Die-Tech Blog

Lean Proves Lucrative for Medical Device Manufacturer

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)35054 — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Thomas Medical has adopted a Lean approach to become one of the top medical device manufacturers in the Greater Philadelphia area.

EAST WHITELAND — Thomas Medical Products in the Great Valley Corporate Center has adopted a "pay it forward type of mentality" to help spread the benefits of lean manufacturing in the region.

"We had companies help us," said Peter J. Rapp, vice president of operations for the GE Healthcare company. Because of higher costs, U.S. manufacturers "need to have the right systems in place. Sharing best practices and learning from each other" is one way to do that.

In recognition of its efforts, the medical device maker was singled out by the Institute for World Class Manufacturing, the education and training program operated by the Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center, for its "Journey to World Class Manufacturing Award" at the organization's recent annual dinner.

"They participate in helping other companies by sharing with them their processes," said Mark Basla, vice president of marketing and business development for DVIRC. "They're good enough and nice enough to be willing to share with plant tours, roundtables and seminars.

"There are a lot of companies like Thomas Medical here (in the Delaware Valley) that do that — share their time and resources for the benefit of other companies in the region."

Lean is a systematic approach to identifying and eliminating waste — non-value added activities — and creating value for the customer. DVIRC said the system "typifies the best in leadership, culture, strategy and operational excellence that defines advanced manufacturers today."

DVIRC has done more than 600 projects for companies ranging from very small, 30 employees, to large multi-plant global businesses working on three continents.

To read the entire article, click here.

The Pros and Cons of Globilization

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)34350 — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

This is an excerpt from an article by Mike Collins on Manufacturing.net.

People around the globe are more connected to each other then ever before. Information and money flow more quickly than ever. Goods and services produced in one part of the world are increasingly available in all parts of the world. International travel is more frequent and international communication is commonplace.

Globalization is an economic tidal wave that is sweeping over the world. It can’t be stopped, and there will be winners and losers. But before drawing any conclusions on how it affects the U.S. economy, consider some of the general pros and cons of globalization.

The disadvantages of globalization

1. “The general complaint about globalization is that it has made the rich richer while making the non-rich poorer. It is wonderful for managers and investors, but hell on workers and nature.”¹

2. Multinational corporations are accused of social injustice, unfair working conditions (including slave labor wages and poor living and working conditions), as well as a lack of concern for the environment, mismanagement of natural resources, and ecological damage.

3. Multinational corporations which were previously restricted to commercial activities are increasingly influencing political decisions. Many think there is a threat of corporations ruling the world because they are gaining power due to globalization.

4. Opponents say globalization makes it easier for rich companies to act with less accountability. They also claim that countries’ individual cultures are becoming overpowered by Americanization.

5. Anti-globalists also claim that globalization is not working for the majority of the world. During the most recent period of rapid growth in global trade and investment, 1960 to 1998, inequality worsened both internationally and within countries. The UN Development Program reports that the richest 20 percent of the world's population consume 86 percent of the world's resources, while the poorest 80 percent consume just 14 percent.

6. Some experts think that globalization is also leading to the incursion of communicable diseases. Deadly diseases like HIV/AIDS are being spread by travelers to the remotest corners of the globe.

7. Globalization has led to exploitation of labor. Prisoners and child workers are used to work in inhumane conditions. Safety standards are ignored to produce cheap goods. There is also an increase in human trafficking.

8. Social welfare schemes or “safety nets” are under great pressure in developed countries because of deficits and other economic ramifications of globalization.

The positive side of globalization

Globalization has a positive side as well. Supporters of globalization argue that it has the potential to make this world a better place to live in and solve some deep-seated problems like unemployment and poverty. The marginal are getting a chance to exhibit in the world market.

Here are some other arguments for globalization:

1. The proponents of global free trade say that it promotes global economic growth, creates jobs, makes companies more competitive, and lowers prices for consumers. It also provides poor countries, through infusions of foreign capital and technology, with the chance to develop economically and by spreading prosperity creates the conditions in which democracy and respect for human rights may flourish.

2. According to libertarians, globalization will help us to raise the global economy only when the involved power blocks have mutual trust and respect for each other’s opinion. Globalization and democracy should go hand-in-hand. It should be pure business with no colonialist designs.

3. Now there is a worldwide market for companies and consumers to access products from different countries.

4. There is a world power that is being created gradually, instead of compartmentalized power sectors. Politics are merging and decisions that are being made are actually beneficial for people all over the world.

5 There is more influx of information between two countries.

6. There is cultural intermingling. Each country is learning more about other cultures.

7. Since we share financial interests, corporations and governments are trying to sort out ecological problems for each other.

8. Socially we have become more open and tolerant towards each other, and people who live in the other part of the world are not considered aliens.

9. Most people see speedy travel, mass communications and quick dissemination of information through the Internet as benefits of globalization.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Let's here your comments below!

7 Questions to Ask About Machine Safety

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)33892 — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Machinery is involved in one in four workplace deaths, according to the Industrial Accident Prevention Association (IAPA). To protect workers from hazards surrounding machinery, the IAPA urges supervisors to ask these questions:

1. Is the guarding in place and used properly?

2. Is the machinery in good repair and used properly?

3. Are lockout procedures clear and understandable?

4. Are workers trained before work starts on machines?

5. Are written job procedures available to workers and are they understood and followed by them?

6. Is required personal protective equipment (PPE) in good repair and used properly?

7. Are incidents and injuries investigated to find and eliminate the root cause?

If you answered "no" or were unsure about the answers to any questions, review your machine safety program immediately!

Tom Broudeau provided the "7 Questions to Ask About Machine Safety". What do you think about the 7 questions and are there more that you feel could be added?

Copper On the Rise as Dollar Slides

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)33547 — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

It definietly seems that we are and have been in a bull market for metals. The price of gold, silver and also copper continue to rise as the dollar slides against the euro. Here's the latest news from the Washington Post...

Copper Rises for Sixth Day as Dollar Weakens
The Associated Press
Tuesday, June 15, 2010; 5:17 PM

NEW YORK -- Copper rose for a sixth session Tuesday as a weakening dollar sent investors in search of other assets seen as stable stores of value.

The dollar continued its slide against the euro as economic data suggests that a debt crisis may not be hurting European countries as much as previously thought. Industrial production in the 16 countries that use the euro grew more than forecast in April, easing concerns that mounting deficits could severely hamper economic output.

Strong industrial production around the world also boosts expectations for demand for copper, which is used in manufacturing.

Copper for July delivery rose 1.25 cents, or 0.42 percent, to settle at $3.0045 a pound. It was the first time copper ended above $3 since June 2.

"Fundamentally, we're still seeing physical demand for copper remain strong," said Catherine Virga, base metals analyst with CPM Group in New York.

The euro rose back above $1.23 for the first time since May 31, rising to $1.2337 in afternoon trading. The currency has been considered a strong indicator of confidence in Europe's economy and has often driven stocks and other risky assets like commodities lower in recent weeks.

The euro had been falling steadily since late April, pushing the dollar higher and commodities lower. Commodities are priced in dollars, so a stronger dollar makes them more expensive for foreign investors.

Other industrial metals also rose. Platinum for July delivery rose $14.60 to settle at $1,578 an ounce, while palladium for September delivery rose $12.95 to $475.55 an ounce.

