The Monthly Newsletter of the Council of Industry
October 24, 2024
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Council of Industry Updates
What's Happening in Your Association
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We are pleased to present the Fall 2024 edition of HV MFG the magazine by, for, and about Hudson Valley Manufacturing. This labor of love is made possible by the generous support of our advertisers. We are also would like to thank our designer – Ad Essentials, printer – Main Street Printing, as well as the many content contributors.
In this issue you will find:
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2024 Annual Luncheon and Expo November 22nd in Poughkeepsie – Thank You Sponsors!
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The Annual Luncheon & Member Expo will be held on Friday, November 22nd at the Grandview in Poughkeepsie. Our keynote speaker is Ken Girardin, Director of Research for the Empire Center for Public Policy, Inc. He will speak on election results and the current fiscal climate in New York State. The Empire Center for Public Policy, Inc. is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think tank based in Albany, New York.
At the Luncheon we will recognize the Fall 2023 and 2024 Certificate in Manufacturing Leadership recipients. The Member Expo will precede the luncheon from 11:15 to approximately - 12:15.
The event is made possible by the generous support of sponsors. Sponsorships range in price from $2,025 – $8,750
Learn about Sponsorships
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Thank you Sponsors to date!
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Corporate Sponsor
Major Sponsors
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22 Earn Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification
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Twenty-Two individuals from 7 Council member firms completed the Council of Industry’s 3 day Yellow Belt training program earlier this month. The Program is delivered by the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Center for Quality and Applied Stateistics (CQAS) through Dutchess Community College.
Attendees were introduced to the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control improvement process and some of the tools associated with each stage. Also covered was: Resistance to Change, 5-S and Visual Controls, Team Building, the Problem Solving Process and Statistical Thinking. Each group of participants identified opportunities within their respective work areas and ways to improve those areas utilizing taught problem solving tools. The session culminated with the groups presenting their identified work area opportunity and suggested solutions.
The Council of Industry will be holding another Yellow Best training as well as a Green best training in early 2025
Learn more about the Lean Six Sigma programs here and here
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Remote Certificate In Manufacturing Leadership (CML) Begins October 30th: TWO SPOTS LEFT
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Have supervisors and future leaders you want to train? Consider the next session which will be held remotely beginning October 30th.
All courses are interactive half-day sessions (8:30 am to 12:30 pm) with scheduled breaks, networking, and group discussions. These courses are offered online and require participants to have a working webcam and audio.
Though participants are encouraged to complete the course series for the most comprehensive supervisory education, the Council welcomes individual course registration as well.
Early Registration: Email jhansen@councilofindustry.org
Schedule:
- Fundamentals of Leadership - Oct. 30, Nov. 5 & 6 (3 half days)
- Best Practices and Continuous Improvement - Nov 19 & 20
- Effective Business Communication - Dec 4 & 5
- Managing Risk for Supervisors - Dec 17 & 18Making a Profit in Manufacturing - Jan 7 & 8
- Problem Solving and Decision Making - Jan 14 & 15
- Human Resource Management Issues - Jan 28 & 29
- Positive Motivation and Discipline - Feb 4 & 5
What to expect from an interactive online virtual classroom:
- Discussions
- Work Groups
- Breakout Group ProjectHandouts and Worksheets
- Peer to Peer Sharing
- Networking and Virtual Group Projects
Time: 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Location: Virtual Classroom - Council of Industry Zoom
Click here to learn more
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Cybersecurity Fundamentals: Strategies to Protect Small and Mid-Size Manufacturers Webinar Held Earlier This Month
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The Council of Industry partnered with Associate member Trout Software to host a webinar designed for C-level executives in the manufacturing industry. Participants discovered practical strategies for safeguarding their operations against evolving cyber threats while ensuring critical network performance and advancing your digital transformation journey.
This session addressed the specific cybersecurity challenges faced by small and mid-size manufacturers. Participants learned how to implement strong security measures that enable digitalization while maintaining network efficiency and operational continuity. Topics included threat landscapes, protection fundamentals, compliance alignment, and incident response strategies.
If you were unable to attend the Recording Is Available Here
Trout also shared their Cybersecurity Checklist for Small & Mid-Size Manufacturing
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Manufacturing Industry News
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Election 2024 - The Battle for U.S. Manufacturing: Comparing Policies of the Presidential Candidates
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The 2024 presidential election is less than a month away and manufacturing remains a hot topic as voters get ready to head to the polls. And on the tails of massive post-pandemic supply chain disruptions, inflation, see-sawing demand, and labor woes, U.S. manufacturers are following this election year with great interest in the hopes that the chosen candidate’s policies will serve to bolster business conditions.
