U.S. Manufacturing Growth Strong in November
Comments Off on U.S. Manufacturing Growth Strong in NovemberAutomotive, spring stampings, military parts: the U.S. manufacturing industry covers a vast amount of products and uses, and all of it is surveyed periodically by the ISM. The ISM, or Institute of Supply Management, independently surveys incoming orders, new equipment deliveries, and, of course, production, and compares it against previous months and other countries. November’s […]
Steel Pricing Continues Steady Trend of Unpredictabliity
Comments Off on Steel Pricing Continues Steady Trend of UnpredictabliityKeeping track of developments in steel markets can be a head-spinning endeavor, but that doesn’t mean we don’t try here at Keats Manufacturing. It’s well-known that our best advice, in the face of uncertain future cost trends, is to plan and purchase just as you always have. Accounting for cost increases and decreases is just […]
FABTECH 2011: Metalworking in Chicago
Comments Off on FABTECH 2011: Metalworking in ChicagoLast week, FABTECH, the largest North American metal forming and fabricating expo, returned to Chicago. The conference is always a fantastic showcase for metal manufacturers and equipment suppliers, as well as a great opportunity to learn about the best ways of managing procurement, personnel, and other business aspects of the industry. FABTECH’s site provides a […]
Demand Issues Affect Steel Prices
Comments Off on Demand Issues Affect Steel PricesWorldwide production and economic issues have joined to produce some unfortunate side effects for steel manufacturers and metalworkers. As described in this article, ArcelorMittal, the world’s biggest steelmaker, is dealing with the aftereffects of a global recession, facing lowered demand and higher raw material pricing. This convergence of events, with market competition pushing commodity pricing […]
A Question of Industry: Are Four-Slide Machines Obsolete?
Comments Off on A Question of Industry: Are Four-Slide Machines Obsolete?Reading some LinkedIn posts recently, we came across a discussion that we couldn’t help but jump into. A fellow engineer asked whether the reliable and versatile four-slide machine had become obsolete. You can probably guess our answer! Although four-slide machines were originally invented to fabricate springs and wire forms (and continue to do so today), […]