David Marshall
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How Have the Challenges of Manufacturing Remained the Same Over the Years?
- February 17, 2021
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Manufacturing
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Over the last several years — decades, in fact — certain aspects of manufacturing have stayed the same. I could say the attitudes about change and disruption, but that would be a bit mean. And also untrue. If you’ve paid attention to the automotive manufacturing industry, you already know the massive changes they’ve gone through
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How Important is Ongoing Safety Training in a Manufacturing Operation?
- February 10, 2021
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Manufacturing, Safety
Ongoing safety training is critical in any manufacturing operation. It’s not just a one-and-done, set it and forget it type of operation. Safety training is absolutely essential because your first priority in your business is human life. You absolutely, positively have to protect that above everything else; there are no two ways about it. Protecting
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What’s Stopping Additive Manufacturing in the Factories?
- February 3, 2021
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Digital Transformation, Manufacturing
I’ve been interested in digital manufacturing and additive manufacturing ever since we tore down and rebuilt an entire factory to take advantage of the latest in digital manufacturing technology back in 2007–08. So I like to keep an eye on the latest trends and developments in the field, especially around measurement, hiring, and, of course,
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Should Manufacturers Use Blockchain
- January 27, 2021
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Digital Transformation, Innovation, Manufacturing
You’re no doubt hearing more and more about blockchain and how it’s being used in new and different applications. For one thing, you’re probably hearing more about Bitcoin, and you may even know that it operates on the blockchain principles. But what is blockchain? Is it important? Can manufacturers use it? Should we use it?
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How Can You Increase Revenue Without Increasing Orders?
- January 20, 2021
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Management, Measurement, Productivity
Your orders have leveled off and hit a plateau, but your operating costs are on the rise, which is cutting into your profitability. How can you increase revenue even while your average number of orders processed and units moved are remaining flat? One of the ways you can do that is just by increasing your
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Working Remotely Can Stifle Professional Development
- January 13, 2021
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Business, Management, Productivity
I’ve said over the past few years that I’ve never been a big fan of working remotely. And even though current circumstances have forced most office workers to work from home or work from socially-distant coworking spaces, I still think it’s essential that we return to the office as soon as it’s safe to do
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5 Manufacturing Predictions for 2021
- January 6, 2021
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Business, Digital Transformation, Innovation, Manufacturing
Sometimes we’re so close to the trees that we can’t see the forest. We’re so focused on this one tree, not realizing that the forest is growing and changing all around us. I feel that way when I think about all the manufacturing technology changes that have been going on around us in 2020 and
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Dealing with the Fallout of Bad Managers
- December 23, 2020
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Business, Management
I’ve always said, “Hire slow, fire fast,” and that’s served me well on a number of occasions. It helps me avoid hiring people who will be bad for an organization, and in those rare instances that someone slips through the cracks, I don’t spend weeks and months agonizing about the problem as they slowly infect
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Manufacturers, Focus on Recovery and Grooming the Workforce for 2021
- December 9, 2020
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Business, Management
I recently read an article in the Hartford (Connecticut) Business Journal (as one does, when you live in Central Texas) recommending that manufacturers should focus on recovery, technology, and grooming the workforce in 2021. While the numbers are specific to Connecticut, they represent a larger trend in the United States. Their big concern in January
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Embrace Cloud Computing for Manufacturing
- December 2, 2020
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Digital Transformation, Management, Manufacturing
A few months ago, I talked about how cloud computing may be a solution for manufacturers to embrace the latest in manufacturing technology. I wanted to dive a little deeper into the idea and talk about some of the ways manufacturers can use the cloud to save time and money and protect their intellectual property.