In energy markets, benchmark crude for July delivery rose $1.82 to settle at $76.94 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

In other Nymex trading in July contracts, heating oil rose 4.26 cents to settle at $2.0685 a gallon, and gasoline gained 4.51 cents to close at $2.1035 a gallon. Natural gas prices rose 18.3 cents to settle at $5.189 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Wheat for September delivery remained unchanged at $4.675 a bushel, while corn for July delivery remained unchanged $3.5375 a bushel. July soybeans fell 2 cents to $9.495 a bushel.

Gold rose as investors sought hedges against inflation. August gold rose $9.90 to settle at $1,234.40 an ounce.

8 Keys to Just in Time Production

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)33407 — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

The 8 Keys to Just-In-Time production are:

1. Stabilize and level the MPS with uniform plant loading (heijunka in Japanese): create a uniform load on all work centers through constant daily production (establish freeze windows to prevent changes in the production plan for some period of time) and mixed model assembly (produce roughly the same mix of products each day, using a repeating sequence if several products are produced on the same line). Meet demand fluctuations through end‑item inventory rather than through fluctuations in production level. Use of a stable production schedule also permits the use of backflushing to manage inventory: an end item’s bill of materials is periodically exploded to calculate the usage quantities of the various components that were used to make the item, eliminating the need to collect detailed usage information on the shop floor.

2. Reduce or eliminate setup times: aim for single digit setup times (less than 10 minutes) or "one‑touch" setup ‑‑ this can be done through better planning, process redesign, and product redesign. A good example of the potential for improved setup times can be found in auto racing, where a NASCAR pit crew can change all four tires and put gas in the tank in under 20 seconds. (How long would it take you to change just one tire on your car?) The pit crew’s efficiency is the result of a team effort using specialized equipment and a coordinated, well-rehearsed process.

3. Reduce lot sizes (manufacturing and purchase): reducing setup times allows economical production of smaller lots; close cooperation with suppliers is necessary to achieve reductions in order lot sizes for purchased items, since this will require more frequent deliveries.

4. Reduce lead times (production and delivery): production lead times can be reduced by moving work stations closer together, applying group technology and cellular manufacturing concepts, reducing queue length (reducing the number of jobs waiting to be processed at a given machine), and improving the coordination and cooperation between successive processes; delivery lead times can be reduced through close cooperation with suppliers, possibly by inducing suppliers to locate closer to the factory.

5. Preventive maintenance: use machine and worker idle time to maintain equipment and prevent breakdowns.

6. Flexible work force: workers should be trained to operate several machines, to perform maintenance tasks, and to perform quality inspections. In general, JIT requires teams of competent, empowered employees who have more responsibility for their own work. The Toyota Production System concept of “respect for people” contributes to a good relationship between workers and management.

7. Require supplier quality assurance and implement a zero defects quality program: errors leading to defective items must be eliminated, since there are no buffers of excess parts. A quality at the source (jidoka) program must be implemented to give workers the personal responsibility for the quality of the work they do, and the authority to stop production when something goes wrong. Techniques such as "JIT lights" (to indicate line slowdowns or stoppages) and "tally boards" (to record and analyze causes of production stoppages and slowdowns to facilitate correcting them later) may be used.

8. Small‑lot (single unit) conveyance: use a control system such as a kanban (card) system (or other signaling system) to convey parts between work stations in small quantities (ideally, one unit at a time). In its largest sense, JIT is not the same thing as a kanban system, and a kanban system is not required to implement JIT (some companies have instituted a JIT program along with a MRP system), although JIT is required to implement a kanban system and the two concepts are frequently equated with one another.

To read the entire article and notes, click here. Thanks to Raymond Jacobs, Professor of Business Administration, Ashland University for providing the 8 keys.

Manufacturing Surging, Housing Suffering

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)33405 — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

MarketWatch (6/13, Nutting) reported, "US manufacturing is on a tear, one of the few unambiguous positives in an economy that's still struggling to recover from the deepest downturn in generations. In some ways, this economic recovery fits the classic mold, as factories are running overtime to restock inventories depleted during the panic and to meet renewed demand for capital equipment and consumer goods."

This is "a familiar story of the business cycle: Excesses in production lead to excessive cutbacks, sowing the seeds for the eventual recovery." But "the missing piece this time, of course, is housing," which "after most recessions" has been "one of the main engines pulling the economy forward, as lower interest rates spur demand, which must be met by new construction. Not so this time around." Even with "the herculean efforts by the government...the sector is still severely out-of-balance."

The Pittsburgh Business Times (6/11, Hoover) reported a survey by McGladrey stated smaller manufacturers are not doing nearly as well as larger ones. The report found "Nearly one-third of manufacturers and distributors with $500 million or more in annual revenue" claimed that "their businesses were 'thriving and growing.' Only 19 percent of companies with less than $25 million in revenue said they were thriving."

Tom Murphy, executive VP of manufacturing and wholesale distribution for RSM McGladrey, said, "The improvement in business conditions for larger companies is directly related to increased order activity spurred by growing optimism over the economy." He added, "But we're seeing lower levels of inventory and spot shortages in the supply chain given that small and midsized companies remain so risk-averse following the recession."

Summaries provided by Nam.org.

Union Workers Reach New Labor Deal With Hershey

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)32994 — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Hershey Chocolate seems to be staying put as unionized workers approved a new labor deal. However, 500-600 workers could lose their jobs. Hershey says they are going to spend approximately $200 million dollars on upgrading their West Hershey plant.

Hershey Workers In Pa. Approve Labor Deal
By Marc Levy, Associated Press Writer
Manufacturing.Net - June 07, 2010

HERSHEY, Pa. (AP) -- Unionized workers at two Hershey Co. hometown chocolate plants on Friday overwhelming approved a labor deal that could eliminate hundreds of jobs and leave just administrative offices in the original factory built by founder Milton Hershey.

Union members approved the deal because of the candy maker's promise to expand and modernize its newer West Hershey plant across town and because of its threat to move the project and jobs elsewhere if the union rejected it, a union official said.

"I think the members thought it was the only way to ensure the plant would be built here instead of somewhere else in the United States," said Diane Carroll, secretary/treasurer of Chocolate Workers Local 464.

The vote was 1,317 to 95, meaning some workers slated to lose their jobs still voted yes because it would save someone else's job, Carroll said.

The company's board of directors still must approve the expansion plan, Hershey spokesman Kirk Saville said.

The Hershey Co., whose sweet treats include Almond Joy, Kit Kat, Milk Duds and Reese's peanut butter cups, could cut 500 to 600 jobs under the plan, which it says is necessary to remain competitive in a changing global market.

The 105-year-old plant, at 19 E. Chocolate Ave., has an unwieldy layout, low ceilings and narrow column spacing that make it inefficient and troublesome to upgrade, Saville said.

Union negotiators and company officials reached a tentative agreement on Tuesday after weeks of quiet negotiations.

The company has told union and state officials that it is willing to spend $200 million on the expansion, and it says the West Hershey factory would become one of the world's largest and most advanced chocolate plants, employing 1,100 people, up from about 500.

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell has said his administration is discussing financial incentives with Hershey officials in an effort to save jobs.

Are U.S. Manufacturers Gaining Ground on China?

