Category: Uncategorized
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Growing with Metrics and Benchmarking
As your business grows, metrics become an essential tool in running your operation. But have you ever wondered how your company compares to the industry (specifically the rotomolding industry)? Yes, there are some publications that provide rankings but they only provide a few data points. ARM annually provides its members with a very detailed and…
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What Happens in Vegas…
I fished on 34″ of ice yesterday, and the daytime high tomorrow is –18F (wind chill included). ARM’s Spring Executive Forum in Las Vegas can’t get here fast enough for me. The Forum is a great opportunity for owners and executive management to reconnect and network. In my experience, this is a very warm and…
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The WINDSHIELD:REAR-VIEW MIRROR Ratio
I was reminded recently of an old proverb that is very applicable to this time of year … “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” In ancient Rome, Janus was the god of beginnings and transitions. Because the beginning of the year is a time for…
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Business “As Usual”
As difficult a year as any in my memory is the best description of 2013 for myself and Romotech. Coming off a record year (as I am sure 2012 was for many of you), 2013 tossed us around like a cork in the Atlantic Ocean! All of the “as usual” practices we engaged going into…
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Reporting from Goa
For those who couldn’t make it to ARMO’s conference in Goa this month, Jonathan Wurr of Francis Wards provides an overview of the event. The event kicked off with a fabulous evening meal for early-arrivers at the Zeebop beach restaurant, hosted by Ravi Mehra, which provided a great chance to meet old friends and get…
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The Secret Handshake
Is ARM a “good old boys club”? A clique of a few molders? I have heard these comments over the years and, from my experience, nothing could be further from the truth. Networking is at its most powerful in our organization and has proven its value time and time again. New attendees come to meetings…
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Get on the Treadmill
During the Business Meeting at the ARM Annual Meeting in Cleveland, I told you that the ARM Board is working on understanding the perceived value that ARM delivers to our members, and exploring how we can create more value. Over the past several weeks, I have spent a fair amount of time on the phone…
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Great Shop Floor Meeting in Cincinnati!
A group of 25 rotomolders and 16 suppliers attended the full-day All About the Shop Floor regional meeting conducted in Cincinnati at the end of November. Attendees told us it was an excellent meeting. Educational sessions included Preventative Tool Maintenance, Mold Release, How to Network, Resin Specifications, Safety, Hand Tools, Shrinkage & Warpage, and a…
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Culture Drives Lean Success
Do employees at your companies talk about the organization’s culture? If so, how do they describe it? After participating in the excellent Lean Manufacturing workshop at the ARM Annual Meeting in Cleveland, I believe the facilitators (Rich Maguire of Remcon Plastics and Kent Pottebaum of Solar Plastics) would agree that the answers to the above…
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Adding Value and Communicating with Members
As the new President of ARM, I want to share a couple of my goals for the coming year. At the 2012 Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, I opened the doors of Solar Plastics to members of the ARM Education Committee, Future Leaders, and Board of Directors. I got as much from the feedback I received…