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Members Only 12 June 2013

AMT and business intelligence: stepping up the resources

As solid improvement and continued growth have come to AMT’s business intelligence tools, we are proud to offer our members some of the most comprehensive industry data available, and provide it quicker than ever before – some of it near real-time.  (more)
Members Only 12 June 2013

Get to know AMT’s international staff

AMT has a wealth of global support operations to help members expand their businesses. Each month, we’ll be posing a question to the staff at these international locations to help you get some of the “local flavor” from their outposts around the world. (more)
12 June 2013

Policy update on key manufacturing initiatives

- Immigration reform passes key committee
- Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership program launched
- Manufacturing Innovation Institutes competition announced
- Manufacturing “IRA” bill reintroduced (more)
12 June 2013

MTInsight’s USMTO App

The ability to know where you stand in your market compared to your competition is critical to the success of your company. By knowing the four Ws (When, Where, What and Who), you will have an accurate assessment of your business. The more familiar you are with the four Ws as they apply to your business, the easier it will be for you to plan strategically to improve your business and market share. Having quality data will allow you to make informed decisions. In fact, knowing the numbers gives you the ability to plan, market and sell with confidence rather than just hope for the best. (more)
Members Only 12 June 2013

Market Data Review - June 2013

- What to do when economic data doesn’t seem relevant
- Producer Price and Wage Report
- Foreign Trade Report – March 2013 (more)
Members Only 12 June 2013

Ride the wave - seize the economic upturn

Ride the wave was the theme of this year’s CASG Conference, which took place at the MGM Grand Hotel, Detroit, May 22-23. The “wave” started earlier this year and is in full swing. What wave, you might ask? The wave that has resulted in a $4.9 billion profit for GM, a 68 percent gain in Chrysler’s 4th quarter earnings, and a 20 percent increase for Ford’s 1st N. American quarter, coming in at $22 billion. 
 (more)
Members Only 12 June 2013

High marks for AMT’s Customer Service & Aftermarket Support Conference

With solid networking opportunities and discussions about topics that matter most to service and support professionals, AMT’s Customer Service & Aftermarket Support Conference received strong reviews from all who attended, May 22-23 at the MGM Grand Detroit. (more)
12 June 2013

Targeting Technology - June 2013

- MPETAC’s reform to export control
- B11 Standards meetings (more)
12 June 2013

MTConnect Update - June 2013

- DMG/MORI SEIKI offers MTConnect® adapters on new machine shipments
- EASTEC 2013 podcast features MTConnect 
- MTConnect Institute releases new white paper
- MTConnect Challenge 2 will launch on July 1 (more)
12 June 2013

Manufacturing technologies for surface metrology - Part 2

This is Part 2 of the two-part series on surface metrology. Based on Dr. Chris Brown’s (Worcester Polytechnic Institute) fundamentals published in the April AMT News, this month I wanted to talk to a technology OEM to better understand approaches to capturing surface roughness. David Rideout (Olympus Corporation of the Americas) spoke with me to discuss areas of both hardware and software technologies meeting the needs of surface metrology from a capture and analysis perspective. (more)
Members Only 12 June 2013

Want to play in the big leagues? Go international!

Everyone has one of those “big game” fantasies – stuff like playing a round of golf with Tiger Woods, shooting hoops with Michael Jordan, maybe hitting the racetrack with Mario Andretti. Why do we want to do those things? It’s to see how we measure up against the very best. In the world of our industry, the reality is that 90 percent of the manufacturing technology market is outside of the United States. The international markets are most often the playing field for the world’s best suppliers. 
 (more)
Members Only 12 June 2013

AMT Asia: You get more for less

For a U.S.-based manufacturer, to sell in Asia requires the possession and deployment of substantial corporate resources in order to promote the product, build up a presence, hire staff, provide local service and tackle the challenges related to political and cultural differences. Money needs to be paid out of pocket before sales actually take place. For small and medium manufacturers, which constitute the majority of AMT’s membership, start-up cost could slow them down, if not altogether prohibit them, from tapping major Asian markets such as China and India. This is where AMT can help — with its Shanghai Technology and Service Center (STC) and Chennai Technology and Service Centre (CTC), established in 2004 and 2011 respectively. 
 (more)
Members Only 12 June 2013

