Tag: Conflict Minerals

7 Industry Trends to Think About- New Technology Isn't One of Them

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You may be surprised that Technology as a stand alone item is not one of them.

Our future is not about shinier flying saucers.
We will master  and implement whatever technologies are developed.
But our future is being impacted by these 7 items  today:

  1. Loss of experienced workers taking tribal and craftsman knowledge out of our shops.
  2. Lower average wages as experienced workers with seniority leave and younger workers start at trainee wages, making it difficult to attract talent with facts about “increasing wages”- even though they are.
  3. Training growing in percent of spend as many shops are unable to purchase new technology to quote new work because they do not have trained workforce.
  4. More and more jobs being quoted out of more challenging, non free machining materials;
  5. A bit of relief from new regulations, but more uncertainty as Washington turns to trade issues which can impact availability and cost of imported materials, and tooling,  as well as impact the exports of finished goods that contain our parts.
  6. Increasing demands for certification of production to a wide variety of customer demanded requirements regardless of legal obligations- Conflict Minerals, REACH, RoHS, Animal- Free; Ca. Prop 65. Etc.
  7. Possibility of an “Association Healthcare Insurance solution” in 2019 or beyond.


 
What do you see as the trends shaping our company and industry future?
Please don’t say technology- as Humans, we’ve been successfully implementing new technologies for quite some time.

Flying cars
Todd Rundgren Future
Fire
 

Conflict Minerals Rule Violates Free Speech- D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals

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The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the SEC Conflict minerals rule violates first amendment rights to free speech.
PMPA was an amicus party on the original filing.

Violates petitioner's first amendment rights.
Violates petitioner’s first amendment rights.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We will  keep you apprised as new developments emerge.
 
 

Dodd Frank Section 1502 Conflict Minerals Guidance for Machine Shops

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PMPA staff has prepared a Conflict Minerals compliance guide  for our members based on our analysis and understanding of the SEC’s final rule.

That’s 356 pages worth of time we won’t be getting back- but that we can save you!

Saving you the pain...
Saving you the pain…

Our two page summary provides

  • a link to the final rule;
  • an overview of the potential impact of the rule;
  • explains the SEC’s determination of what constitutes “Conflict Minerals” as applies to our precision machining shops;
  • clarifies the “necessary to production question” that concerns many people.  (If the conflict minerals are in my shop’s tools, machinery, or computers, do they need to be reported?)

In addition to identifying the 4 focus minerals that are encountered in our industry, our report provides 5 questions to help you make sense of  and formulate your reply to each job and request for documentation from your customers for Conflict Mineral Status.

Finally, our document provides both the means to determine and suggested language to warrant that your product is “DRC Conflict Free” to your customer.

Effective associating through PMPA means that our members get a clear plain English tool they can use document to make sense of their obligations under Dodd Frank.  And guidance on how to respond and educate your customer.

Where do you go to get sensemaking on newly emerging regulatory requirements?

PMPA members know that we provide them with REGULATORY ASSURANCE.

PMPA provides assurance to you in the high stakes world of regulatory compliance.
PMPA provides assurance to you in the high stakes world of regulatory compliance.

Our diligence on identifying regulatory issues and sensemaking on regulations help PMPA members assure compliance and avoid draconian penalties. And we provide tools they can use to respond effectively and confidently minimizing the impact and burden their shop.

That is Effective Associating!

Where do you go to get sensemaking on newly emerging regulatory requirements?

Not a PMPA member? Call Jeff Remaley 440 526 0300

Highwire

Burdensome Regulations- Letter to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair Darrell Issa

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We sent our letter to attention of Chairman Darrell Issa…

Earlier this month,  Precision Machined Products Association (PMPA) submitted a  joint letter with NTMA and PMA in response to a request by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair Darrell Issa for examples of ill-conceived regulations and rules interpretations and their impact on metalworking manufacturers.

The letter stated, “The first week of May 2012, the federal government issued 77 new final rules and regulations and proposed 40 new rules. As of May 25, 2012, the year-to-date total for new federal rules and regulations issued was 1,506, filling 31,432 pages. Of these new rules, the government classified 292 as having a significant impact on small businesses. Companies like our members simply lack the resources, financial or personnel, to sort through the thousands of pages of new regulations each year. Compounding this challenge is a lack of knowledge of industry process by regulators who are not familiar with manufacturing and therefore often issue ineffective rules with unintended consequences.”

The letter provided examples of existing and proposed regulations and rules interpretations that negatively impact metalworking manufacturers, reduce global competitiveness and restrict the ability to hire employees and invest in facilities. Examples included the EPA’s TRI Article Exemption Rule, Nickel Rule and Metalworking Financial Responsibility Requirements Rule; OSHA’s interpretation of lockout guidelines, arc flash requirements and guidance memo indicating that safety incentive programs may potentially be a discriminatory violation against disciplined employees and may discourage safety violation reporting; and the SEC’s conflict minerals rule. Read the full letter.

You have more than enough on your plate to say grace over without having to battle the bureacrats and regulators and their ill conceived burdensome regulations.  PMPA’s regulatory efforts are just one way of  “effective associating” that can help you and your company in today’s hostile regulatory environment.