| A recent article on company behind the one of the | | | | new ways of doing the work you've always done. |
| worlds most popular flashlights outlined some of the | | | | Just think how much more successful any of us could |
| challenges companies face when trying to be | | | | be if we simply challenged ourselves to do what we |
| competitive, particularly in a global marketplace. | | | | already do, better. Here's a quote from the owner, |
| The story is a classic | | | | "You have to invent it, design it, and prove it works, |
| "pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps" tale of American | | | | and then you have to automate it," he says. And |
| entrepreneurship. And while it is a warm tale, it also | | | | then, "there are glitches to work out." |
| highlights the challenges of being in manufacturing | | | | For inventors of all shapes and sizes, that's a perfect |
| when it seems everything can be made cheaper and | | | | summary of the process, and that statement |
| faster in China. Like many companies, the referenced | | | | reflects exactly what it takes to turn a garage or |
| manufacturer has had to develop ways to stay | | | | basement shop invention into a product or tool that |
| relevant and competitive, while still retaining the | | | | brings in sales and transforms a hobby into a |
| values that made the company strong to begin with. | | | | business. |
| As a designer and manufacturer of custom | | | | It's nice to see that same sentiment in a company |
| machinery, and helping inventors bring their products | | | | that has been so successful over the years. I take |
| to life, I enjoyed reading about the owner's approach | | | | pride in helping companies automate their |
| to business. He is constantly striving for | | | | manufacturing, assembly or quality assurance testing |
| improvements in automation and work flow to get | | | | processes, and this is a perfect example of what I |
| the most possible speed and efficiency. The article | | | | tell our clients all the time. Whether it's to save |
| states, "[He] is obsessed with upgrading automation | | | | money, increase speed and efficiency, or just stay |
| and fine tuning work flow in the plant to wring out | | | | competitive with a changing world market, you have |
| speed and efficiency - the only way, he says, that | | | | to constantly challenge your own ways of thinking, |
| he can compete with imports from China where labor | | | | and look for improvements, even if they are just |
| is so much cheaper. The company has invested tens | | | | incremental and don't change the finished product. |
| of millions in automation against pressures to go | | | | Sometimes improvement isn't about the product, it's |
| overseas - a strategy that has worked remarkably | | | | about improving the process. How have you |
| well..." | | | | challenged your approach lately? |
| I love that -- investing in talent and coming up with | | | | |