David Marshall
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Additive Manufacturing is the Next Industrial Revolution
- November 25, 2020
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Digital Transformation, Manufacturing
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I recently saw an article that called additive manufacturing the next industrial revolution, and I thought they couldn’t be more right. Of course, we all know about the original Industrial Revolution and how it has shaped society today, including working hours, salaries, trade unions, and even the idea of the weekend. Robotics and digital manufacturing
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How Data Collection in Digital Manufacturing Can Help Prevent Lawsuits
- November 18, 2020
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Management, Measurement
When you measure everything in a digital manufacturing facility, you get pretty good at data collection. Not only does digital manufacturing mean you can easily replicate the same piece without any deviations in quality, there’s plenty of data that tell you exactly how well you’re doing it. At our Duoline facility where we made fiberglass
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Building Relationships and Partnerships are More Important Than a Transaction
- November 11, 2020
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Business, Management
An email from my friend, Richard Croyner, reminded me about some advice I had given about how building relationships and partnerships are more important than transactions. He said, “I have spent 35 years in the transportation and supply chain industry and so many people look at this segment of business as a transaction — you
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Sometimes You Need to Fire Your Customers
- November 4, 2020
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Management, Measurement
I found an old email from a friend, Richard Coyner, who said: “I cannot tell you how many times I have said over my career ‘Don’t bother measuring something if you are not going to manage it.’” There’s an old saying that you can’t manage anything unless you do measure it, but it will take
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How Do You Make Data-Driven Decisions for Manufacturing?
- October 28, 2020
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Business, Manufacturing, Measurement
There’s a big push in a lot of different industries, especially in marketing, that they have become solely data-driven. They look at all their past performances and make decisions about new initiatives based on what their old efforts did. They either throw more resources at a flagging campaign (or product) or drop something that just
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Invest In Your Associates to Help Your Company Thrive
- October 21, 2020
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Innovation, Leadership, Productivity
A couple of weeks ago, I talked about how you can win your associates’ loyalty by involving them in the decision-making process when it comes to new technology and equipment. Another way you can invest in your associates is to give them an opportunity to participate in the business. For example, at Robroy, I instituted
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How Can You Adapt to Change During a Weird Time Like This?
- October 14, 2020
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Management, Productivity
I’ve been asked, during the pandemic-induced recession, how companies can and should adapt to change and keep up with everything that’s going on in the world. How can they pivot? How can they evolve? How can they morph into something that can take advantage of this “new normal.” Believe it or not, there is a
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Win Trust of Your Associates If You Want to Make Technology Changes
- October 7, 2020
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Leadership, Management
I recently read a story on IndustryWeek.com that has elements that should be familiar to anyone in manufacturing management. Years ago in Detroit, the author, John Sobel, and his company installed a system that used AI and machine vision to examine the tailgates for any quality problems. To spot defects, the tailgates had to be
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3 Places to Cut Costs That Won’t Hurt Your Bottom Line
- September 30, 2020
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Business, Management
Companies looking to save money and trim the fat without affecting salaries can cut costs in a few key areas that can help you reduce your overall costs without hurting your bottom line or the people who work for you. There are a few places where you can make cuts to your outside expenses without
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How Can Manufacturers Achieve Zero Waste? Does It Even Make Sense?
- September 23, 2020
- Posted by: David Marshall
- Category: Innovation, Manufacturing
Have you heard about manufacturers that have achieved Zero Waste? That means they have absolutely zero garbage leaving their plants. For instance, the Subaru plant in Lafayette, Indiana is certified Zero Waste. They recycle everything they can, and they reuse many of their packing materials by sending them back to their Japanese suppliers for refills.