A Note from Mike Reader

Invest in Your Greatest Asset: Your People

Last week, Precision Plus sent 14 team members to Columbus, Ohio, to attend the PMPA National Technical Conference (NTC) and the Precision Machining Technology Show (PMTS). The NTC featured keynote speaker Titan Gilroy of Titan America sharing his passion for American Manufacturing. The conference focused on technical skills, problem solving, and management training for the frontline team members who make it happen every day. We pulled some pretty important folks away from the production floor for a few days, but the opportunity to learn and compare notes with industry peers was just too valuable to pass up. 

Looking Ahead at Precision Plus

As we put Q1 of 2017 in the rearview mirror, what does Q2 look like going forward?

MORE, MORE AND BETTER!

More advanced machine tools, more talented people, and better results for our customers.

Let me first look back to the last quarter of 2016. Buyers leaned out their inventory as the world held its breath, watching the U.S. elections unfold. I can only characterize that time as one of overcapacity and uncertainty. This lethargic environment changed rapidly as we entered the new year, like a dragster coming off the line when the lights turn green.

Update from the Production Floor

Last week, we were excited to present a time-lapse video to show the moving out of six of our oldest Swiss machines, as we got ready to move in the new ones. Well, the cool new stuff has arrived! There is even more enthusiasm around the shop floor now, after the installation of three new Tsugami S205 Swiss-type CNC lathes.

Happy Holidays from Precision Plus!

Time flies when you’re having fun. 2016 has passed so quickly, and here we are, getting ready to celebrate Christmas and the New Year. As we prepare for family gatherings this coming weekend, still trying to find that perfect gift or preparing food for an army of relatives, take time to enjoy a deeper meaning behind the holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving From Precision Plus

It is hard to believe that we have just celebrated Veterans Day, and we now have Thanksgiving in our sights this week. This is one of my favorite holidays, for it brings back wonderful memories of my childhood. The cool crisp air outside, working up an appetite by splitting firewood for the day, and the smells emanating from the kitchen which fueled the anticipation of another masterpiece meal from Mom. It has always been far more about that meal itself; it was the comfort of being together with those closest in an unhurried, warm, and safe environment. Oh, those were the days. Yes, we were young, but it was also a different time, without the inundation of 24 hour news filled with terrible things occurring around the world. Ignorance is bliss – there is no truer statement. 

Manufacturing Month Wrap-Up

Where has the time gone? It seems like summer was just yesterday, and the students were headed back to class. It has been a whirlwind couple of months since the summer interns returned to school, and we have settled back into life without some very promising young adults and future manufacturing all stars. However, that does not mean we let up on our efforts to make a difference. I’ll do my best to summarize the events without getting too long winded.

Precision Plus at IMTS 2016

IMTS 2016 has wrapped up, and by all accounts, it was a great success with over 115,000 visitors attending. It was also a great reminder that the workforce of tomorrow has to keep up with the rapid advancements in technology, and our youth needs to be inspired today.

Labor Day: Celebrating the History of the American Worker

Most people consider Labor Day an end-of-summer three-day weekend. It’s back to school, cooling temperatures, and the start of football season. Of course, Labor Day was actually created in the late 19^th century to honor the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

SID Congress 2016 – An Exchange of Ideas and Culture

I recently had the honor of joining a handful of my American PMPA colleagues to attend the 2016 Syndicat du Decolletage Congress (SID), June 19 -23, in Cologne, Germany.  Leadership from companies in France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Ireland and Switzerland were there as well, totaling some 150 manufacturers. This biennial conference helps us gain an insight into the future of the machining industry, by sharing best practices, comparing costs of doing business in the various countries, and exchanging ideas on how we all can better address the global epidemic called the skills gap.

Celebrating 100 Years With AGMA/ABMA

On May 12^th, the American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA), along with members of the American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ABMA), celebrated their 100^th anniversary in Amelia Island, Florida. I had the pleasure of addressing approximately 240 attendees from around the world about our efforts on youth engagement and workforce development. Like us, and many other American manufacturers, the AGMA/ABMA membership has identified growing their future workforce as one of the most challenging areas going forward.