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• Industry Collaboration & Community Celebrated at 2023 Manufacturing Excellence Awards

  November 30, 2023    33

  The 2023 Manufacturing Excellence Awards was a night of collaboration, community and celebration as a sold-out crowd gathered in East Lansing to recognize the best of the best in Michigan’s most vital industry.
  

• Integrity Fab & Machine Inc. - 2023 John G. Thodis Michigan Manufacturer of the Year (Small Tier)

  November 30, 2023    32

  Integrity isn't just a name for Integrity Fab & Machine Inc., it’s a way of doing business and a way of life. That's why the company was chosen for the 2023 John G. Thodis Michigan Manufacturer of the Year Award – Small Tier.
  

• Jon D. Hall - Glastender Inc. - Manufacturing Lifetime Achievement

  November 30, 2023    29

  Jon Hall is a natural-born innovator focused on continual improvement and has left an indelible mark on the industry and was recognized with the 2023 Manufacturing Lifetime Achievement award.
  

• DENSO Manufacturing Michigan Inc. - 2023 Manufacturing Talent Champion

  November 30, 2023    29

  DENSO Manufacturing Michigan Inc.’s dedication to education, diversity and community makes the company a highly deserving recipient of the 2023 Manufacturing Talent Champion award.
  

• Ronald E. Hall - Bridgewater Interiors - 2023 Manufacturing Emerging Leader

  November 30, 2023    76

  Ronald Hall's life experiences, energy, creativity, commitment to the community and passion for the manufacturing industry truly made him deserving of the the 2023 Manufacturing Emerging Leader award.
  

• Sachiko Johnson - Jordan Manufacturing Company - 2023 Manufacturing Woman of the Year

  November 28, 2023    88

  Due to her genuine compassion for the team, leadership skills and the impact she has had at Jordan Manufacturing and within the community, Sachiko Johnson is a deserving recipient of the 2023 Manufacturing Woman of the Year award.
  

• Amplifying Organic Leads for Your Manufacturing Business: A Comprehensive Guide for Marketers

  November 22, 2023    69

  As a dedicated marketer in the manufacturing sector, you understand the challenges of driving organic traffic and leads to your company's website. MMA member StoryTeller Media + Communications delves into proven strategies that can boost your organic leads without straining your budget.
  

• Overview of Select Industrial Real Estate Markets: Q3 2023

  November 22, 2023    130

  Over the past several years the industrial real estate market has undergone significant changes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic which has impacted e-commerce and supply chain logistics. Dominion Real Estate Advisors has collaborated with the MMA to provide an updates concerning select major industrial real estate markets in Michigan.
  

• The Manufacturer’s Guide to ERP Optimization and Selection

  November 22, 2023    150

  Avoid overspending or a needlessly frustrating implementation process when it's time to replace your existing ERP system with insights from MMA member Rehmann to help implement the best ERP for your needs.
  

• Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification A Focus on Essentials

  November 8, 2023    551

  Today’s everchanging cybersecurity landscape has a large impact on manufacturers, as it would on any business with systems and data. The U.S. Department of Defense has been focused on ensuring companies in the Defense Industrial Base are protecting DoD information entrusted to them as contractually required since 2017 . A need to create more structure around compliance has resulted in the creation of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC).
  

• Real Time Monitoring: Empowering Manufacturing Industries with Industry 4.0 Solutions

  November 8, 2023    521

  As businesses worldwide move toward Industry 4.0, the fusion of advanced technologies with manufacturing processes takes centre stage. MMA member MN Engineering Solutions Inc. dives into what real-time monitoring entails and how it benefits Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and other manufacturing industries, enhancing production, Original Equipment Equivalent (OEE) and more.
  

• Leverage Industry 4.0 Technologies to Expand Employee Attraction, Preparation and Retention

  November 7, 2023    281

  When it comes to retention, the problems — and the solutions — often occur in the realms of communication, recognition and mutual respect. There are I4.0 technologies that can, for instance, improve lines of communication between managers and production floor workers or between workers on different shifts. But much of the retention challenges related to I4.0 come from the friction between people and technology.
  

• The Industry 4.0 Revolution

  November 7, 2023    237

  As Industry 4.0 technologies continue to revolutionize manufacturing and now that artificial intelligence is at the forefront of upcoming change, manufacturers have found themselves in a position where they can innovate while enhancing efficiency in their workplaces. When coupled with human expertise, automation and AI may change manufacturing in countless ways.
  

• Industry Member Spotlight: Storch Products Inc.