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)32655 — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Does Chinese manufacturing still yield the benefits it has over the last decade? As the dollar weakened through the economic meltdown, manufacturing in China doesn't seem to make as much financial sense as it used to. Granted over the last few weeks, with the financial problems in Greece and the rest of the European Union, the dollar has been on the rise.

Over the last decade, many companies have gone over seas for their die building and stamping needs. Die building in China can save as much as 40-60% off the cost of tooling. However, quality can sometimes be compromised. The tools usually need to be debugged and reworked in the US unless you have a reliable engineer on foreign soil.

China has been a haven for cost efficient manufacturing work due to low labor costs. The New York Times (5/28, B1, Bradsher) reported that "a strike at a crucial parts factory has forced Honda to shut down all four of its joint venture assembly plants in China." All of the 1,900 workers at Honda's transmission factory in Foshan (100 miles northwest of Hong Kong) have been striking since May 21, according to Honda spokeswoman Yasuko Matsuura. As such, the "four assembly plants in China making Honda cars and light trucks have run out of transmissions, they have also had to shut down."

According to state-controlled Chinese media, workers at the a Honda transmission factory earn $150 to $220 a month and are demanding to be paid the same wages as Honda’s assembly plant workers, who earn $300 to $370 a month. With the advances in knowledge and communication, the Chinese work force is starting to figure out who's getting the short end of the stick on the low labor costs. It seems that the Chinese worker has had enough... and it's time for a change.

The New York Times (5/28, B1, Bradsher) reported that "a strike at a crucial parts factory has forced Honda to shut down all four of its joint venture assembly plants in China." All of the 1,900 workers at Honda's transmission factory in Foshan (100 miles northwest of Hong Kong) have been striking since May 21, according to Honda spokeswoman Yasuko Matsuura. As such, the "four assembly plants in China making Honda cars and light trucks have run out of transmissions, they have also had to shut down."

The Times notes, "Industrial wages have been climbing steeply in the export zones of China's coastal provinces, but workers' expectations have been rising even more steeply." Migrant workers are less likely to work at factories near the China's coast, preferring to find jobs closer to their home in China's interior, "and the resulting labor shortage has given workers new leverage to demand higher wages and better conditions."

So it seems that the Chinese workers are starting to take a stand... which is great news for manufacturers here in the states such as Die-Tech. As the cost of labor and price of doing business in China rises, it will make US manufacturers more competitive on a global scale. The number one factor in companies choosing a supplier is driven by cost. As the playing field levels for US manufacturers, we can be patiently optimistic that the changes taking place in China are for our benefit.

Of course, as the cost of doing business in China rises, some manufacturers will look to other low cost countries such as India and Vietnam. As with just about everything... people are always looking for the best price.

Ford to Invest $135 million into Electric Car Jobs and Development

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)32183 — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Are electric cars the wave of the future? Ford and Nissan seem to think so.

Ford Motor Co., working to make a quarter of its vehicles run at least partly on electricity, plans to invest $135 million and add 220 jobs at three Michigan facilities to help it introduce five such models by 2012. The automaker "has said it will begin selling two electric vehicles and three new hybrids by 2012 and that such models will constitute 10 percent to 25 percent of its worldwide fleet in a decade."

However, the Wall Street Journal (5/25, Naughton) notes it is estimated that the growth in fully electric vehicles market will not accelerate. A 2010 study by Deloitte Consulting concluded that these vehicles will constitute no more than 5% of the US market by the end of this decade, citing vehicle high costs and limited driving range.

The Wall Street Journal (5/25, B4, Ramsey) reports Nissan Motor Co. CEO Carlos Ghosn said the world market for electric vehicles is poised to surge, and if that happens automakers would be unprepared to support demand. The CEO said he is more worried about building more factories to meet the demand than about the $5.03 billion investment that Nissan and Renault SA have committed to the first versions of electric vehicles. Ghosn also noted he is optimistic about the rebound of the auto market in the US, and forecast that sales would get to 12 million vehicles in 2010, up 15% from last year.

I'm pretty optimistic that we'll see more electric and hybrid vehicles become available. However, when I was car shopping in 2006, I chose a regular gas engine vehicle. The reason I chose a regular gas vehicle is because unless I was going to drive a hybrid for 150,000-200,000 miles, it just didn't save me any more money. In fact, it would have cost me more.

Now, I haven't done a breakdown recently. So that might be a good idea for an upcoming post. I'm sure the technology has advanced even in the last 4 years. It seems that the hybrid and electric cars are becoming a bit more affordable for the "average joe".

What are your thoughts on hybrid and electric cars? Do you think they are the wave of the future or is there another technology that could be it? Would you buy a hybrid or electric for your next vehicle? Comment below.

Handling Supply Chain Disruptions

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)32137 — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

The following article is provided by Manufacturing.net. With all the eathquakes, erruptions and now oil spills, it definitely shows the importance of having a contingency plan for your business supply chain.

by Amanda Earing, News Editor, Manufacturing.net

With the recent volcano eruption in Iceland, major manufacturers with global suppliers have had to halt operations as flights were grounded throughout Europe. Earlier this year, an earthquake in Chile ground supply chains in the area, halting major food source supplies.

Can disaster planning really help prevent these supply chain disruptions? Are the risks associated with lean inventories worth the cost when operations are halted until supplies are re-stocked? Natural disasters like this, and even the current BP oil leak, can prompt manufacturers to look more closely at their master operating plans.

Paul Smith, VP, Transportation & Logistics, NPI, says that while natural disasters are extremely difficult to predict, all companies must develop contingency plans to help mitigate issues that obviously arrive during awkward and unpredictable times in business.

Smith points out that clearly outlining contingency plans can send a message to customers that service will never be compromised, regardless of the situation.

“That may include having inventory in other parts of the globe that can be used to fulfill customer commitments. This, of course, comes with cost, but sends a strong message to customers that no matter what happens throughout the globe, the manufacturer is prepared for any situation, which can be the differential to the customer when it comes to choosing your products over the competition’s,” says Smith.

Earthquakes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters may be impossible to plan for, but having alternative shipping methods in place is just one example of how contingency plans can quickly solve logistical issues during a natural disaster with little effect on the rest of your operation, or your customer’s.

“In the case of the Iceland volcano, if it were to continue to erupt, the only contingency plans are to expand plans to truck as far south into lower Europe as possible and utilize southern Europe airports or to begin to increase dependence on ocean freight as a means,” says Paul Steiner, Director, Logistics, NPI.

But when an unavoidable disruption takes place, how can you ensure your supply chain maintains its high level of performance?

“There will be times when ensuring a high level of performance may not be possible. Contingency planning is a financial exercise that balances service with costs. In order to develop full contingency plans, you would have to maintain large inventory levels. You would have to balance safety stock, increase lead times, inventory hold costs and transportation costs,” says Steiner.

But with more manufacturers adopting just-in-time inventories, a supply chain disruption can have a domino effect on the entire operation. However, risks can be minimized and JIT inventory works very well the majority of the time.

“The risks come when there are large disruptions in the supply chain. Because you have planned for lean inventory, any adverse change in the market would have a larger effect on your business model because of the lack of inventory,” says Steiner.

Steiner notes that manufacturers must learn to balance safety stock and additional inventory carrying costs versus transportation mode expenses. Balancing your express shipments and smaller lots versus economy shipments and bulk lots is also important.

