Industry Week articles from June 2004

Industry Week archives from June 2004

Fanning protectionism's flames: executives should consider their role in adding fuel to the fire.(Editor's Page)(Editorial)
June 1, 2004... WE'RE NOT GETTING ANYWHERE WITH this debate--or at least what we re calling debate--on the state of U.S. manufacturing, and it's because we're still talking past each other. We cannot seem to agree on the basic premise: Is U.S. manufacturing in...

the enemy within.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... [Re: "The Enemy Is Within Our Shores," Editor's Page, April 2004, Page 9] As a small manufacturer for 33 years, I have no lobbyist nor do I possess the resources to move to China. I pay my taxes and try to keep calm as millions of dollars of...

Black sheep and sacred cows.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... [Re: "Follow The Black Sheep, April 2004, Page 76] Having been a black sheep all my business life, the only thing I would add is that companies [that] say they want change may start to backtrack when [they] get too close to the sacred cows....

Work in progress: 'manufacturing czar' appointment could be a ways away from taking office.(ASAP)
June 1, 2004... WHILE MUCH official fanfare accompanied the recommendation of former carpet manufacturer Albert A. Frink Jr. to fill a newly created "manufacturing czar" position in the Department of Commerce, it's possible Frink never will have the title,...

Petratis' power play: Schneider Electric North America's CEO David Petratis is tapping process improvement, inventory, innovative merchandising, people and passion for the power to succeed.(3 Quick Questions)(Interview)
June 1, 2004... David D. Petratis, the new president and CEO of the $2.5 billion Schneider Electric North American Operating Division in Palatine, Ill., is back with the company he first joined in 1981 at Square D's Lincoln, Neb., circuit breaker manufacturing...

It does matter.(BookShelf)(Book Review)
June 1, 2004... It does matter whether or not you read "Does IT Matter?" (2004, Harvard Business School Press). You may or may not agree with author Nicholas G. Carr that information technology is becoming less important to business strategy as it becomes more...

Notable/Quotable.(C-Level)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Rather than simplifying the law, the ambiguous language in the Department of Labor's overtime pay regulation will create a flood of lawsuits and deprive millions of workers of hard-earned overtime pay. The Labor Department adopted some,...

IMD: U.S. is no. 1: business efficiency is among keys.(Competitiveness)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... THE STORY IS THE SAME IN 2004 as it was in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. The United States is the most competitive economy in the world, according to IMD, the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland. American...

Boeing's 'Dreamliner' closer to reality: board gives flight to 7E7.(Aerospace)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... ALTHOUGH PRESUMABLY it will be flying first, Airbus SAS' A380 four-engine, double-deck, 555-passenger plane won't be the only new commercial jet flying the skies in the next few years. With a firm order for 50 planes from Japan's All Nippon...

What IW readers want ...(Time Machine)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... ... is not necessarily what they get when it comes picking a president. At least that was the case in 1992, when INDUSTRYWEEK ran the story "Ross For Boss?" The article, which shared the results of an IW presidential preference poll...

Losing the lead? Study suggests U.S. competitiveness in advanced technology products is sinking.(Technology)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... IS THE U.S. LOSING ITS global competitive advantage in advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, scientific equipment and other products heavily dependent upon R&D and technology-focused personnel? In a study published April 15, Ernest H. Preeg,...

Open innovation? Rewards and challenges; the rewards come from connecting internal product development to outside technologies. But an open innovation strategy also can bring unexpected corporate challenges including cultural adjustments.(Emerging Technologies)
June 1, 2004... OPEN INNOVATION INspired many when Henry Chesbrough helped formalize the concept in his book of the same name (2003, Harvard Business School Press). For example, Chesbrough's theme confirmed the business premise behind NineSigma Inc., a...

Self-assembly of nanocrystals.(Emerging Technologies)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... * A demonstration of the sell-assembly of nanocrystals hints at a significant commercial potential. A researcher paper (Science, April 23, 2004) suggests such applications as cancer tracking, laser light, catalysts, solid state lighting...

Dumb bosses day: celebrating the paranoid, irrational, grasping fool inside all of us.(Brandt On Leadership)
June 1, 2004... ALL OF US HAVE HAD DUMB BOSSES. And most of us have been Dumb Bosses, at one time of another. (Note: If you think you haven't, then you already are, by definition, a Dumb Boss.) Yet in a calendar full of appreciation days (Secretary's Day,...

The new materials age.(Management Strategies)
June 1, 2004... When the call came to turn the Pontiac Solstice concept into reality, GM used digital design and validation to develop the Kappa platform in just 27 months and at a price point of $20,000. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HAS TRANSFORMED MATERIALS...