  November 7, 2023    274

  MMA interview with Industry Member Storch Products Inc.'s President Matt Carr.
  

• Premium Associate Member Spotlight: SensCy

  November 7, 2023    236

  MMA interview with Premium Associate Member SensCy's CEO Rick Snyder.
  

• Customized Workers’ Comp Insurance Features Safety Recommendations

  November 7, 2023    202

  While workers’ compensation insurance can help protect employers and workers, prevention and remediation are key to reducing workplace injuries in the first place. Through MMA’s partnership with the MTMIC, members receive a 3 percent discount for workers’ compensation, a dividend program, as well as numerous consultancy services and resources.
  

• Sustainable Technology Creates New Solution for PFAS Reduction

  November 7, 2023    185

  4never combines the power of Surface Active Foam Fractionation (SAFF®) technology with supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) to provide a local, scalable, closed-loop solution to remove and permanently destroy PFAS. The groundbreaking 4never technology is exclusively provided and operated by MMA’s trusted provider, Heritage-Crystal Clean.
  

• Ford and UAW Reach Historic Agreement

  October 26, 2023    543

  Ford Motor Company and the UAW reached a tentative agreement 10/25/23, ending the five-week-old strike. While the agreement requires ratification by the UAW rank and file, workers are returning to work already.
  

• UAW Employs New Strike Approach

  October 25, 2023    408

  Four weeks after the first wave of UAW strikes against Detroit’s Big Three automakers, UAW President Shawn Fain today announced a new phase and a new approach to their strategy.
  

• UAW Abruptly Extends Strike to Ford Kentucky Truck Plant

  October 25, 2023    404

  UAW President Shawn Fain ordered 8,700 UAW members to walk off the job at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant (heavy duty F-series trucks, Ford and Lincoln large SUVs) last night, expanding the strike against Ford, GM and Stellantis in its fourth week. The decision was abrupt, following a short early-evening meeting between UAW and Ford negotiators, and delivered with fiery rhetoric from Mr. Fain.
  

• UAW Strike Wears On: Forced OEM and Supplier Layoffs Compound Impact

  October 17, 2023    508

  As the UAW’s strike against Ford, General Motors and Stellantis wears on for a fourth week, some relief was delivered today in news of progress made on negotiations. No action was taken today by UAW President Shawn Fain to escalate the scope of the strike as he has the last two weeks.
  

• UAW Extends Strike Threatening the Strength and Vitality of our Domestic Auto Industry

  September 29, 2023    476

  The continuation and extension of the UAW’s strike negatively impacts the Big Three and the entire supply chain, with MMA members across the state already implementing layoffs as orders diminish.
  

• Michigan’s Manufacturers: Fortitude in the Face of Disruption

  September 26, 2023    479

  As the United Auto Workers union extends its strike on Detroit’s Big Three automakers, I take pause to consider the gravity of the situation for our automotive sector and legacy, our state and its communities, and families whose lives and livelihoods are tied to the Michigan's economically vital automotive industry.
  

• Fortitude in the Face of Disruption

  September 15, 2023    357

  As news breaks on the overnight developments in the labor negotiations between the UAW and the Big Three, MMA President & CEO John Walsh considers the gravity of the situation as well as confidence I have that Michigan manufacturers will weather this storm.
  

• Industry Member Spotlight: Vaughan Industries

  September 18, 2023    315

  Although Vaughan Industries remains a small business with 21 employees, it maintains a strong national presence — especially in support of STEM education. Learn more in this Industry Member Spotlight.
  

• Premium Associate Member Spotlight: Real IT Solutions

  September 18, 2023    347

  Keeping your equipment up and running is vitally important for manufacturers and Matt Kahle, Founder and CEO of Real IT Solutions, understands the importance of safeguarding his clients from potential threats in order to protect their productivity.
  

• Making an Impact

  August 2, 2023    1105

  Local involvement and stewardship illustrate positive energy of manufacturers in their communities. Meet two MMA members that are active and involved stewards of their communities.
  

• Technology Offers Intriguing Possibilities for Shoe & Clothing Manufacturing Industry

  October 2, 2023    768

  Advancements in technology continue to impact every facet of the manufacturing industry, and the footwear industry is certainly no exception. Read how Rockford-based Chaco is reducing waste and changing the game with repair and online customization solutions for their customers.
  

• MMA Hiring Solutions Platform Streamlines Hiring Process

  October 2, 2023    704

  MMA partner Chatfield Global is a woman-owned consulting firm that provides a wide array of human resources, talent management and organization development solutions, from the highly strategic to daily operational execution.
  

