MetalForming Xtra Feature

Manufacturers Report Card: 58 Percent Grew in 2013, 63 Percent Will in 2014
So finds the latest edition of the ThomasNet Industry Market Barometer (IMB), an annual survey released earlier this week of product and custom manufacturers. Other findings: 76 percent sell overseas, and one-third expect their export business to increase in the near term. And, 52 percent plan to add staff during the next several months, a healthy increase from the 42 percent saying that they had planned to hire last year.

The IMB also uncovers some troublesome trends, however, primarily centered on the relatively empty talent pipeline. Here’s a link to the IMB’s executive summary, which also includes a link to the full IMB report—provided you don’t mind completing a brief registration page.

FABTECH a success for

If you did not have a chance to attend Fabtech, and want to know more about our new iS1 Series Direct Drive Servo which was on display, please give us a call at 931-393-5050, or email us at stamtecpresses@stamtec.com

> Canada’s Manufacturing Workers are Paid to Learn
The Globe and Mail picked up this story of a cluster of Toronto-area manufacturers that have joined together to attract and then train young workers, even those with no prior experience in manufacturing. The rub: They’re paying these young workers during their 6-month classroom and on-the-job training program. A total of 16 students are in the program now, and by year-end some 80 workers will have joined.

“Companies in the consortium will spend $15,000 to $20,000 per trained youth to get them up to speed,” the article notes…”wages start at between $12 and $15 an hour.”

Read more here about the program’s participating companies.