GM's materials gains: engineering software is key to GM's material optimization process.(Management Strategies)
June 1, 2004... AS A MATERIALS SCIENTIST, GM's Alan Taub has no doubt that the auto industry is at least in a new age of materials. "It's actually a revolution," says the executive director of General Motors Corp.'s R&D Science Labs. "We're getting more...

Finding the right fit; software responds to different industries, sizes of manufacturers.(Information Technology)
June 1, 2004... WHEN 3M WENT LOOKING FOR A software package to help standardize and automate its and disparate methods barcoding and packaging products, it found there was nothing on the market that fit the bill. Faced with that problem, many manufacturers...

Made for midsize: packages aim for simple implementation.(Information Technology)(custom made software )
June 1, 2004... MIDSIZE AND SMALLER manufacturers can take advantage of a variety of software packages that are geared for the needs of the David-sized or at least non-Goliath enterprise. Some ERP companies, in fact, go so far as to "pretune" their software...

Top-line Tongo: revenue growth is back at the world's largest manufacturing companies. Like running into an old flame at a college reunion, executives have rediscovered the allure of robust revenues. Sales growth always made their jobs so much fun. Why did they ever grow apart?(World's largest manufacturing companies - countrywise listing)(Cover Story)
June 1, 2004... THE SIGNS OF ROBUST GLOBAL MANUFACTURING GROWTH are everywhere within INDUSTRYWEEK'S annual ode to the top line. Exxon Mobil strengthened its position at No. 1 as the world's largest publicly traded manufacturing company. The petroleum giant...

Methodology: global ranking for a global playing field.
June 1, 2004... SINCE ITS LAUNCH NINE YEARS ago, the IW 1000 has reflected the fundamental reality of a world economy, that manufacturers' toughest competitors are not next door of down the street, but in Europe, Asia and South America, in addition to the...

Top performers by industry.(Manufacturing industries - industry-wise rankings)(Illustration)
June 1, 2004... TOP PERFORMERS BY INDUSTRY 2004 Revenue Profit Rank Company Growth Margin MOTOR VEHICLES 332 Porsche AG Germany ...

Simple systems for a complex world; simplify IT to boost performance and profits.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
June 1, 2004... On the front lines of manufacturing, the bottom line has always been about how efficiently an organization can manage its business processes. During simpler times, the approach was straightforward enough: customers placed orders, workers...

Jack of all, master of one: narrowing strategic focus to achieve competitive advantage.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
June 1, 2004... In an era when information technology dominates, it's easy to forget that today's enterprise systems are merely tools--albeit important ones--for driving improvement within an organization. Just as a machine enables a business to boost its...

The 7 keys to world-class manufacturing success.(Special Advertising Section)(Cover Story)
June 1, 2004... It's no secret that world-class results require a laser-like focus on key strategic initiatives. In today's 24/7 global economy, organizations that achieve success in these 7 areas are likely to emerge with a distinct competitive advantage. ...

The process of process improvement; business objectives must drive IT Evaluation.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
June 1, 2004... If there's a mantra for the 21st century, it's undoubtedly faster, cheaper, better. In every industry, from automotive to semiconductors, pharmaceuticals to transportation, there's greater pressure to perform. Automated processes and integrated...

Making dollars and sense from ROI.(Special Advertisement Section)(Advertisement)
June 1, 2004... Understanding ROI is at the heart and soul of any information technology expenditure. Yet, for harried executives, it is often a trip down the proverbial rabbit hole. Pulling together internal numbers and industry metrics and then calculating...

Brayton International: designs on success.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
June 1, 2004... Building furniture might seem like a fairly straightforward proposition. You take orders, route them to workers on the shop floor, who then assemble desks, tables, and seating products. But at Brayton International Inc., a $50 million High...

Bonney forge shows its mettle.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
June 1, 2004... In today's marketplace, information technology influences almost everything a manufacturer does. It drives product design, supply chain management, manufacturing, and more. Yet, when a company finds itself in acquisition mode and competing...

Hayes brake drives improvement.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
June 1, 2004... A few years ago, Mequon, WI-based Hayes Brake found itself in a position familiar to many midsized industrial manufacturers. The privately held producer of nonautomotive braking systems felt hindered by the inadequacies of an enterprise...

Think global, link global: harness the full power of today's information technology.(Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
June 1, 2004... 0ver the last decade, the workplace has changed in more ways than anyone could have ever predicted. The Industrial Age has evolved into the Information Age. Bits and bytes of data rocket around the globe 24 hours a day. In this highly...

The world's 1000 largest manufacturing companies; IndustryWeek's 9th annual list.(Illustration)(Cover Story)
June 1, 2004... THE WORLD'S LARGEST MANUFACTURING COMPANIES REVENUE NET INCOME '04 (US$ (US$ RANK COMPANY/COUNTRY MILLIONS) ...