• Site Selection in an Uncertain Market: What should you be considering?

  October 6, 2023    212

  The combination of increased consumer demand (particularly through e-commerce), supply chain disruptions, and a volatile world economy have led to a demand for manufacturing and warehouse space in the United States. Major suppliers are following key customers to “megasites” across the country, leading to a significant amount of new development in non-urban areas.
  

• Reporting Near Misses in the Workplace

  October 6, 2023    226

  OSHA strongly recommends reporting and investigating these “near miss incidents,” though many companies fail to do so. Whether you didn’t realize the need for reporting or don’t know where to start, looking at how others successfully implement near-miss reporting procedures can provide helpful insights on how to begin your program.
  

• Six Ways to Immediately Improve Retention

  October 6, 2023    205

  Retaining top talent should always be a focus of leaders and organizations. Today, it might be your biggest organizational challenge. While we often look to HR for solutions, there is much individual leaders can do to keep the best talent on their teams. Here are just five things you can do — starting today — that will move the retention needle in the right direction.
  

• Meet Facility, Your Recruitment and Retention Specialist

  October 6, 2023    354

  In today’s competitive job market, it’s more important than ever for companies to find ways to attract and retain top talent. One way to do this is to create a workplace that is safe, comfortable and efficient. A well-designed building can be a powerful recruitment and retention tool, helping to enhance safety, increase job satisfaction and streamline workflow.
  

• Opportunities and Pitfalls of Applying AI to Supporting Departments

  October 6, 2023    220

  Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not new to the manufacturing industry. For more than a decade, the technology has been used to track and predict failures of parts and other key trends. Now AI and machine learning are available to many departments of manufacturing, not just production lines.
  

• Canadian wildfires can't cloud truth about region's air quality success

  July 31, 2023    815

  We are proud of MMA's efforts with our members who have dramatically improved air quality in Michigan over several decades.
  

• Statement of MMA President & CEO John J. Walsh on the Michigan-Ontario Economic Agreement

  July 25, 2023    749

  The Michigan Manufacturers Association (MMA) today released a statement in response to the Economic Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding signed today between Michigan and Ontario.
  

• Interactive Training Systems - 2022 MFG Innovation Excellence

  July 14, 2023    787

  With their industry-leading solutions and continued growth, it’s no wonder ITS was selected as the 2022 MFG Innovation Excellence Award recipient. Displaying his signature style of humble leadership, Maguffee says he’s dumbfounded by the company’s nomination.
  

• Common Misconceptions About the Research & Development Tax Credit

  July 7, 2023    1294

  The research and development (R&D) tax credit is a potentially lucrative government incentive designed to promote innovation and technological advancement across multiple U.S. industries, including manufacturing. — but manufacturers often have many questions and misconceptions about how this tax program can impact their operations.
  

• Digital Twin in Manufacturing

  June 26, 2023    1108

  The hype around "Digital Twin" has been building over the last few years! Does it work? Are we ready to use such a technology? MN Engineering Solutions has provided a quick guide to digital twins, what they are and why they matter for your organization.
  

• Building a Total Rewards Strategy for 2023

  May 31, 2023    2138

  There is a real and volatile cost associated with attracting, engaging and retaining talent within an organization. MMA member Brown & Brown shares strategies to help enhance your employees’ experience and limit turnover.
  

• Deepview Advances Visual Inspection Technology through Neural Network Capabilities

  May 22, 2023    1211

  Automated cameras have been used within the manufacturing industry for years, but Deepview has enhanced the technology in ways you may not have expected.
  

• Solving Janitorial and Sanitation Challenges through Modern Technology

  May 22, 2023    1357

  Facility cleaning and maintenance are a must for any industry, and MMA’s new partnership with GDI Integrated Facility Services makes it easier for members to access a wide range of these services.
  

• Premium Associate Member Spotlight: Midwest Recruiters

  May 22, 2023    1328

  Interview with Midwest Recruiters Founder and President Tony Dekker
  

• Industry Member Spotlight: Magline, Inc.

  May 22, 2023    1154

  Interview with Magline, Inc. Director of Marketing Paul Adler.
  

• Recognizing Workforce Solutions to Navigate Talent Challenges

  May 22, 2023    1864

  Read how members Avalon & Tahoe Manufacturing and Cobra MOTO/Cobra AERO, LLC have recognized solutions and are navigating the challenges in a technology-driven, post-pandemic era beginning.
  

