The Monthly Newsletter of the Council of Industry
April 25, 2024
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Council of Industry Updates
What's Happening in Your Association
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March/April Webinar Wrap-Up: Global Business, Safety Update and Understanding Your Carbon Footprint
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March and April were busy months at the Council of Industry with several Associate Members and partners presenting on a variety of topics important to Hudson Valley manufacturers.
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On March 22 participants learned how the U.S. Commercial Service can be a valuable asset in assisting manufacturing companies in targeting, entering, and succeeding in international markets. It was led by Michael Grossman, Senior International Trade Specialist at the U.S. Department of Commerce. There was also information about U.S. government export financing assistance programs with Rich Foy, Regional Director at the Export-Import Bank of the United States and Abigail Martinez, Export Finance Manager with the SBA.
Contact us for presentation material and a link to the recording of the presentation
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On April 12, Joseph Heaney, Principal and Walden Environmental Associates provided a primer and an update on The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) activity. The Agency has been active on the enforcement front and has several significant rule makings recently. Joe updated participants on OSHA’s most frequently cited industry standards and how OSHA’s data and rhetoric indicate that the agency is adopting a more aggressive approach than it has in years. Joe discussed the industries that OSHA is hitting the hardest and provided tips for effectively dealing with new OSHA enforcement policies that may mean more citations and higher penalties for employers. He also shared best practices for effectively handling OSHA enforcement.
Contact us for presentation material and a link to the recording of the presentation
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On April 16th Mark Hillhouse, a Director on Wells Fargo’s Sustainable Finance and Advisory Team presented “Understanding Your Carbon Footprint.” Mark and his team is focus on helping clients develop, execute, and finance their sustainability strategies. During the webinar, Mark gave an overview of the reasons why companies are trying to understand and reduce their carbon footprints, as well as the actions they are taking to become more sustainable. Topics included: How manufacturers are thinking about and acting on their goals. Why companies are interested in their suppliers’ decarbonization effort. Public and private investors’ thoughts on sustainability. The current regulatory environment and more.
Contact us for presentation material and a link to the recording of the presentation
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SOLD OUT! 2024 Manufacturing Champion Awards Breakfast And Workforce Developer Expo Scheduled for Tomorrow - April 26th, Thank You Sponsors! Congratulations Champions
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The Council of Industry's Manufacturing Champions Award is presented annually to individuals and/or organizations that “Through vision, dedication and tireless involvement have worked to overcome some of the many obstacles faced by manufacturers in the Hudson Valley and in so doing they have made it possible for manufacturers and their employees to prosper.” This year’s awards will be presented at the Champion's Breakfast and Workforce Developers Expo – tomorrow - April 26th at The Villa in Middletown.
This year’s Champions are:
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Barbara Reer - Assistant Dean for Workforce, Career Development, and Apprenticeship Initiatives at SUNY Ulster. Barbara has patiently and persistently built SUNY Ulster’s Advanced manufacturing training programs over the past decade in support of manufacturing businesses across the region, not just Ulster County. The programs she has built have been key to the growth of the MIAP apprentice program.
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Ron Hicks - Dutchess County Assistant County Executive for Strategic Planning and Economic Development. Ron has been a fixture in the world of economic development for more that 2 decades. His recent commitment to see the Mechatronics Lab built at Dutchess Community College’s Fishkill campus is but one example of his vision and commitment to Dutchess County and Hudson Valley manufacturing.
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Frank Falatyn - President, Fala Technologies and STEPs Industry Pre-apprenticeship – Founder / Executive Director. Frank’s commitment to workforce development in the Hudson Valley is unmatched. He helped launch the Hudson Valley Pathways Academy P-TECH School. His support of apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships programs was instrumental to the success of the MIAP program and has helped countless individuals find meaningful careers in manufacturing at his firm, Fala Technologies, and in many others throughout the region. His championing of manufacturing opportunities for neurodiverse individuals has been inspirational and transformative.