“It is a constant balance between flexibility, delivery reliability (most susceptible to disruptions), lead time and inventory levels,” he says.

And when planning for a continuous supply chain, consider where your suppliers are located, vary them where possible, or find suppliers that can ship from other locations in the event of a disruption.

When determining local versus global suppliers and how their locations can affect your supply chain contingency plans, it is important to consider complex international laws, political landscape, implications of import duties and taxes and as well as the cost of disruptions.

“Lead times need to be fully understood for global suppliers and are longer due to ocean sailings, which can be 2-3 weeks. Air freight can always be used to move product in a more expedient matter and can be used as contingency. There is usually less control over production changes and greater difficulties in adjusting to schedule changes,” says Steiner.

When disruptions do occur, getting the supplies you need in a timely matter will determine the alternative method for shipping materials as well.

“Typically, when dealing with a supply chain disruption, the costs of getting the goods you need when you need them will rise substantially because it will require alternative methods of transportation,” says Smith.

Shipments that typically move via ocean can take 20-30 days to arrive versus Air Freight which can take from one to three days to get to you from anywhere in the globe.
“Obviously, with this improved time-in-transit, there is a large differential in the cost associated with these types of services. So, if the bottom line depends on improved time-in-transit, manufacturers should be prepared to pay for it,” says Smith.

Another factor to consider in developing contingency plans is internal threats, such as strikes, breakdowns and stock outs. These are bit more controllable than natural disasters, but the key is to make sure you coordinate and communicate with your suppliers.

Whether the threat is internal or external, manufacturers need to be aware of the impact that the supply chain disruption will have on the customer.

“Most customers understand the sensitivity of natural disasters beyond our control. While the customer understands that issues like this can arise, they expect their suppliers to have well laid out plans to help remedy the situation to ensure that their needs are met. This is often the major differentiator with determining one supplier over another. Essentially, they will choose a supplier based on its ability to develop and ultimately implement contingency plans and/or changes in operations to help ensure that a high level of service and quality are always met no matter what the situation is,” concludes Smith.

Toyota Suspends Sales Of Lexus LS On Recall

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)32135 — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

It looks like more trouble for Toyota...

Toyota Motor Corp. has suspended sales of Lexus LS vehicles in the United States as it waits to receive new parts following after a worldwide recall of the model, The Wall Street Journal reported late Monday on its Web site. On Friday, Toyota recalled about 3,800 late 2009 and certain 2010 Lexus LS 460 and LS 600h L vehicles due to a problem with the steering wheel.

Die-Tech Stamping Cell Phone Components

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)31995 — Fri, 21 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Watch a Die-Tech automated press manufacture precision metal stampings to be used in the communications and consumer electronics industry. Do you have a Die-Tech metal stamping in your phone?

Toyota Issues New Recall

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)31991 — Fri, 21 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Earlier today, Toyota issued a recall on some Lexus 460 and 600 models. There have been customer issues with the steering wheels.

Bailouts: Solving the Problem or Shifting the Debt?

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)31822 — Wed, 19 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

On Monday, the Treasury Department said that they were going to lose $1.6 billion on a loan they made to Chrysler in 2009. Taxpayer losses from bailing out Chrysler and General Motors are expected to rise as high as $34 billion, congressional auditors have said. Also on Monday, General Motors posted a profit for the first quarter in hopes of going public later this year to end government ownership. However, are the bailouts actually helping anything or is the debt just being shifted to taxpayers?

Treasury officials said that the government had no plans to boost its stake in the new Chrysler to cover those losses. So my question is, if they aren't going to increase ownership to cover those loses, who is covering them? It also acknowledged another $1.9 billion in potential losses from a separate loan that had been made to the company that went through bankruptcy proceedings. I think the old saying comes to mind, "you can't get blood out of a turnip". So that's another $1.9 billion passed onto tax payers. The Treasury indicated they didn't have much hope in recouping that money either. But heck... why do you need someone to pay back the money they loaned when you can just print more of it?

This seems to be and has been the crux of the matter with the auto and bank bailouts. Bad business practices are being awarded great sums of money while it's the little tax payers and the generations to come that are going to be paying for these bailouts. What makes anyone really think that either GM or Chrysler are going to end up profitable for the long term when they already have proven for over a decade that they don't know how to be profitable? Why not lend money to companies that have a track record of success to stimulate the economy?

After GM Chrysler got their bailout money, they didn't create more jobs... the CUT jobs, closed factories and instead of selling Hummer, Saturn and other brands, they simply said a deal couldn't be reached and made them disappear. Last time I checked, the purpose of liquidating assets was to get ANY money at all that you could get. It's not about turning a profit or even getting the assets perceived worth. It's all about cash flow. However, then I have to think about who we are talking about here. GM and Chrysler have proven over a decade that turning a profit and cash flow are not their priority.

Sorry for being so pessimistic about this whole bailout. But until every bank and automaker pay back every penny they borrowed from the American people with interest, it's all just smoke and mirrors. Pushing corporate America's debt on the American people. My last question is... who's bailing us out?

To read the articles click the links below:

GM Posts Profit for 1st Quarter

Treasury Takes $1.6 Billion Loss on Chrysler Loan

GM Posts $865 Million Net Income in Push for Public Offering

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)31665 — Mon, 17 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

It looks like GM is trying to get out of the control of "Big Brother" as quickly as they can...

By Katie Merx and David Welch

May 17 (Bloomberg) -- General Motors Co. reported first- quarter net income of $865 million, helped by higher production and smaller discounts, as the maker of the GMC Terrain and the Chevrolet Equinox works toward an initial public offering.

Operating profit was $1.2 billion in the first three months of the year, and the company generated $1 billion in free cash flow, Detroit-based GM said today in a statement. Revenue rose 40 percent from the same period a year earlier to $31.5 billion.

Chief Executive Officer Ed Whitacre has said reporting a profit is a necessary milestone as the biggest U.S. automaker seeks freedom from government ownership. GM, which emerged from bankruptcy protection in July, is considering a return to the auto-lending business to make its offering more appealing to investors, people familiar with the plans said last week.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Green Before "Green"... Lean Manufacturing

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)31343 — Tue, 11 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Going Green seems to be the new marketing ploy for many companies. Everywhere we look, whether on store shelves or on the internet, going green is the new trend and is a way for businesses to try and separate themselves from their competition. Green also seems to be good for business. According to Mintel International, sales of "green" products and organic foods have jumped 15 percent since 2006.

Companies like Walmart and Target are going green by pushing reusable bags and offering a large variety of green products in their stores. While "green" seems to be working for many retailers, what does it mean for manufacturers... specifically, metal stamping firms?

It's easy to see that the automotive companies have all jumped on the hybrid band wagon. Many of the huge food companies are now offering organic and natural products, but how is a metal stamping firm to benefit from "Going Green"?

Thinking about this for a few minutes, I came to realize that Lean manufacturing is really all about being efficient and promoting sustainability. Let's take a look at the four goals of Lean.

