and higher‑level supervisory positions. Employers must revamp recruiting by defining a clear employee value proposition, highlighting benefits, and optimizing career‑site content for AI‑driven search. Leveraging non‑traditional ad channels and simplifying application processes can dramatically improve engagement and reduce cost‑per‑hire.
Get Your AI Terminology Straight: A Manufacturing Leader's Guide
Mike Blasdell’s guide clarifies that artificial intelligence in manufacturing is not a single technology but a suite of tools—including language models, pattern‑recognition algorithms, and decision‑support systems. He explains how many firms already reap benefits from machine learning in demand forecasting,...
In Distributors’ Earnings, Signs That Demand Is Holding Up
Fastenal reported daily sales up more than 12% year‑over‑year in the quarter ending March 30, driven by new business wins and broader market‑share gains. MSC Industrial echoed the trend, saying demand remains strong despite the Iran war and related supply‑chain worries....
Trump Vows US Will Sink Any Iran Boats That Challenge Blockade
President Donald Trump announced a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, warning that any Iranian fast‑attack boats approaching the perimeter will be destroyed. The blockade was scheduled to begin at 1400 GMT, but U.S. forces have not yet reported any...
The Progress Paradox: Do Belt Certifications Help or Hurt Continuous Improvement Efforts?
The podcast episode of Behind the Curtain examines whether Six Sigma belt certifications help or hinder continuous improvement. Hosts Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer argue that belts often create hierarchical silos, limiting knowledge sharing and fostering an elitist mindset....
Business Literacy Creates a Culture of Trust. Why Don't More Manufacturers Teach It to Their Employees?
Manufacturers are increasingly recognizing that teaching employees basic finance—profit‑and‑loss reading, cost drivers, and margin concepts—creates a culture of trust and boosts engagement. Open‑Book Management and regular financial huddles let frontline workers see how scrap, downtime, and quality affect profitability, prompting...
US Workers Value Job Security, Benefits Amid Economic Uncertainty: Report
A new Economist Enterprise Benefits 2.0 survey of more than 2,000 full‑time U.S. workers shows that stability now outweighs pay. Over half (51%) have taken lower‑pay jobs for better benefits, while 62% would choose long‑term job security over higher wages or...
Trump's New Budget Eliminates MEPs; Eight States Without Contracts
President Trump’s FY 2027 budget proposes eliminating the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a 40‑year‑old NIST‑run program that supports small‑ and medium‑sized manufacturers. The plan calls for a $175 million cut to terminate MEP and a broader $993 million reduction to NIST, including the...
Understanding Agentic AI: Innovation Exec and Ford Scientists Share Tips
IndustryWeek’s Production Pulse episode features Ron Norris, Sanjay Ahire and Nagadithya Nookala discussing agentic AI, a step beyond generative AI that can not only retrieve information but also synthesize insights and act on them. They illustrate the concept with Google...
Another Chip Shortage Is on the Horizon
AI’s explosive growth is creating a surge in demand for high‑bandwidth memory (HBM), outpacing the supply of both HBM and traditional DRAM. Industry leaders such as SK Hynix and Micron warn that memory shortages could last until 2030, with current...
Lean or Six Sigma: The Progress Paradox
IndustryWeek’s latest podcast pits lean against Six Sigma, highlighting the fundamental distinction that lean is a management philosophy while Six Sigma is a data‑driven problem‑solving methodology. Hosts Dr. Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer argue that many firms adopt only surface tools—such as...
The Respect-Driven Motivation Model
The Respect‑Driven Motivation Model builds on lean’s “Respect for People” by defining five employee rights—understanding, involvement, input, success, and humanity. When organizations honor these rights, trust and clarity replace confusion, unlocking the four core motivation drivers: autonomy, achievement, purpose and...
What the 6th Edition of UL 9540A Means for Battery Storage Safety Certification
The UL Standards Council released the 6th Edition of UL 9540A on March 13, 2026, introducing mandatory large‑scale fire testing for battery energy storage systems. The new edition requires proof that a thermal‑runaway event in one BESS will not propagate to adjacent units,...
IndustryWeek Operations Leadership Summit Scheduled for October in South Carolina
IndustryWeek will host its Operations Leadership Summit in Spartanburg, South Carolina from October 20‑22, 2026. The three‑day event targets owners, plant managers and operations executives, offering workshops, networking and plant tours of BMW’s massive SUV facility and Spartanburg Steel Products....
Eight States Go AWOL on Manufacturing Extension Partnership Map
Eight states—Washington, Idaho, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, New Jersey and West Virginia—were removed from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) map between Jan. 15‑16, 2026 and remain absent as of April 1. The omissions stem from...