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Sponsors are key to this event’s success. A big thank you to: JP Morgan Chase, Allendale Machinery Systems, Rhinebeck Bank, Central Hudson, Ulster Savings Bank, Ashworth Creative, Orange Bank & Trust with Hudson Valley Investment Advisors
Past Champions can be found here
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Education Reform Expert Bill Daggett Tells Council Execs We Need to Better “Preparing Students for Their Future, Not Our Past”
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Dr. Bill Daggett, founder of both the Successful Practices Network and the International Center for Leadership in Education addressed Council of Industry Execs March 28th on the need to reform our schools to meet the challenges of the 21st century. In particular Dr. Dagget discussed the extraordinary impact generative AI will have on workforce needs and how woefully unprepared schools are to address this impact.
Dr. Daggett began his career as a teacher, local administrator, and then director of the New York State Education Department. He spends much of his time providing leadership and guidance to the National Dropout Prevention Center and the Career and Technical Education Technical Assistance Center, which are part of the Successful Practices Network. Dr. Dagget listed more than a dozen careers that are not likely to exist within the next 10 years as well as discussing the skills the future workforce will need to thrive in an AI world.
For a copy of Dr. Daggett’s presentation email Harold King
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Council Execs Meet with Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino, Tour James L. Taylor Manufacturing
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On April 4th Dutchess County Execs toured Poughkeepsie based Council member James L. Taylor Manufacturing – the company makes glueing and edging equipment for the woodworking industry and is one of the County’s oldest manufacturing businesses having begun operations in the Poughkeepsie in 1912.
Following the tour Execs met the County Executive to discuss issues of concern. Among the topics discussed were workforce issues and the associated issues of affordable housing and transportation.
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Hudson Valley Pathways Academy Students Available for Summer Internships
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The Hudson Valley Pathways Academy (HVPA) is a P-TECH early college high school. HVPA students participate in industry challenges, know lean principles and safety best practices. Many have competed in First Robotics competitions and all are interested in pursuing careers in STEM. Internships are also an important piece of the HVPA experience and this summer, HVPA has approximately 15 young scholars seeking internship placement. Some of the areas they are interested in include:
- Hand assembly/hand tools
- CNC machining
- CAD
- Welding
- Carpentry
- Customer service
- Human resources
- Communications/community relations, writing, and social media
- Business administration and management
- Sales
- Graphic design
- CISCO/Cybersecurity
- IT and tech troubleshooting
- Computer hardware repair
- Help desk
If you are interested in learning how you can hire an HVPA intern this summer please contact Katherine Cahill
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For information on advertising in this and other CI publications
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Manufacturing Industry News
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Smaller US Manufacturing Firms Tap Industry 4.0 Advantage
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It’s easy to think of large firms as the ones leading the charge when it comes to adding digital tools to their business. That may have been the case initially, as organizations with more than $100 million in annual revenues had the capital to experiment with new tools on the market. This movement was illustrated in recent research out of advisory firm Wipfli, whose 2024 State of Manufacturing report suggested that smaller manufacturers are having their own digital revolution, rather than just tagging along to what large firms are doing.
Wipli surveyed 335 U.S.-based manufacturers during August 2023 — 59% of which indicated having annual revenues of no more than $100 million, with 33% at no more than $50 million. 71% of respondents indicated they plan to increase their Industry 4.0 investments during 2024. Here’s what their top picks were for which technologies they currently use: Cloud computing – 62%. Data analytics/business intelligence – 60%. ERP – 59%. Mobile devices – 56%. CRM – 56%.
Read more at Modern Distribution Management
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US Commercial Services Celebrates Export Week May 6 - 10 with Workshops and Webinars
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In celebration of World Trade Month, the U.S. Commercial Service will host a number of export sessions during the first week of May as well as throughout the month! The sessions, led by both private and public sector experts, will feature tradecraft programs and industry focused opportunities. Many of the programs are being offered free of charge and you can choose as many as you’d like to attend. Whether you are new-to-export or an experienced exporter, Export Week will provide valuable information on forward thinking strategies and invaluable resources to increase your global sales.