The four goals of Lean manufacturing systems are to:

Improve Quality

To stay competitive in today’s marketplace, a company must understand its customers' wants and needs and design processes to meet their expectations and requirements. For most customers

Eliminate Waste

Waste is any activity that consumes time, resources, or space but does not add any value to the product or service. There are seven types of waste:

Transport (unnecessary movement of materials)
Inventory (excess inventory not directly required for current orders)
Motion (extra steps taken by employees because of inefficient layout)
Waiting (periods of inactivity)
Overproduction (occurs when production should have stopped)
Over Processing (rework and reprocessing)
Defects (do not conform to specifications or expectations)

Reduce Time

Reducing the time it takes to finish an activity from start to finish is one of the most effective ways to eliminate waste and lower costs.

Reduce Total Costs

To minimize cost, a company must produce only to customer demand. Overproduction increases a company’s inventory costs because of storage needs.

By manufacturers utilizing Lean manufacturing systems, the companies are not only being more profitable for their bottom lines, but also using less resource such as raw materials, electricity, gas, water and transportation costs to limit their impact on the environment. Lean manufacturers are probably some of the greenest companies on the planet.

Now let's not kid ourselves, most companies aren't going green because they really love the environment and because it's just the right thing to do. Most companies are making the switch to green and to Lean because it's affecting their bottom line in a profitable way. While the big boys like Walmart and Target take front and center stage for going green, I'd like to give recognition to the Lean manufacturers around the world that were going green through Lean systems before going green was the "in" thing to do.

In what ways do you think Lean manufacturers will utilize green advancements in technology; such as solar power, wind power and other technologies, to improve quality, eliminate waste, reduce time and reduce total costs?

It's the Best and Worst of Times for Toyota

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)31326 — Tue, 11 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

It seems to be the best and worst of times for Toyota. On Monday, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it is carrying out a new investigation into Toyota to see whether it had stalled on a recall for a steering defect in 2005 in the U.S. It had carried out recalls for similar problems in Japan in 2004.

However, the negative press only seems to be putting a few little dings in Toyota's armor. Toyota said Tuesday that January-March profit totaled 112 billion yen ($1.2 billion) compared with a 766 billion yen loss the year before.

Not bad for being the car company that everyone seems to be picking on at the moment. To read the complete article, click here.

Toyota Waited Almost A Year To Issue Recall!

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)31317 — Mon, 10 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

It seems things are going from bad to worse for Toyota. While they are still the number one automotive company in the world and had strong sales for March and April, their coverage in the media due to the defects and recalls certainly isn't helping them.

According to an Associated Press Investigation, Toyota waited nearly a year in 2005 to recall trucks and SUVs in the United States with defective steering rods, despite issuing a similar recall in Japan and receiving dozens of reports from American motorists about rods that snapped without warning.

To read the entire article, click here.

US Cars Superior to Foreign Cars?

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)31075 — Wed, 05 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

In a recent AP-GFK Poll, American consumer sentiment seems to be favoring domestic automobiles over foreign car makers. In the poll, 38% of those surveyed said that American automakers produced the best quality cars. Mean while, 33% of those polled said that foreign automakers produced the best quality cars. This is a huge shift from the same poll done in 2006. In December 2006, consumers heavily favored foreign automobiles (49%) over domestic (29%).

The poll suggests those numbers are largely fueled by a plunge in Toyota's reputation and an upsurge in Ford's. The poll was conducted in March, as Toyota was being hit hard by negative publicity over its recall of more than 8 million vehicles around the globe and allegations that it responded sluggishly to safety concerns.

Though the U.S. automakers advantage is slim, it marks a significant boost in consumer confidence for American automakers beaten badly by the recession but more so by their poor business practices and the stiff competition from foreign manufacturers.

However, when those polled were asked specifically "which automaker makes the best quality cars"... the answer was 47% saying Asian companies such as Toyota, Honda and BMW. Only 38% said domestic companies such as Ford and General Motors.

So are US automobiles really on the rise or is this rise simply based on the way the poll questions were asked? The only way to really know the truth is to take a look at some real numbers.

General Motors posted a 6.4% gain in U.S. April sales as of yesterday. GM sold 183,997 vehicles in April, up from 173,007 vehicles the same month a year ago when U.S. auto sales were near the bottom of a punishing slump and the automaker was sliding toward bankruptcy. Sales for GM's four remaining brands -- Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac -- rose 20% from a year earlier to 183,091 vehicles. Sales of the brands GM has dropped through its U.S. government-funded restructuring -- Hummer, Pontiac, Saab and Saturn -- plunged by 96% to just 906 vehicles as dealers sold off remaining inventory.

Chrysler Group said as of yesterday that U.S. April sales rose 25% to 95,703 vehicles from 76,682 a year ago. Chrysler brand sales for the month rose 61% to 22,386 vehicles, Jeep sales were flat at 19,645 vehicles, and Dodge sales rose 24% to 53,672 vehicles. Total car sales rose 96% and total truck sales increased 7% in April, Chrysler said.

The story was similar at Ford, which reported sales rose 25% on the strength of new models. Ford said it sold 162,996 vehicles last month thanks largely to beefed up demand for its Ford Fusion, Escape, Flex and Transit Connect vehicles. Ford sold fewer than 130,000 cars in April 2009. Ford, which has been battling Toyota for the No. 2 U.S. sales spot, said it has gained market share in 18 of the last 19 months.

Toyota said as of yesterday that U.S. April sales rose 24.4% to 157,439 vehicles from 126,540 a year ago. Passenger car sales rose 20% to 93,407 while light truck sales increased 31.5% to 64,032 and sports utility vehicle sales climbed 40.4% to 28,530. Toyota division sales rose 23.8% to 139,080 and Lexus division sales were 29.3% higher at 18,359.

According to April's numbers, GM has an edge of 26,558 vehicles sold for the month of April in the U.S. According to the Wall Street Journal, GM holds a slight advantage of market share at 19.1 percent in 2009, while Toyota held 16.1 percent, Ford percent held 14.6 and Chrysler held 10.7 percent.

In all, can we draw a conclusion that US cars are superior to Asian cars? I think it's a bit too early to make that proclamation. Even with all of Toyota's bad press from the recalls, consumers were jumping on the deals and incentives that were given in March and April.

GM is still leading in the U.S., with Toyota in second and Ford making some headway in third. However, in the global landscape, Toyota still leads the way with GM in second and Volkswagen in third.

So can we come to a conclusion that US cars are superior to Asian cars? Not really, it's like asking who is the best basketball player in the NBA? Kobe Bryant or LeBron James? Who makes a better Cheesesteak sub? Geno's or Pat's? It's just one of those things that will always debated... unless some automakers go out of business... then we'll know the truth.

I'll leave you with this last little tidbit... when those polled were asked "what would be your dream car", foreign automakers got the nod 38% to 31%. So when it seem that money is no object, foreign cars are superior.

Hamburger University is Coming to Die-Tech

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)30675 — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

In 1961, McDonald's founded their now famous Hamburger University in a restaraunt in Elk Grove Village Illinois. The first students had to complete strictly required courses such as chemistry, marketing, and cooking so that when they graduated, they would be able to create formulas to increase the profit of McDonald's. Many of those with a "McDegree" were able to get jobs in a lab where they could invent new ways to enhance the food in an economical way. Today the Hamburger University is a 130,000 square foot facility where students learn just about everything they need to know about running a success McDonald's manufacturing operation. After all, isn't that the real business of McDonald's?

