This Week's Herman Trend Alert Purpose Emerging as Important Driver of Engagement

The Herman Trend Alert July 27, 2011 Manufacturing Technology Soars Recently, the United States received some very good news: manufacturing technology orders are up. . .way up. The American Machine Tool Distributors' Association (AMTDA) and the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT) jointly compile the United States Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) report. These data represent the production and distribution of manufacturing technology, defined as orders for domestic and imported machine tools and related equipment. This analysis provides a reliable leading economic indicator because manufacturing industries invest in capital metalworking equipment to increase capacity and improve productivity. Nationally, USMTO reports an increase of 108.0 percent in 2011 over 2010. These numbers and all data in this report are based on the totals of actual data reported by companies participating in the USMTO program. "The . . . level [achieved] signifies a very healthy demand still in place, as we head toward the close of the second quarter," said Peter Borden, AMTDA President. US manufacturing technology orders are also reported on a regional basis for five geographic areas of the United States. Though each area reported orders better than last year, the clear leader was the Midwest with an increase of 168.5 percent more than the comparable figure for 2010. Having conducted some research into this field, we believe that advanced manufacturing is the best hope for reviving the manufacturing sector. Embracing automation as part of the culture is vital. We have seen too many clients give up in frustration and walk away from thousands of dollars (sometimes millions) invested in new software and systems. Often the solution to getting the software to work properly lies in training the people who have to interface with it. It also lies in taking ample time to make the decision in the beginning. Caveat emptor. (Let the buyer beware!) Before investing in any new technology, do your homework. Talk with others in your industry and make sure it really works---and can do what you want it to do. This uptick in manufacturing technology orders also bodes well for any country's economy with this kind of an increase and for US competitiveness. However, for the US this growth is only the beginning. We have a long way to go. © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." WHO SENDS OUT YOUR NEWSLETTERS? We are convinced there is no better choice than ours! We have happily used DataBack Systems to deliver The Herman Trend Alert for over 10 years and. Visit their website (http://www.databack.com) or call Byron directly at 503.941.0427. You'll be glad you did. IS YOUR EMPLOYER AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE®? Our effective, onsite seminars, workshops, and consulting can help you get there. We offer 1-, 2-, 3-hour, and full-day programs to help you communicate what it takes to become an Employer of Choice® and inspire your folks to get it done. In the future, being an Employer of Choice® will not be optional. Call Carol at 336-210-3547 to arrange a no-obligation conference call. Or order the electronic version of the Employer of Choice book on your desktop for only $17.80 @ http://hermangroup.com/store/books_all.html#2. STRUGGLING TO FIND THE PEOPLE YOU NEED? VETJOBS CAN HELP! Recently, hundreds of thousands of jobs remain unfilled due to a lack of capable people. If you are looking for qualified candidates, you need to hire a veteran using VFW-sponsored VetJobs, the largest military employment site on the Internet. Thousands of returning veterans are looking for good jobs now. Mention this ad in The Herman Trend Alert and receive a 10% discount on job postings. Call Ted Daywalt at 877-838-5627 or inquire at info@VetJobs.com. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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