Workshop topics will include Export Documentation, Export Marketing & Sales, Trade Finance, Industry Focuses Programs, and Export Research.
Read more at Trade.Gov
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Game On: How Gamification Transforms Mundane Assembly Tasks Into Motivating Challenges
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Do you think if work was like a game, you would try harder or that it would pass the time faster? A recent study from West Virginia University (WVU) engineers has demonstrated this exact thing and they found that when monotonous assembly tasks were framed as playing a game, completion rate improved. Published in the Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing journal, the researchers examined the “gamification” of manufacturing tasks to see if it would improve workers' well-being and/or productivity. What they found suggests that workers on an assembly line would be more productive, engaged, and motivated if they were incentivized through competition or a reward system.
Makenzie Dolly, a researcher of the study, said gamification has become part of many people’s daily lives. In wellness, gamification shows up in the form of fitness-tracking challenges. In marketing, popular forms of gamification include shopping rewards programs for food, coffee, or clothing. Dolly stated that employers need to understand and know their workers' personalities and their level of patience in relation to hard tasks, and every person is different. If you push employees past a certain point, you could be contributing to high turnover and sick leave.
Read more at New Equipment Digest
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83% of Manufacturers Plan to Use Generative AI in Their Operations This Year
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Rockwell Automation, Inc. has released the results of the 9th annual “State of Smart Manufacturing Report.” The company, in conjunction with Sapio Research, surveyed 1,567 workers with roles from management up to the C-suite from 17 of the top manufacturing countries. Rockwell surveyed manufacturers from a range of industries, including consumer packaged goods, food & beverage, automotive, semiconductor, energy, and life sciences, with revenues spanning $100 million to over $30 billion.
Key findings of the report include:
- 83% of manufacturers expect to use generative AI in their operations in 2024
- 95% of manufacturers are using or evaluating smart manufacturing technology
- 94% of manufacturers plan to maintain or grow their workforce due to smart manufacturing technology adoption
Cyril Perducat, senior vice president and chief technology officer, Rockwell Automation, said, “A skilled workforce is the cornerstone of any successful manufacturing operation, but attracting, managing and retaining workers is proving to be an ongoing challenge. The survey found technology alone is not the answer. To remain competitive, manufacturers need to focus their staff on embracing new technology as a core part of their evolving organizational culture, creating a technology/worker partnership that drives their business forward.”
Read more at Material Handling & Logistics
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Next-Gen Humanoid Robots on the Horizon
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While supply chain demand for robots remains very high, in particular, Gartner predicts that by 2027, 10% of new intralogistics smart robots sold will be next-generation humanoid working robots. These AI-enabled robots—which resemble a human in shape and can interact in a natural human way—have the potential to be the missing link in fully automated warehouse processes.
Moving around and picking up individual items of varying sizes, shapes and orientations is difficult for robots, but easy for humans. As a result, we project humanoid robots will evolve during the next several years to address the limitations of previous generations of automation, and will provide the necessary cost savings, flexibility, adaptability and scalability that will generate large-scale investments from a range of different organizations. Additionally, according to the same survey discussed earlier, around half of respondents cited rising labor costs and a similar number raised concerns about labor availability as notable reasons for investing in robotics.
Read more at Supply Chain Management Review
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Making the Business Case for Sustainability
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Ecolab’s mission hasn’t changed much in more than 100 years. It’s still “bringing science to our customers in a way that drives performance, productivity and less water and energy use.” That’s according to Ecolab Chief Sustainability Officer Emilio Tenuta, who says being climate-minded is not only “the right thing to do,” but also at the core of the St. Paul, Minnesota–headquartered water, hygiene and infection-prevention company’s operating model. Ecolab helps millions of customers worldwide reduce their environmental impact while promoting food safety, maintaining clean environments and optimizing resource use.
