Artisan Manufacturing

I was touring an artisan manufacturing plant a few weeks ago and I noticed something that was initially very alarming. Rampant...

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7 Awesome Things About Being a Manufacturing Leader

What makes manufacturing leadership such a fun and dynamic career?

  1. Developing Employees: When a leader provides an environment that is...
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How to Walk the Shopfloor Floor with Intention

As a production Supervisor, walking the production floor is one of your most important tools for achieving results. This tool is...

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Exploring Our Industrial Heritage: Oklahoma City, OK (Part I)

The Model-T & Industry 4.0 (Part I)

A few months ago, I slept in a Ford Model-T plant in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (OKC). You may be...

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Exploring Our Industrial Heritage: Introduction

Tools for the Trenches is setting out on a journey to explore our industrial heritage. Manufacturing has been my career home for over 40...

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A Top Tip for Supervisor Effectiveness: Scheduled Shop Walks

I think manufacturing supervision is one of the most demanding jobs out there. Supervisors wrestle with the relentless demands of...

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How to Improve Productivity

Are you looking to improve manufacturing output, productivity and efficiency? If you follow these six-steps and you will be well on your...

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