While the economic and manufacturing policies of former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris share some common themes, there are some key differences that have taken shape over the past several months that manufacturers should be aware of. This article will explore each candidate’s stances on issues most important to manufacturers, such as tariffs, taxes and energy policy.
Read more at Industry Net
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American Productivity Still Leads The World
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A common riposte is that American productivity is exaggerated since American workers get much less holiday time than their peers abroad. But when assessed on a per-hour basis the gap remains sizeable: 73% productivity growth for American workers since 1990 versus 39% in the euro area, 55% in Britain and 55% in Japan (see chart). Another criticism is that productivity growth in America has steadily declined over the past couple of decades. That, however, has been true elsewhere as countries have grappled with ageing populations and what had seemed to be a maturing tech landscape. Productivity growth in America remains stronger than in most other economies.
To explain this productivity outperformance, it is useful to break it into a few broad, overlapping categories. The first is investment in capital. American workers, simply put, have more tools at their disposal, both the physical kind such as highways and warehouses and the intangible sort in the form of software. Non-residential investment has run at about 17% of GDP in America since the mid-1990s, consistently higher than the share in large European economies, according to John Fernald of INSEAD, a business school in France. Moreover, much American business investment is the most potent kind: spending on research and development, which sows the seeds for future growth. With the exceptions of Israel and South Korea, America invests more in R&D than any other country, at roughly 3.5% of GDP. China is the one major power that has closed the gap on R&D spending, but it still trails America by a large absolute margin.
Read more at The Economist
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Breaking Operational Barriers To Peak Productivity
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The world needs more productivity growth. As a recent McKinsey Global Institute report argues, it’s the best possible antidote to wealth inequality, inflation, and exploding debt and could provide crucial funding for the net-zero transition and improved living standards. It’s also what every company needs. Yet productivity growth has largely declined since the global financial crisis of 2007–09, particularly in the most advanced economies. The macro causes of declining productivity growth are visible in everyday life. McKinsey’s latest research suggests that there are also micro causes of declining productivity growth, which are harder to see until the observer reaches the operating level of a factory or call center.
The loss of operational discipline in the wake of the repeated shocks of the past five years led to high levels of attrition and job churn. Practices that had been painstakingly refined, codified, and passed down from worker to worker—often over decades—were set aside during the initial COVID-19 emergency. The subsequent loss of critical talent meant that the chains of knowledge stayed broken. The better news is that the data also point to practical actions companies can take that can not only get them back on track but also help them make the most of the digital world.
Read more at McKinsey
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Leveraging Smart Factories To Adopt Data-Driven Approaches
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The manufacturing sector is navigating a perfect storm of challenges: skilled labor shortages, ongoing supply chain disruptions, and economic headwinds. These pressures are pushing companies to innovate—to “Industry 4.0”—to remain competitive. Smart factories represent the end goal of digital transformation in manufacturing. These data-driven facilities offer a powerful solution by enhancing efficiency and productivity in this age. For businesses beginning the transition to smart factories, it’s crucial to establish clear goals and objectives, identifying benefits they aim to achieve. Once these goals are set, manufacturers can develop a strategic plan for implementation.
- Connected data: Level one means that data is available but not accessible. The first step to enabling a smart factory is to connect all data and integrate the different data sources into one location that continuously gathers and tracks real-time production.
- Predictive analysis: Level two switches manufacturing from reactive problem-solving to proactive analysis and improvement. AI and machine learning are used to track data patterns, identify issues or quality failures, and take preventative action to avoid downtime.
- Prescriptive analytics: Active data refers to data that uses machine learning to perform proactive analysis and generate insights without human supervision. Level three uses active data to predict downtime before it occurs, recommend fixes, and inform relevant people of settings that allow the optimization of production.
- AI-driven automation: The final level of a smart factory uses AI-driven automation to deploy the recommendations identified by analyzing manufacturing data. Level three sends the recommended changes to the relevant teams around the business. However, at level four, these changes are automatically executed. Achieving level four when considering smart factory implementation requires datasets large enough and enough validated cases to provide the information systems needed to understand the impacts of automated production change.
Read more at Smart Industry
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NYSERDA: Energy Efficiency and Electrification Are Important for Your Small Business
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Small business owners are no stranger to wearing many hats, but developing a plan for energy reduction and electrification could be unfamiliar territory. When time and resources are scarce, making clean energy upgrades and efficiency improvements, such as installing on-site electric vehicle charging or attic insulation, can feel overwhelming. But these investments also align with many small business priorities: employee productivity, reduced overhead costs, and customer satisfaction to name a few.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to decarbonization – the process of switching from equipment powered by fossil fuels to efficient, all-electric technologies. From mixed-use buildings to commercial properties and leased spaces, let’s unpack how small businesses can prepare for an electrified future.
