Current Print Issue:
December 2009

A Blueprint for Sustainable Manufacturing
Carpet giant Mohawk aims to weave sustainability into every fiber of its operations.

How Green Are Your Products?
As the demand for green intensifies, manufacturers are using software and Web-based tools to quantify -- and promote -- the environmental impacts of their products and processes.

The Future of Manufacturing 2009
Manufacturing leaders chart the impact of the recession and identify the opportunities and risks facing the U.S. manufacturing sector in the years ahead.

Raw Material Risks
Manufacturers must remain vigilant and agile in the face of volatile costs and possible supply squeezes.

Feds Eye Trade Compliance Violators
Those valves you shipped overseas may seem harmless to you, but to the federal government it may be considered a security threat and an expensive mistake.

Export Laws Under Review
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke proposed reforms that he says will make the United States more competitive globally.

Recession Changes Trade Finance Picture
As credit becomes more scarce and deals become riskier, trade partners reconsider finance terms and agreements.

First Up -- The Two Sides of Climate Change
While the move to a greener economy offers many exciting opportunities, the transition is also fraught with peril.

The Competitive Edge -- A To-Do List for the Manufacturing Czar
Bloom should avoid protectionist measures and push for policy change that fosters innovation.

Consider This -- Time for America's Second Industrial Revolution
Lean offers the fuel to power a renaissance in American manufacturing.

Thought Leader -- Are We Running Out of Time on Trade Issues?
The manufacturing sector needs to see some relief in the next few years if the U.S. economy is to grow, says Peter Morici.

High-Tech's Role in Lean
Technology isn't a panacea for plant-floor problems but it can help manufacturers take lean to the next level.

Safe Incentives
Most manufacturers opt for gift certificates or merchandise rewards to recognize their employees' safety efforts

Certified Green
Beginning in early 2010, SME and Purdue plan to offer a green manufacturing specialist certificate.

Eye Robot
Like TVs and laptops, vision-guided systems have gotten smaller, more sophisticated, less expensive and easier to use.

Five Ways to Stretch Equipment Budgets in Tough Times
By taking a more active role in maintaining and maximizing capital equipment, companies can extend the lifetime of the hardware by years.

Dealing With Contract Risks
Negotiating a good deal is an essential aspect of procurement, but it's easy to oversimplify negotiations as only a matter of getting the best price from a supplier.

Are You Cued in to Cultural Intelligence?
Understanding the culture of the parties you are negotiating with is vital in order to establish a successful business relationship.

Logistics Teams Up With Accounts Payable to Recover Lost Profits
Roquette uses a freight payment audit process to generate refunds from rail carriers.

Portrait of a Sustainable Supply Chain
Best-in-class manufacturers are enjoying a significant reduction in energy consumption

Product Development Assistance from Manufacturing Networks
Small to midsize manufacturers face similar product development challenges as their larger kin, but lack similar resources. The Manufacturing Extension Partnership can offer assistance.

How Nissan's Eporo Robot Car Came to Be
Nissan again looks to nature to help solve driving challenges.

Product Development Solutions
New and improved product development tools can help product developers and R&D personnel do their jobs better. Recent advances include the following introductions:

An Ounce of Prevention
A few common-sense measures can go a long way toward preventing IT project failures.

IT Helps Firms Go Green, Save Money
Solutions are becoming integral to manufacturers' efforts to comply with regulations, reduce carbon footprints.

IT Solutions
Product development solution

Letter to the Editor For November 2009
A Menacing Green?