• PlaneWave Instruments - 2022 Coolest Thing Made in Michigan

  May 22, 2023    821

  PlaneWave’s success today is driven by the same shared passion that brought together a group of hobbyists more than 30 years ago. With market-leading technology, a mission of “Pursuit of the Perfect Telescope” and a future as bright as the stars, PlaneWave is a highly deserving recipient of the 2022 Coolest Thing Made in Michigan.
  

• Protecting Your Company’s Investment With a Training Reimbursement Agreement

  May 22, 2023    620

  Investing in employee training adds value to all levels of your operation. But how do you protect your bottom line if the investment walks away? Learn why it’s a risk you can’t afford not to take.
  

• Knowing Your Employees — The Importance of Employee Surveys

  May 22, 2023    522

  As an employer, you face two serious challenges in managing your talent — keeping employees from leaving for "greener pastures" and countering the impact of a disengaged workforce. The impact of these challenges typically doesn’t become apparent until it is too late — the employee quits, or they have been unproductive since their last performance review.
  

• Reduce Training Costs While Increasing Talent

  May 22, 2023    1016

  If you’re like many other manufacturers in Michigan, finding and retaining new hourly workers has been a challenge. While we can’t control the talent pool, we can control how we think about training new employees. Here are three factors to consider that could help the effectiveness of your employee training efforts and lead to greater retention:
  

• The Manufacturing Facility Has Changed

  May 22, 2023    1053

  Much has changed since J.S. Vig Construction was founded as an industrial contractor in southwest Detroit in 1965. Back then, blueprints were hand-drawn and estimates were prepared with an adding machine. Now, technology has changed the world and the rate of change continues to accelerate fast, so buckle up
  

• How Lean Can Attract & Retain Younger Members of the Workforce

  May 22, 2023    550

  You know, the unseen beast that snatches up new hires when they go outside for their break. For some reason, they disappear and never return. Why does this mystery monster seem to hang out in some parking lots? How can organizations make sure their new employees stop disappearing? The answer may lie inside the building.
  

• How to Win the Manufacturing Talent Game

  May 22, 2023    596

  Attracting and retaining top talent in an increasingly competitive market has become a hot topic for business leaders. Learn how prioritizing culture and leadership can help you win the manufacturing talent game.
  

• New Rules May Eliminate Your 401(k) Audit

  May 17, 2023    859

  Employers with less than 100 401(k) participating employees may be eligible for small plan reporting options with no audit required based on recent IRS changes. Learn more in this Dawda Mann Insight.
  

• Cybersecurity: Building Resilience in Michigan’s Manufacturing Industry

  April 20, 2023    1268

  While small to medium-sized manufacturers in Michigan recognize the growing threat of cyberattacks, many are not taking appropriate actions toward protecting their systems and data. Implementing cybersecurity best practices is crucial to minimize the risk of a successful cyberattack.
  

• Embracing Holistic Employee Care: The Secret to High Retention in the Manufacturing Industry

  April 20, 2023    2340

  Like other industries, the manufacturing sector is facing its fair share of challenges, from maintaining employee loyalty to drawing in new talent. To help companies understand these hurdles, MetLife conducted a study which sheds new light on employee satisfaction and its main contributors.
  

• Leading the Way in Manufacturing Sustainability

  March 16, 2023    2493

  For years, Michigan manufacturers have led the way on innovative sustainability programs and protecting the environment. From reducing landfill waste to conserving water, industry leaders have developed best practices to support sustainability and are willing to share their ideas to have a larger impact.
  

• Van Dam Continues the Legacy of Wooden Boat Craftsmanship as an Art Form

  March 16, 2023    1411

  Handcrafting boats exclusively from wood, Van Dam Custom Boats is ensuring that old-world craftsmanship lives on as an art form, all while incorporating modern technology, outstanding durability and innovative design into each boat they build.
  

• FCCI Offers Training Tools, Customized Insurance Solutions and More through Manufacturers Premier Program

  March 16, 2023    834

  To provide manufacturers with additional tools and solutions, insurance provider FCCI Insurance Group has partnered with MMA to offer a Manufacturers Premier Program.
  

• Premium Associate Member Spotlight: Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

  March 16, 2023    1121

  Interview with Michael Brady, executive partner at Warner Norcross + Judd LLP and co-chair of its large Automotive Industry Group.
  

• Industry Member Spotlight: BlueTriton Brands

  March 16, 2023    1307

  Interview with Arlene Anderson-Vincent, the Natural Resources Manager for the Midwest Region of BlueTriton Brands’ Ice Mountain water bottling company.