They are the largest and most efficient manufacturing company of fast edible food like substances in the world. I say "food like substances" because you, me and everyone else in the world still isn't sure about what it is we are actually eating when we buy a Big Mac. But that's another post for another blog.

But really, to McDonald's credit, they truly have a remarkably LEAN manufacturing process. From start to finish, they are the masters of efficiency in the fast food and quick service universe. Shouldn't that be the goal of any manufacturing company? To offer customers efficient, fast turnaround on orders. Granted, a Mickey D's burger may not be a real burger but whatever it is, no matter where you order it in the world, you get the same product in about the same time, every time.

That's the beauty of the systems and processes that McDonald's has put in place and everyone of their employees follows. Now, what if any other business, regardless of industry could put these same systems and processes into place, tailored to their industry?

Well, that's the goal of Richard W. Dennis, President and CEO of Die-Tech. Die-Tech is planning and developing their own version of Hamburger University. While I can't go into details at the moment... as it is still in the works. The goal is to create a in-house training modules for every department in the company.

Die-Tech has already had success with this type of training approach in their engineering department. The typical turnaround in the stamping industry for a die design is usually 2-3 weeks. Through the systems and training modules that have been put in place, Die-Tech is able to design a die within 1 week!

Through the training modules, Die-Tech was also able to train an individual that had NO previous die or engineering experience to create a die, release it to production and have less than a 3% error rate on their drawings. This has drastically cut down on rework time for die design to typically under 10 hours. The beauty of the process is that Die-Tech only needs 1 engineer that really understands the in and outs of the die design process... saving Die-Tech time and money.

The next addition to Die-Tech University will be on the production line. Each new Stamping Technician will be trained and become familiar with Die-Tech's systems and processes before ever working on the actual production line. This module will even include a "mock" press where the Stamping Technician trainee will become familiar with all the daily functions of running a stamping press. The goal is to cut down on waste and inefficiency on the actual production floor.

So Die-Tech isn't getting into the fast food industry. However, Die-Tech is always looking to improve and become better at what they do... Stamping Ideas into Reality. What do you think about Die-Tech University? Good idea? Bad idea? Let us know what you think.

US Manufacturing on the Rebound... Upcycle on the Way?

richleedennis@hotmail.com (Blog Author)30175 — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Recently, I sat down with Richard W. Dennis, the President and CEO of Die-Tech, to discuss some recent trends in the manufacturing/metal stamping industries. Here are 3 of the trends that we discussed.

Trend #1   The Rebound of Manufacturing in North America

Due to the devaluing of the US dollar and the availability of a fairly trained labor force, Mr. Dennis forsees that manufacturing in North America to be on the rise. Economically, it's simply not making as much sense ($$) for companies in North America to be purchasing their stampings from Europe or China.

A few years ago, companies may have been getting a better deal. But now with the transportation costs and lag time, companies seem to be rethinking that strategy. All they'll need to make up their minds is a nice spike in oil prices... which we can always rely on our friends in the Middle East for that.

Trend #2   LEAN, Mean, Manufacturing Machines

So you would think with the manufacturing making a rebound in the US and North America, that it would equate to more jobs. Mr.Dennis said he "wouldn't go that far".

He said, "I think everyone is going to play that real close to the vest... everyone is looking at more efficient ways of doing things... with all the efficency we've made in this country in manufacturing, there is still several levels of improvement that can be done in every industry. In order to maintain profits and increase margins, I think everybody is forced to take more of a LEAN approach."

His case in point, Die-Tech is doing the work with 34 employees that used to take 60 employees. Over the last decade, Die-Tech has been able to generate the same amount of revenue with half the workforce. Mr.Dennis attributes that to Die-Tech's LEAN approach and highly automated process.

During the economic downturn, Die-Tech used that time to continue employee training and in refining their manufacturing and sales process. While other precision metal stamping firms are shutting their doors, Die-Tech is poised to capitalize on the opportunities ahead.

Trend #3   Shortage of Stampers... Upcycle on the Way?

Due to economic pressure, many metal stamping firms have been under duress for about a decade. Gross estimates say there were about 5,000 independent metal stamping firms in 1990. As of today, the best estimates say there are about 2,000 remaining.

Many financial forecasters are predicting a dip in the economy again in 2011. With another dip, it's very likely that we'll see more companies either close shop or be bought out. That will leave the door wide open for companies that have positioned themselves to capture the business of the failing companies. Of course, this is somewhat a speculation at the moment, as other financial forecasters are saying the exact opposite. Time will tell. But it's always better to be a few minutes early for your flight and make it... than a few minutes late and miss it.

What do you think about these trends? Let us know, comment below.

Tin Gains to Highest Level Since Lehman Failure in 2008

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)16527 — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Tin, the best performing industrial metal this year, climbed to the highest level since the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in September 2008 as shrinking inventories signaled steady demand.

The metal for three-month delivery advanced as much as 2.1 percent to $19,800 a metric ton on the London Metal Exchange, and traded at $19,500 at 1 p.m. in Shanghai. That’s the highest intraday price since Sept. 3, 2008, before Lehman’s failure triggered a credit-market seizure and global recession.

LME inventories of the metal used in packaging, solder and cans have shrunk 43 percent this year to 15,370 tons, the lowest level since June 2009. A rally in equity markets, declines in the dollar and optimism that the economic recovery remains intact helped an index of London-traded metals to post the biggest weekly gain since February last week.

“The contractions in stockpiles underline improving demand against supply,” Ran Jun, an analyst at researcher Beijing Antaike Information Development Co., said today. Demand for tin products and electronics has recovered a lot from western countries this year, Ran said.

Exports of tin from Indonesia, the world’s largest producer, dropped 16 percent this year through May compared with the same period last year, Barclays Capital said on July 13. Outbound shipments fell 25.7 percent in June from a year ago, according to Indonesia’s trade ministry.

Toyota Settles Patent Dispute with Hybrid Technology Maker Paice

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)16343 — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

NEW YORK (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. said Monday it has settled a years-long dispute with a U.S. company that had claimed the Japanese automaker used its technology without permission in its hybrids. The deal ends a squabble that had briefly threatened to block the Prius from being sold in the U.S.

Toyota and Paice LLC said they have settled their patent dispute and agreed to have all lawsuits between them dismissed. The terms were confidential, the companies said. No financial details were disclosed.

"After six years of litigation, we are pleased to reach a settlement with Toyota," said Frances Keenan, chairman of the Paice board, in a statement.

China Is Number 1... at Consuming Energy

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)16340 — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

BEIJING (AFP) – China on Tuesday rejected an assessment from the International Energy Agency that it had surpassed the United States to become the world's top energy consumer, calling the data "unreliable".

The Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal cited a top IEA official as saying the Asian giant had taken over the top spot in 2009, earlier than expected.

According to the IEA, China consumed 2.252 billion tons of oil equivalent of energy in 2009, from sources that included coal, nuclear power, natural gas and hydroelectric power -- about four percent more than the United States.

But an official with China's National Energy Administration told reporters the report was flawed.

GM Seeks $5B Credit Line for Slowdown, to Repay Debt

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)15986 — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

General Motors is seeking a line of credit of at least $5 billion from banks to enable it to repay debt and prepare for another decline in U.S. auto sales, said a person familiar with the talks.

