Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics Series

The time to prepare yourself, your department, and your company for the future is now. Over your morning or during your lunch break, bring your biggest production, fulfillment, connectivity, reliability and labor issues to the experts at the Advanced Manufacturing…

Manufacturing Talent Stream

By Bob Zaruta, President/CEO, NWIRC When it comes to manufacturing, the phrase ‘building a talent pipeline’ is commonly used when speaking about strategy to address the national and regional workforce challenges in the industry. When I think of pipeline, I…

Evaluating Customer Profitability

by Michael Griffith, NWIRC, Chief Operating Officer Even if your company is having a banner year, now is the time to look not only how to gain new customers, but also how to shed customers who may be a drain…

Getting Back to Class

by Robin Keller, NWIRC, Training and Strategic Programs Coordinator Every year we experience the end of lazy summer days and welcome the fall with kids going back to school. Even though you may have graduated, and working in your manufacturing…

Building an Employee Development Program

by Kevin Smith, MBA SPHR HCS President, Leaderstone and The Kevin Shabaar Smith Co. The search for skilled talent continues to be a significant challenge for many companies. As a result, many leaders are more aware, not only of the…

Tool City and the Next Generation

By Bob Zaruta, President/CEO, NWIRC My recent road trip to feature a regional manufacturer took me to Meadville – AKA Tool City, USA. In the 1980’s, a major decline in heavy industrial manufacturing unfolded in the Great Lakes region. Fortunately,…

Culture Assessments: What We’ve Learned, So Far

by Lisa Pustelak, NWIRC, Strategic Planning & Culture Development Specialist NWIRC has conducted dozens and dozens of company culture assessments for small- to medium-sized manufacturing businesses in northwest and northcentral PA. The labor shortage challenges led us to understand quickly…

ESG on the Horizon: Environmental. Social. Governance.

by Bob Zaruta, President/CEO, NWIRC I’ve had several conversations in recent weeks with Small Mid-sized Manufacturers (SMMs) who are in the automotive supply chain. There is a set of new challenges on the horizon for SMMs, or opportunities depending on…