Published September 2021
By Miles Free III
Manufacturing has had a bad rap for a long time. The 3-D’s — Dark, Dirty, Dangerous — are almost a universal cultural belief, wherever you go, and no matter with whom you speak.
Author: Joe Jackson
Published September 2021
By Joe Jackson
From 2008 to 2020, the global market for medical implant manufacturing products has shown a steady but slow growth ranging from 1.5-3.0%. With the home health care market increasing exponentially, growth is forecast to jump significantly in the coming years.
Published September 2021
By Carli Kistler-Miller
According to an extensive study in 2019 by the Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, a conclusive link between happiness and productivity was found — happy workers are 13% more productive.
PMPA Business Trends July 2021
The PMPA Business Trends July 2021 Sales Index dropped from June’s record high, but remained 12.8% above the five-year average for July, at 134. Performance and sentiment indicators this month justify our continued optimism about the markets and employment prospects for our precision machining shops in 2021. Year to date we remain at the 137 Sales Index average that we predicted for the full year. And our 12.8% overperformance for July, usually a low month, supports our confidence. Our shops are solidly on track.
The numbers reflect the current and ongoing positive reality for our precision machining shops, while recognizing the challenges that we continue to successfully meet regarding supply, workforce recruitment, and inflation.
Published August 2021
By Miles Free III
A program designed to help precision machining professionals elevate their experience and knowledge. Miles Free III, the man behind the program, shares what he hopes attendees will gain.
Published August 2021
By Joe Jackson
With precise high-quality fittings being necessary for the fluid power manufacturing industry, they are predominantly produced by our industry by using precision turning technology.
Released June 22, 2020.
Miles Free & Carli Kistler-Miller discuss the 5 advantages of cold drawn bars and Miles breaks all five down into detail.
6-21-21 State Workforce Grants, Tax Incentive Tracking Matrix provided by The Franklin Partnership
Florida: Incumbent Worker Training – applications open July 1: With a focus on helping Florida’s small businesses, the grants reimburse companies up to 75 percent for pre-approved training costs. Companies choose their training provider based on the skills needed. Applying online is easy and approval is quick. https://careersourceflorida.com/training-grant/
Iowa: STEM Internships – applications open July 1: The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Internship program provides grants to Iowa companies for internship programs with a goal of transitioning interns to full-time employment in Iowa upon graduation. The goal is to retain educated workers in Iowa. Must participate in a substantive experience in an area closely related to the student’s STEM field. Maximum award to an employer in any one fiscal year shall not exceed $50,000. For every two dollars of wages earned by the student, one dollar paid by the employer is matched by one dollar from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) and up to $5,000 per intern. https://www.iowaeda.com/grow/stem-internships/
Missouri Works Training: – The Tax Credit Accountability Act Reporting Form must also be submitted to the Department of Revenue by June 30th each year the company receives tax credits and for the three years following the issuance of the tax credits. As the state’s number one incentive tool for expansion and retention, this program helps businesses access capital through withholdings or tax credits to embark on facility expansions and create jobs. This program can also help businesses purchase equipment to maintain its facility in Missouri. The Tax Credit Accountability Act Reporting Form must also be submitted to the Department of Revenue by June 30th each year the company receives tax credits and for the three years following the issuance of the tax credits. https://ded.mo.gov/programs/business/missouri-works
Other Grants: Dept. of Labor ETA: Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC). Award floor $150,000; ceiling $1,500,000. Application Deadline July 1. The WORC Initiative is designed to facilitate the alignment of workforce development efforts with existing economic development strategies in rural communities hard hit by economic transition and recovering slowly. The WORC Initiative provides grant funds to enable impacted communities to develop local and regional workforce development solutions aligned with existing economic development strategies and community partnerships to promote new, sustainable job opportunities and long-term economic vitality. These grants support workforce development activities that prepare dislocated workers, new entrants to the workforce, and incumbent workers for good jobs in high-demand occupations aligned with a regional or community economic development strategy. https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=333025
Other Grants: National Science Foundation Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Education and Human Resources: EHR is a core NSF STEM education program that seeks to promote novel, creative, and transformative approaches to generating and using new knowledge about STEM teaching and learning to improve STEM education for undergraduate students. The program is open to application from all institutions of higher education and associated organizations. NSF places high value on educating students to be leaders and innovators in emerging and rapidly changing STEM fields as well as educating a scientifically literate public. In pursuit of this goal, IUSE: EHR supports projects that seek to bring recent advances in STEM knowledge into undergraduate education, that adapt, improve, and incorporate evidence-based practices into STEM teaching and learning, and that lay the groundwork for institutional improvement in STEM education. In addition to innovative work at the frontier of STEM education, this program also encourages replication of research studies at different types of institutions and with different student bodies to produce deeper knowledge about the effectiveness and transferability of findings. https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2021/nsf21579/nsf21579.htm
Major Enhancements to Paperless Parts: See the Newest Features Yourself
June 24 | 11 AM
Maybe you’ve seen an overview of the industry’s leading quoting and estimating platform, but you probably haven’t seen the newest enhancements to the software that customers are calling “game-changing.” In this 25 minute presentation, you’ll see Advanced Analytics and Workflows– two new features that Paperless developed this year directly from customer feedback and beta testing. Stay for Q&A with Dean Tanner, Strategic Accounts Manager at Paperless Parts.
Disaster Planning – Stay Open For Business Program
Many businesses are not prepared to respond to a man-made or natural disaster. Small businesses are particularly at risk because their operations may be concentrated in one location that could become inaccessible or inoperable.
To help businesses prepare, IBHS created this free, easy-to-use tool for building and maintaining a business continuity plan. Designed specifically for small- to mid-size businesses. OFB-EZ will help you prepare for and recover from any type of business disruption from severe weather to a virus outbreak.