GM had $23.3 billion of cash and about $14 billion of debt as of March 31, according to its first-quarter financial report. Although the automaker repaid the final $5.8 billion of government loans in April, the federal government still owns a 61% stake. A public stock offering, expected to begin later this year, would enable the government to sell at least some of its shares in GM.

GM's U.S. sales have risen 14% in the first half of this year from a year earlier. Its market share fell to 19.2% from 19.6%, despite shedding four brands -- Hummer, Pontiac, Saab and Saturn. In the first quarter, GM earned an $865-million profit.

The automaker is restructuring unprofitable European operations, but growing in China, Russia, India and Brazil, where most of the auto industry's growth is to occur in the next decade. GM sold more cars in China in the first half of 2010 (1.21 million) than in the U.S. (1.08 million).

It also has given stock valued at $6.66 million to 14 top managers, including $1.33 million worth to Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Seeking a new line of credit can prepare GM to operate without government assistance.

Unemployment Report Indicates Sluggish Economic Recovery

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)15985 — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

The loss of 125,000 jobs in June led broadcast network newscasts Friday evening, and gets significant and universally negative coverage on the wires and in this morning's newspapers. The CBS Evening News (7/2, lead story, 3:40, Pelley) called it "troubling news about jobs and the impact that's having on our economic recovery."

Though the unemployment rate "actually dropped from 9.7 percent to 9.5 percent," that is "partly because the labor force shrank by more than 650,000 people and when people stop looking for work, the government drops them from its unemployment count." CBS (Mason) said the numbers "suggest that the recovery, which only a few months ago appeared to be picking up speed, now seems to be sputtering."

The AP (7/3, Aversa, Rugaber) reports the private sector "added just 83,000 jobs for the month. Looked at from that angle or almost any other, from a teetering housing market to falling factory orders, the recovery is limping along as it enters the year's second half. And that is when the benefits of most of the government's stimulus spending will begin to wear off."

The loss "reflected the end of 225,000 temporary jobs" with the US Census Bureau. AFP (7/3, Beatty) says the White House "has warned that unemployment will remain high for the rest of the year, while polls show it is a crucial issue with voters."

McClatchy (7/3, Hall) reports, "Friday's mixed jobs report from the Labor Department was the latest in a series of signs that the US economy remains locked in a frustrating cycle of crippled growth that's better than the recent recession but not strong enough to boost employment much."

The Financial Times (7/3, Politi, subscription required) added that one of the few positives that can be gleaned from the report is that the unemployment rate declined from 9.7% in May to 9.5% in June, the lowest level since July 2009. Still, this decline is a result of the job market shrinking, meaning that more Americans remain waiting for the recession to get better.

Bloomberg News (7/3, Homan, Matthews) reports economists were predicting a 9.8 percent unemployment rate.

Copper on the Rebound as US Manufacturing Expands

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)15896 — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Bloomberg

Copper prices rose for the first time in three days after a report showed that U.S. manufacturing expanded for a ninth straight month, easing concern that the global economic recovery is faltering.

The Institute for Supply Management-Chicago Inc. said today its business barometer in June stood at 59.1. Figures greater than 50 signal growth. Commodity and equity market rallied after the report. This quarter, the metal fell 17 percent, the first drop since the end of 2008.

“Copper will be incredibly volatile in the coming months,” Spencer Patton, the chief investment officer of Steel Vine Investments in Chicago, said in an e-mail. “Global growth will be self-sustaining, but slower.”

Copper futures for September delivery rose 2 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $2.9505 a pound on the Comex in New York.

Earlier, futures fell as much as 2 percent. A report today showed that U.S. private-sector employers added fewer jobs than forecast. China’s benchmark stock index fell to a 14-month low on mounting concern that the nation’s expansion is easing. China and the U.S. are the world’s top metal buyers.

In June, copper declined 5 percent. Futures are down 12 percent this year.

“Copper’s drop is indicative of a significant downshift coming in the back half of this year for industrial growth,” said James Dailey, who manages $145 million at TEAM Financial Asset Management LLC in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The price may fall to as low as $2.30 a pound by the end of the year, Dailey said.

Copper for delivery in three months rose $21, or 0.3 percent, to $6,515 a metric ton ($2.96 a pound) on the London Metal Exchange.

Aluminum, zinc, lead and nickel also climbed on the LME. Tin dropped.

As Chinese Wages Rise, Automation Is Replacing Workers

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)15673 — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Bloomberg News (6/21, Lee) reported, "New minimum wage laws, a looser yuan and worker strikes like those at Honda Motor Co. are raising costs at factories in China's Pearl River Delta, prompting companies to increase automation of assembly lines." Manufacturers such as "Foxconn Technology Group, Nissan Motor Co.'s Chinese venture and VTech Holdings Ltd. said they are investing in factory equipment to reduce their reliance on labor.

Wages in the region called the world's factory floor increased 17 percent in the past six months," data indicate. An official with INFACT Global Partners said, "Factories need to think seriously about how they produce more with less," and "need to begin to enhance their productivity so that they are in a position to remain competitive."

To read the complete article click here.

What's happening with Copper?

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)11665 — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST

Copper prices have soared 90% in 2009! This has impact on almost any device that uses electricity since most electrical contacts, connectors, pins, and leadframes are made using copper alloys. But reports indicate that prices are on their way down for 2010...

US Manufacturers at a global disadvantage due to increasing costs of taxes, health care, & pensions.

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)10815 — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Manufacturers, including precision metal stampers and their customers, continue to generate more economic activity per dollar of production than any other business sector in the United States. We also drive innovation by conducting nearly half of all research and development, creating the bulk of technology in our nation. However, we face rising costs for health care, pensions, corporate taxes, and raw materials that impact our competitiveness in a global, interconnected marketplace.

This new handbook also notes that we are not preparing our students and workers with the correct skills to help us compete globally and until we correct this we will continue to see our global market share erode.

Copper Supply Shortage Seen Looming

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)10718 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Read Matt Vincent's Blog -- Copper supply shortage seen looming: According to reporting in UK trade Publication Mining Weekly.com: A copper supply shorage is looming, but top tier copper resources that could fill the supply gap are not only hard to find, but would take time to turn to account. A deficit of 88,000 tons is likely in the short term with a 10 million ton shortage by the year 2020.

Die-Tech's CEO Featured on MANTEC Website

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)5619 — Tue, 12 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

Mantec features Die-Tech, the precision metal stamping located in York Haven, PA, as one of their sucessful partnerships.

Die-Tech Wins Small Business Energy Grant

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)8523 — Tue, 12 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

Governor Rendell announced the 53 companies that have qualified for grants under the Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant Program that closed May 1, 2009. This program is the first under the $650 million Alternative Energy Investment Fund signed into law by the Governor last July. It provides small businesses of 100 employees or less with the opportunity to receive a 25 percent reimbursement grant of up to $25,000 to implement qualified energy efficiency improvements.

Die-Tech is the only corporation in York County to qualify for a grant under this program. We will reduce our electricity consumption by replacing T-12 fluorescent tubes with high-efficiency LED tubes in existing fixtures throughout the building. The LED tubes use 56% less energy, have a life expectancy that is five times greater than that of a fluorescent tube, while providing the same quality and amount of illumination.

The LED tubes also allow the Die-Tech to keep existing fixtures, saving capital and reducing waste going to landfills. Die-Tech sees this as a win-win project and is pleased to participate in the Governor's Energy Efficiency Program.

