I'm not a fan of YOY comparisons to 2020 given how much the year was an outlier. I think the biggest take away of the June data is the sector remains strong. High fluctuations in materials cost can also attribute to labor participation declines.

Backlog rose last month as labor and supply shortages continue. Margins remain under pressure in the rising cost environment.

A great account of lean goal setting by Rick Bohan and his reflections.

Is lean still the best option? Ken Eakin thinks so

Terrific reflection from the CEO of Jireh Metal Products on how they've restructured to increase capacity. His account details floor arrangement, labor training and equipment evaluation.

The innovation and flexibly forced by the pandemic has laid the ground work for leadership to continue to optimize operations. McKinsey details some assessment techniques for continued improvement.

Huge win for Georgia including many local manufactures and contractors!

CMD's top negotiator shares some tips on price increase negotiations. Any article discussing BATNA has my attention.

I've been hearing from almost all my clients for the past few months, prices are rising. I thought it would be a good time to share this old white paper on how to combat inflation.

Great read from the EPI on the effects of tariffs on steel imports and the US economy.

Freight prices are through the roof. This is an old article but maybe more helpful now.

What do you think is the most effective way to close the gap?

NAM's Q1 outlook report is out, while survey respondents appear to be a barometer and not accurate forecasters, there is some interesting insight here. Raw material costs are sharply on the rise and good talent continues to be difficult to find. Cost of… https://t.co/gsUJ1JOLyt

A quick overview of some tangles #Brexit is causing for US #supplychain.

The Biden administrations Trade nominee signaled yesterday tariffs on China are likely here to stay.

Brief overview of proposed HazCom changes. The comment period is open for small businesses through mid April.

Successful portfolio niche's and innovation will always drive value in M&A. The author discusses SPAC IPO's but I haven't seen mid-market manufactures show much interest there.

The UK based MAKE survey for 2021 highlights the need for agility. Take a look for some key factors and product development ideas.

Metal Forming's February issue highlights labor shortages as a leading damper on recovery. Many point to the pandemic as the fault but I think it's an education issue. Trade labor was in high demand pre-pandemic.

Not much of a surprise here as the labor market continues to shift towards services. Auto and aircraft exports led to a big decline in 2020. Manufacturing exports continue to slowly rise. #globaltrade