Connecting with fellow members is always at the top of the list when we survey our members about why they belong to PMPA.
But our connections aren’t exactly Pitcher – Batter adversarial relationships.
Our members like to connect because they are on the same team- the “Lets keep good paying, high quality of life, advanced manufacturing jobs here in North America” team.
We sell to many different customers, and while we might be competitors at one or another, the chances are pretty slim that any two shops directly compete.
We all want our industry to succeed– so when a member needs an assist – to borrow a gage that’s 6 weeks out, or trying to figure out why a reamer is cutting oversize, many people respond with offers to help or advice.
We all want to improve our knowledge and execution of our craft– thats why we connect at PMPA’s National Technical Conference and local meetings.
We all want to know what are the issues that can affect our business decisions– market, supply, customer, regulatory. PMPA members call this “Business Intelligence” and connect at our Management Update, Local meetings and on our online listserves.
As an industry, we have some of the sharpest and experienced minds in our field, all connected through various means. So we welcome connection. We share. We collaboratively problem solve. We work together on trying to resolve regulatory issues.
We connect– Our business is better for it. Our employees are better for it. Our quality is better for it.
Our world is better place because we collaborate, identify and share best practices, and come to the aid of our team mates to help keep jobs here in North America.
Planes fly. Cars stop safely. Utilities are delivered. Food packages assure no contamination. Medical Devices make a difference in thousands of lives every day.
Because we’re all on the same team. The quality team. The best for our craft team. The mentor our up and coming talent team.
We don’t call it “Team PMPA.”
But that’s how we connect.
Are you connected?
Tag: Business Intelligence
Of course prices have risen.
We finally are back to manufacturing expansion following 18 months of contraction in the manufacturing sector. Supply chain pretty much destocked. Low inventories. Domestic mills operating at 47% of capacity. Global influences on scrap and raw materials. You need a program to follow this game. We’re providing you one with this edition of PMPA’s Material Impacts Report.
The prices of the raw materials that we track have continued to rise with double digit percentage gains over January with one exception: China Coke. Year over year, all prices are still down significantly.
- Aluminum: Up 18.65% from January
- Copper: Up 86.67% from January.
- Nickel: Up 27% from May, up 4.44 % since January.
- Steel Busheling: Up 26.67% from January.
- China Coke: Down 2.73% from January.
We have seen price increase announcements in addition to surcharge increases since our last report.
Details in PMPA’s Material Impacts Report.
Why has PMPA created this blog, www.pmpaspeakingofprecision.com when there are so many other things competing for your attention?
By speaking of precision, we can facilitate knowledge retention while providing tools you can use, and business intelligence, to help sustain our manufacturing community here in North America.
Here are our top 5 reasons:
- Give you tools you can use.
- Speaking of precision.
- Knowledge retention.
- Business Intelligence.
- Sustaining our community
1. Tools You Can Use By sharing best practices, tried and proven ideas, and insights into our processes and markets, we provide “tools you can use” to stay competitive, improve your sustainability, and understand your business. Everyone understands the value of tools you can use…Tuesday we try to run a shop focus tool you can use item in our blog.
2. Speaking of Precision Our purpose is to find the really relevant information, news, tools, knowledge and business intelligence that today’s shops need to make their way through the volatility and uncertainty we face. As things continue to get more complex and more ambiguous, our blog tries to provide you with sense making information from and for the point of view of precision machined parts manufacturing
3. Knowledge Retention Our businesses have overarching needs for shop process, craft, financial, commercial, market and regulatory information and wisdom. As older workers retire or leave the industry, there is a possibility that they will take with them ideas and process knowledge that isn’t necessarily easily retrieved anywhere else. We are trying to add those kinds of subjects to our blog where they will be more easily findable through the use of keywords and search engine. Pmpaspeakingofprecision.com is a place for us to archive and retain this knowledge on line for our industry.
4. Business Intelligence Uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity are rampant in our world today. But the task is how do we find information that helps us make sense of it all? What is relevant? What will help us make decisions? What will help us anticipate upcoming issues? PMPAspeakingofprecision is one place where the issues facing our industry will be discovered, reflected upon, and presented for your action.
5. Sustaining Our Community PMPA’s vision is to be the premier provider of association services to advance the global competitiveness of the Precision Machining Industry. We believe that Manufacturing is important in North America, and we see our role as helping to sustain North American Manufacturing by helping sustain Precision Machining as a North American competency. We recognize the demographic realities of the baby boom generation starting to exit the workforce, and new generations with new information needs entering the industry.
Our blog www.pmpaspeakingofprecision.com is a way for PMPA to facilitate the transfer of important knowledge, ideas and developments as this demographic change takes place in our workforce- and in the purchasing and engineering departments of our customers.
That’s why PMPA is Speaking of Precision. To help you make sense of the changes, forces, and events that affect our industry. By sharing tools you can use and providing knowledge retention and business intelligence.
To help you remain competitive.
You can visit PMPA on the web at www.pmpa.org .
PMPA staff recently reviewed the Department of Homeland Security’s Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) Regulation information posted on the web.
We reviewed the Appendix A for materials and chemicals that might be in our shops.
And we gave our members our professional ‘techie’ opinion about this rule based on our knowledge of industry materials and processes. PMPA MEMBERS ONLY CFATS BULLETIN.
This is an example of the kinds of “Tools You Can Use” Business Intelligence that PMPA provides to our members- identification of and technical assistance with the constant flood of new government regulations.
How do you identify emerging regulations in your company? Who is responsible for identifying applicability and compliance? Ultimately, we know who the courts would say is responsible…