“At Ecolab, we talk about eROI—Exponential Return on Investment,” Tenuta explained. “It’s about understanding that we have the ability to deliver on a business outcome—profitability—while also delivering an environmental impact. Sustainability requires a multifaceted approach that considers all things: social, emotional, economic. It’s about in some ways taking a longer-term view of progress and opportunity. That can be challenging, but by elevating innovation and long-term commitment, companies can build a more sustainable future … and boost profitability.”
Read more at The NAM
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Augmented Reality is a New – and Less Costly – Reality in Manufacturing
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Manufacturers that seek greater cost reductions, increased speed and fewer errors are increasingly implementing augmented reality (AR) technology to improve processes throughout their manufacturing operation. AR is not necessarily new to manufacturing – it’s been around in various forms for years – but its technology continually evolves from a functionality standpoint, as well as in terms of the benefits it delivers.
AR processes and tools can take many shapes; within the manufacturing space, the technology is increasingly leveraging head-mounted devices that superimpose a computer-generated image within a user’s real-world view. This provides a wealth of data that enables tasks to be performed faster, more precisely and more safely. In conjunction with tablets and other tools that are connected via the “internet of things” (IoT), AR technology is uniquely positioned to change the way people and technology interact within the manufacturing space. AR can help manufacturers – work more accurately, access data, improve training and save on maintenance and reduce downtime.
Read more at Dannible & McKee
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5 Steps for Sustaining a Lean Culture
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There are many philosophies of lean, and there is a lot of discussion about the journey to lean. A journey implies there is a finite destination or finish line. I believe operational efficiency, a.k.a. lean, is a lifestyle, and like most lifestyles, lean is rooted in culture. Lifestyle changes are not a destination; rather, they are the result of transition. When companies have a positive corporate culture and trust is clearly established between the leadership and the workforce, they are ready to begin the transition to a lean lifestyle.
There are many approaches and project plans to navigate a path in support of the transition to lean, and most will work. Companies should choose a plan that suits their specific business needs and the needs of their team. For example, manufacturers with predominately highly skilled, highly technical team members will choose a different path than manufacturers in a labor-intensive environment comprised of unskilled team members. To increase the probability of success, leadership at all levels of the organization should follow these five guidelines.
Read more at IndustryWeek
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How to Fix Your Just-in-Time Engine
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JIT efforts fail because they don’t know how MRP systems really work to provide production and inventories based on the batch world. Manufacturing companies normally maintain three types of inventory: raw materials, work-in-process and finished goods. If you look at the flow of products, it looks like this:
Vendor – Raw Material – Work In process – Finished Goods – Customer
What is at the center of that flow? The Factory. The Engine. That’s where value is created and profit is made. In a batch-production world, the engine is broken because there is so much non-value-adding activity taking place. Inventory levels and production-batch sizes are managed by a company’s MRP system (or the MRP module of their ERP system). Raw-material inventory batch sizes are influenced by the company’s purchasing department. If vendors offer discounts for larger quantities, purchasing agents will generally take advantage of those terms. They see their mission as getting the lowest price—period.
Read more at IndustryWeek
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Help Shape Workforce Development Policy: Complete the 2024 NYSDOL Business Workforce Survey
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For the last three years, The Business Council has teamed up with the New York State Department of Labor and Empire State Development to survey thousands of businesses on their challenges and needs. They are now also partnering with the New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals.
The state uses the results to address challenges through new and revised processes, programs and initiatives. The survey results continue to shape workforce development practices and policy from the P-12 system to higher education and among training providers across New York State. Please use the link below to provide feedback on the state of the workforce and the needs of businesses in 2024! The survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. The survey will close on Tuesday, April 30 at 5 PM.
Take the survey
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NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW!
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