The smart road to manufacturing success.(American manufacturing companies conference)(SMART conference )
June 1, 2004... SMART/mfg's meticulously selected keynotes, sessions, workshops, and networking events will show you how American manufacturing companies like your own have found practical ways to sell more, lower costs, compete more successfully with domestic...

Conference program.(Calendar)
June 1, 2004... SUNDAY, JUNE 13 5:00 pm-6:00 pm Opening Keynote: Gus Whalen, CEO, Warren Featherbone Company, and Chairman, Alexis PlaySafe, Inc. * If three years of recession, a painfully slow recovery and intense low-cost offshore...

The Mexicano connection: although China--with its cheap labor--may be a very attractive plant location for U.S. manufacturers, when all the costs of an extended pipeline are calculated, Mexico may still be the better option.(Globalization)
June 1, 2004... AN AMERICAN BUSINESS EXECUTIVE WAS ASKED IF HE'D EVER BEEN OUT OF THE COUNTRY. "SURE," HE REPLIED, "I'VE BEEN TO MEXICO." His inquisitor tartly stated, "That doesn't count; it's connected." Indeed, Mexico is. And if your business demands...

Heading for the clouds--again: will tech soar, only to crash once more?(E Commentary)
June 1, 2004... UH OH, JACK'S BACK. OR AT LEAST, the Beanstalk is. You remember the high-tech Beanstalk? The one we all got fooled into climbing, even when it grew well above the cloud layer a few years back? The one that finally collapsed of its own weight,...

Amgen's land of discovery: biotech leader opens R&D campus in Seattle to consolidate merger assets.(Amgen Inc.)
June 1, 2004... BIOTECHNOLOGY behemoth Amgen Inc., based in Thousand Oaks, Calif., further capitalized on its acquisition of Immunex Corp. with the opening of a $625 million research and development campus in Seattle in February. Dubbed "Helix," the...

Running under the yellow? New U.S. economic concerns emerge.(Performance)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... THE INDY 500 MAY NOT be the only time the yellow flag of caution comes out this year. Despite measured optimism, already there are reasons to be cautious about the U.S. economy's performance well beyond the 2004 Memorial Day auto race classic....

Tech strategy.(Bottom Line)(technology companies business strategies )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... CEOs are turning their sights toward strategies to grow their businesses, according to a recent survey by the Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) Group of Deloitte & Touche USA LLP. Indeed, the most recent Deloitte Technology Fast...

Partner in accident prevention: L'Or,al teams with OSHA to promote worker health and safety.(Wellness)
June 1, 2004... WHILE MANY MANufacturers likely see the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as a necessary evil, L'Or,al USA Inc. instead sees the U.S. regulatory body as a partner in safety. The U.S. subsidiary of Paris-based cosmetics...

Fine tuning the fast food lane: customer-care lessons abound, especially when mixing mass customization and drive-thru moments.(Continuous Improvement)
June 1, 2004... I'M HUNGRY, CAME THE CALL FROM THE back seat, in between running flora here to there. So we turned into a, drive-thru to pick up a kid s meal. I hadn't been through a drive-thru for a while, so it startled me at first when I was greeted by a...

Agilent Technologies Inc. has named May Van vice president and general manager of the Consumables and Services business within Agilent's Life Sciences and Chemical Analysis (LSCA) group.(People)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... * Agilent Technologies Inc. has named May Van vice president and general manager of the Consumables and Services business within Agilent's Life Sciences and Chemical Analysis (LSCA) group. LSCA's Consumables and Services business accounted for...

Aviall Inc.(People)(Sachin Taparia )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... * Sachin Taparia has joined Aviall Inc. as a senior manager of Supply Chain Operations. Previously, Taparia was a senior consultant at Xelus Inc.

Novo Nordisk.(People)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... * Novo Nordisk has appointed Alan C. Moses associate vice president of medical affairs in the United States. Moses comes to Novo Nordisk from the Joslin Diabetes Center and Joslin Clinic in Boston, where he was chief medical officer and senior...

The Steel Recycling Institute (SRI).(People)(Walter J. (Chip) Foley promoted)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... * The Steel Recycling Institute (SRI) has promoted Walter J. (Chip) Foley to the position of vice president of government relations. He will retain his duties as director of market development and public policy for the American Iron and Steel...

Shift to services continues: core manufacturing isn't making it.(On The Economy)
June 1, 2004... WHEN THE U.S. COMMERCE DEpartment s Bureau of Economic Analysis releases its first look at first-quarter 2004 corporate profit figures on May 27, they are expected to show that the ratio of after-tax profits to GDP rose to the highest rate...