Time to Upgrade? Richard W. Dennis, President of Die-Tech, Inc., voices his opinions

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)8527 — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST

Richard W. Dennis, President of Die-Tech, Inc., a precision metal stamper Central PA is interviewed concerning replacement of manufacturing equipment. Die-Tech does customer, made-to-order, precision metal stampings for the automotive, medical devices, aerospace, military and other industries.

Die-Tech featured in the KeystoneEdge

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)7162 — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

Die-Tech, the precision metal stampings manufacturer in Central Pennsylvania was the host to the DEP's Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant Program announcement in January. During this media event the acting Environmental Protection Secretary, John Hagar spoke with the press and invited small business across the state to apply for the new grant. After the announcement, the attendees where invited to tour Die-Tech's facility to gain a better understanding of the metal stampings that are produced right here in Central PA and shipped around the world for use in automotive, consumer electronics, medical, aerospace, military, and alternative energy devices.
Die-Tech manufactures metal stampings that are characterized by their light-weight, complex forms, high-quality and precision, including connectors, jumpers, lead frame, terminal leadframe, hybrid edge clips, and compliant pins.

PA State Energy Efficiency Grant Program Announced during media event at Die-Tech

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)7000 — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

Die-Tech, a precision metal stamping manufacturer, hosted the DEP's announcement of a new Pennsylvania Energy Efficiency grant program on January 12th on their plant floor. Acting Environmental Protection Secretary John Hangar made the announcement for the new grant program before a host of guests and the Capital Region's news media. This program is designed to help small businesses in the state make the changes needed to conserve energy and improve their competitiveness in the global market.
Following the annoucement, Die-Tech personnel conducted guided tours of the metal stamping facility -- show casing their production of edge clips, connectors, nuclear filter media, and other precsion metal stampings made within the facility.

Die-Tech's Engineering Hotline gaining attention from the professionals in the metal forming industry

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)4990 — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

Die-Tech's new hotline, staffed by engineers for engineers, is featured in MetalForming Magazine. This hotline was implemented to assist those tasked with the responsibility of sourcing or designing metal components to be used in their own manufacturing processes. These metal components may include clips, connectors, pins, heat sinks, jumpers, or lead frame. In fact, any thing that needs to be stamped of light-weight metals for the movement of electricity from one component to another.

Tech Boosts Value of Trained Workers

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)4529 — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

When Richard Dennis, president of Die-Tech Inc. in York County, was warned of the "perfect labor storm" that threatens to erode the manufacturing workforce, he knew his company was already acting to ward off the inability to attract and keep skilled employees.

With both apprenticeship and mentoring programs in place for the past few years, Dennis mandates that all of his 52 employees receive regular training to maintain or improve the skills needed to keep his company competitive and productive.

He and other local manufacturers are beefing up their workforce to make it fit in the trend toward lean manufacturing, which demands an increased use of technology.

Die-Tech manufacturers metal stampings for high-technology applications in the automotive, medical, aerospace, military, consumer electronics, and tlelecommnications industries.

Terminal Leadframes for the Automotive Industry

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)4877 — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

Die-Tech announces a new product launch -- the Terminal Leadframe. A Terminal Leadframe is a custom designed, usually plastic over-molded, precision metal stamping that mates with an industry standard connector in automotive 'black-box' applications.

These custom metal stampings are more robust to meet the demands of under-the-hood automotive environments, yet have the precision required for the plastic injection molds used in the over-molding most applications require.

The concepts learned and developed for the Terminal Leadframe enable Die-Tech to fast-track the product to production. This time-to-market advantage is key to our customer's abilty to compete in today's marketplace.

Metalforming Magazine Features Our Engineering Hotline

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)5618 — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

Die-Tech's new stamping design hotline hit the September issue of Metalforming, the magazine of the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA). The article explains the type of questions our engineers will expect to answer for those tasked with the design and use of precision metal stampings such as connectors, terminal leadframe, spreaders, small heat sinks, hybrid edge clips, SIPs, DIPs, ZIPs, and other metal stampings that allow electricity to move from one component or, area of a device, to another.

Precision Metal Stamping Manufacturer Trains and Retains Workforce

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)5951 — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST

Read how Die-Tech is preparing for the future and for the skilled workforce crunch that everyone is predicting. This precision metal stamping manufacturer has developed several career enhancement value streams for training employees. This training is provided both internally by Die-Tech personnel, and externally in partnership with MANTEC.

Hotline for Stamping Design Engineers Just a Phone Call Away

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)4879 — Fri, 23 May 2008 08:00:00 EST

Die-Tech, Inc., York Haven, PA, has introduced a stamping-design hotline as a resource for engineers and others manufacturing for the automotive, telecommunications, military, aerospace, industrial controls and other industries that use precision metal stampings. Call 1-888-89-STAMP for technical support, it is free and available 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Die-Tech and the Manufacturing Extention Partnership

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)8524 — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST

Our Lean corporate culture has enabled us to cut lead times, reduce inventory, reduce set up times, improve quality, and increase our flexibility. Our partnership with MANTEC provides us with cutting edge training on Lean techniques and principals.

A Spotlight on Success

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)4876 — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST

How does a company transform itself to an innovative, outward-facing organization? For Die-Tech, Inc., the York Haven manufacturer of precision metal stampings, the first step was benchmarking. Rather than settle for the minimum required to maintain its quality and technical certifications, the company took a hard, critical look at the comparisons it was gathering.

"You're first fight is always with data," says company President Richard W. Dennis. "We were guilty of a mindset that what we were finding didn't apply to us because we were different. But benchmarking showed the chinks in our armor."

Next, Die-Tech engaged a consultant that recommended a more robust training and career/personal development menu for the company's more than 100 employees. That process began eight years ago. Today, the spirit of innovation permeates the company culture. Among its key elements:

Significant exporting
Regular customer interface
New product introductions
On- and off-site training

Yet another element in Die-Tech's outreach is Dennis' service on the MANTEC board of directors, where his enthusiasm for learning and growing has impressed John Lloyd.

"I'm continually amazed at how much he reaches out to take on new initiatives -- simultaneously in many cases," Lloyd says. "He's built an infrastructure that enables his people to absorb those changes."

Die-Tech Interviewed Concerning Websites for Manufacturers

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)8526 — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST

Die-Tech, a precision metal stamper located in Central Pennsylvania, understands how powerful the web will become to manufacturers around the world.

Manufacturing Technology Internship Program

blog@www.die-tech.com (News Author)4875 — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 08:00:00 EST

The Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania (TCCP), Ben Franklin Technology Partners, MANTEC, and Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) announced the winner of an innovative internship program that matches regional manufacturers with the region's most qualified students.

The winners of the Manufacturing Technology Internship Progam are:

Die-Tech, Inc.
Videon Central, Inc.
Johnstown Speciality Castings, Inc.
Verefi Technologies
QorTek, Inc.
Intuitive Control Systems, Inc.

"The program is a great step forward for all of us working together to re-build manufacturing in Pennsylvania," said Tom Palisin, Pennsylvania's Manufacturing Ombudsman, who works within the Department of Community and Economic Development. "By expanding intership opportunities we are building a foundation of knowledgeable, enterprising individuals who will be poised to expand manufacturing in the Commonwealth."