Strategies for personal investing are applicable to your business as well

With the U.S. equity markets once again reaching record levels, there are an increasing number of “advice” articles offering guidance on how to invest in a way that will minimize the potential to get “burned.” Three common themes are portfolio diversification, asset allocation, and the Oracle of Omaha’s oft-cited advice to “buy on fear and sell on greed.” These same concepts are also sound advice for growing your business and making it more robust so that you can better weather the ultimate business cycle lows that will occur. (more)
12 June 2013

Mind the gap

Commuters and tourists who travel London’s subway, or “tube,” are reminded both with visual signs as well as with auditory warnings to “Mind the Gap,” to be safe when exiting and entering through the doorways of railcars in the system. At this time in U.S. manufacturing, as we are faced with a skills gap in our efforts to recruit qualified individuals to fill the open positions that we have available at our companies, “mind the gap” provides a cautionary statement that helps us to focus on remedies to solve the problem.
 (more)
Members Only 12 June 2013

Customer data is king – MTProspects can help

One of the most valuable assets of any distributor in the manufacturing technology industry is your customer database. The more accurate and up-to-date the data, the more valuable it is. We all know that businesses, and the people who work for them, come and go all the time. It is very fluid and keeping your CRM current is a big challenge. AMT, MTInsight, and Dun & Bradstreet® have formed a strategic partnership and created MTProspects, an affordable and easy-to-use app – especially for distributors whose territories don’t justify the high start-up costs associated with data providers.
 (more)
Members Only 12 June 2013

Staff updates and changes at AMT

Industry Engagement and MTInsight add new staff members. (more)
12 June 2013

Industry News - June 2013

News from AMT members. (more)
Members Only 07 June 2013

AMT News - June 2013 - Interactive PDF

  (more)
10 May 2013

CIMT show sees jump in attendance

April in Northeast China brings the famous “Beijing Snow” (Cottonwood blossoms) and unpredictable weather (warm then cold, damp then dry, with an occasional sandstorm mixed in), but  more importantly for AMT members, it brings the biennial China International Machine Tool Show. The 13th edition of CIMT was held April 22-27, 2013, at the new China International Exhibition Center in Beijing. (more)
10 May 2013

Additive goes to Capitol Hill

On April 24 AMT sponsored 3D/DC: 3D Printing Comes to Washington, an event held at the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill, which gave officials a first-hand look at the applications for 3D printing and demonstrated why this emerging technology is important. (more)
10 May 2013

The role of manufacturing is becoming more and more important

Since emerging from the recession, the politics of growing the economy has changed as Americans’ perception of what generates growth and job creation has changed. It is no longer satisfactory to let the rest of the world make things and rely on the service sector for growth. The federal government is finally reevaluating our priorities for reinforcing this country’s leadership in today’s globalized world, and the role of manufacturing is becoming more and more important because of its link to innovation.  (more)
10 May 2013

Gang of eight senators introduce immigration reform

A bipartisan group of senators, referred to as the “Gang of Eight,” introduced the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013 last month – a comprehensive immigration bill that includes H1-B visa reform. (more)
Members Only 10 May 2013

Market Data Review - May 2013

- Mixed bag of signals on dashboard – but NO RED!
- Producer Price and Wage Report
- Foreign Trade Report - February 2013 (more)
10 May 2013

MTInsight is the Manufacturing Technology tool box you need to build a better business

You’ve heard that MTInsight is the word in “Manufacturing Business Intelligence!” What I hear in return is, “Huh?” That’s the typical answer when I talk to our members. They’ve known about MTInsight and they’ve heard it can help their business. But for the majority the term “Manufacturing Business Intelligence” is either for those marketing guys who only care about numbers or really big companies, but definitely not for them. (more)
Members Only 10 May 2013

Distribution Working Group Update - May 2013

The Distribution Working Group wants to hear from you! You have a voice, DWG is the conduit; the committee meets again in June and is adding agenda items. We want your opinions, your concerns, your ideas and most importantly your involvement.  (more)