Skills enhancement: Supply chain, operations groups partner

Supply Chain Council (SCC) and APICS The Association for Operations Management agreed to offer additional benefits to members of each organization.

Supply chain: Consolidated credit information on companies in China

Compare financial health of up to 20 companies in China as a result of a Panjiva and Sinosure agreement to deliver information on millions of Chinese manufacturers.

Economy: Several indicators suggest growing manufacturer optimism

Several independent sources give some positive news for manufacturers. NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for future North American conditions jumped 15.6 points to 52 from February to March, first above the 50 point growth threshold since August 2007. Prime Advantage survey says 87% of industrial manfucturing companies plan new product introductions in 2009; and Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) survey of 700 manufacturers say 21% of manufacturers are reporting their equipment budgets have increased, 25% have seen no change and 18% report only a slight decrease. “We’re not going to get out of this economic crisis without a strong, innovative manufacturing sector,” SME says. Also see, from MBT, Next imperative: Economy drives manufacturers to go lean; outsource more non-core functions ." More details about each follow along with tips and tools for doing your job better in current economic conditions. Product innovation continues, Prime Advantage says Comparison of external concerns facing midsized manufacturers Source: Prime Advantage via MBT.

Report from Hannover: Seeking an attendance bump at Hannover Fair

On location at Hannover Fair Control Engineering editorial director David Greenfield, Consulting-Specifying Engineer editor Michael Ivanovich, and Plant Engineering editor Bob Vavra will be reporting from Hannover Messe this week on the new ideas and new technologies from the 2009 event. Hannover, Germany — Day 2 at the 2009 Hannover Fair could be a pivotal one for this year’s event. Day 1 attendance, while impressive by just about any other standard in the U.S., was down noticeably from last year. That show preceded the sharp drop in the economy which has fueled so much concern at this year’s event.

State your case: Report finds manufacturing, logistics key to economic growth

Despite heavy job losses in the last year, the nation's manufacturing and logistics industries—considered cornerstones of the U.S. economy—continue to provide a key source of growth, says a report from Ball State University. In the 2009 Manufacturing and Logistics Report Card , Ball State researchers grade each state in seven functional areas with industry-specific information: human capital, benefits cost, global reach, productivity and innovation, and tax climate.The top states are Utah, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas and Alabama; at the bottom are Alaska, Maine, New York, West Virginia, and Rhode Island."This report represents a snapshot of the health of manufacturing and logistics today, but it also offers a road map to state policymakers who are unhappy with the growth of these industries in their states," says Michael Hicks, director of Ball State's Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER).

Help on the way: NAM skills certification system to help new and transitioning workers prepare for good jobs

The National Association of Manufacturers is endorsing a revolutionary new approach to certification and credentials that will "help workers succeed in high-quality, middle class jobs."

MÖBIUS plus SCC: Partnership for multi-echelon inventory solution will benefit from European SCM expertise

Supply Chain Consultants , supplier of the Zemeter suite of supply chain management (SCM) software products, announces a partnership with MÖBIUS for joint design of a sophisticated multi-echelon inventory software solution. The two companies intend to combine the in-depth supply chain knowledge of MÖBIUS with the product development and marketing expertise of Supply Chain Consultants (SCC) to sell the new product in both North America and Europe.Target users for the joint product include any companies with a make-to-stock environment that have different inventory locations to manage—aiming for either customer service improvements or a reduction in working capital. A multi-echelon inventory solution also helps companies deliver more customized and up-to-date products to widely dispersed warehouse and distribution facilities, whether throughout the country or on the other side of the globe.MÖBIUS has seen success with 20 percent to 30 percent extra working capital savings in companies that have implemented its multi-echelon inventory concept.

World-class in high-tech: Digital River enhances global e-commerce platform

A new regulatory fee management tool enable consumer electronics companies to meet complicated recycling and copyright regulations when selling online.

Double-play project: Rawlings to hit batting cages early using AtTask PPM solutions

Rawlings, a name synonymous with baseball since 1877, has chosen AtTask project and portfolio management (PPM) solutions to establish transparency, reduce costs, and drive new product introduction.

Green supply: PowerGenix sets up SigmaQuest quality management platform for battery manufacturing processes

The green battery industry’s acceptable failure rates are said to be some of the most stringent of any industry. To that end, SigmaQuest’s suite of on-demand solutions will enable real-time insight to PowerGenix’ manufacturing operations.