Read more at NYSERDA
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Automation Helps Pratt & Whitney Cut Engine Assembly In Half
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A robot named Alfred now performs tasks that were once monotonous and time-consuming, cutting assembly time in half and allowing human operators to focus on more complex tasks. Alfred was designed to assemble high-pressure compressor rotors for the Airbus A320neo family of aircraft. This initiative is part of Pratt & Whitney’s broader investment in automation, connectivity, and data analytics, often referred to as Industry 4.0. These advancements are now being expanded to Pratt’s maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities.
The idea for Alfred came from a technician who wanted to speed up the 14-hour process of assembling an HPC module. By leveraging best practices from Pratt’s production facilities and RTX’s Core operating system, the team at Eagle Services Asia discovered that automating the rotor build could halve the assembly time and free up three operators for more complex tasks like rotor balancing. The project moved quickly from concept in 2021 to a fully operational automated cell in 2023. “We went from a concept in 2021 to design review in 2022 to a fully tested and operational automated cell in 2023,” Sim said. “From start to finish in two and a half years.”
Read more at Aerospace Manufacturing (UK)
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Ten Ways to Position Your Business for a Successful Sale
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It takes considerable time and work to prepare the business for a sale process and achieve a state of Mergers & Acquisitions (‘M&A’) readiness – however, there are several key action items which will help ensure the M&A process is being approached correctly and potential key issues identified and addressed accordingly. If you’re considering a sale in the near-term, now is the time to get prepared.
PKF O’Connor Davies Capital LLC (DBA PKF Investment Banking) is the investment banking affiliate of PKF O’Connor Davies, recommend you start by checking these 10 critical deal success factors which include clarifying and implementing your growth strategy, knowing you key performance indicators and selecting key managers for an internal deal team.
Read all ten from PKF Investment Banking
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The Quiet, Transformative Power Of Introverted Leaders
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When workplaces celebrate loud voices, charismatic personalities, and the “move fast, break things” attitude of leadership, introverts may seem out of place. Leadership, we’re told, belongs to the extroverts—the ones who command rooms, deliver inspiring speeches, and thrive in the spotlight. But what if we’ve been overlooking a quieter form of leadership all along? Introverted leaders are often the unsung heroes of organizations, possessing a unique power that’s grounded in thoughtfulness, empathy, and a deep understanding of their team. The truth is, the quiet power of introverted leaders is not just an alternative leadership style—it’s a vital force for creating sustainable success.
Leadership, for decades, has been conflated with extroversion. The loudest voices in the room are often assumed to be the most capable, and those who thrive in social situations are seen as natural leaders. This misconception has shaped our understanding of leadership as a public performance—a series of bold decisions, grand gestures, and public displays of confidence. But this narrow view of leadership ignores the quiet strengths that introverts bring to the table. Introverted leaders may not be the ones dominating the conversation, but they are often the ones listening, analyzing, and thinking deeply before they act.
Read more at Forbes
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Citrin Cooperman Offers Year-End Guidance for Manufacturers
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Accounting and Consulting firm (and Council of Industry Associate member) Citrin Cooperman has developed its 2024 Year-End Planning Guide for Manufacturing and Distribution Companies. The guide was developed to provide leadership at manufacturing and distribution companies with the tools necessary to navigate strategic planning for their businesses in the upcoming year.
This guide provides information and support of the latest tips and planning strategies for general, state and local, and international tax, advice on transactions and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) planning, and best practices for preparing and closing year-end.
Access the Guide at Citrin Cooperman
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Its Creepy and it Kooky – Robot Hand Brings the Addams Family’s ‘Thing’ to Life
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Robot grippers and/or end effectors are changing as we know them. Researchers from EFPL and MIT released a video titled Beyond Manual Dexterity: Designing a Multi-fingered Robotic Hand for Grasping and Crawling, in which they demonstrated their latest invention of a robot hand. A detachable robot hand. While reminiscent of Thing from The Addams Family, the creepy, bio-inspired copycat of a human hand seems similar until you see it in action.
This autonomous crawling hand has five fingers and can grasp multiple objects at the same time. Where it differs from humans is that each finger has 4 degrees of freedom and can bend forward and backward, separately from each other. As you can see in the video below, it can pick up one object with two fingers bending forward, closing in on one side of the "palm" and the other three can bend backward while picking up the other object. Forward and backward are subjective terms in this case since it depends on the angle you're viewing it from—both sides are the same. Once the objects are grasped, the hand crawls back into a position where the robot can realign itself to connect back to the hand.
Read more at New Equipment Digest
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