September 1, 2018
Last December’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) not only slashed tax rates, it also enacted rules that allow businesses to treat as an expense and immediately write off more—including 100 percent temporary expensing for certain assets. This means adding needed equipment, vehicles or even a new shop building is now a lot more affordable. …
March 1, 2018
No matter where in the world we run our businesses, we aspire to be successful, profitable and happy. We have either started the business from nothing, purchased an existing enterprise or taken the reins of the family business. Often, we begin with limited skills, have minimal formal industry training and largely “learn by our mistakes.” …
March 28, 2017
It’s one thing to find qualified workers; it’s another to keep them happy in their jobs. Inman Mills has a 116-year history as a textiles manufacturer, now staffing three plants with 700 employees. The Inman, S.C.-headquartered company enjoys a low turnover rate and, in fact, has employees who have been with the company for 40 …
January 1, 2017
Modern, targeted cyberattacks can take any organization by surprise. And these targeted cyberattacks are increasingly widespread. CBS Money Watch reported in June 2015 that more than 80 percent of U.S. companies have been successfully hacked, according to a Duke University/CFO Magazine Global Business Outlook Survey. According to the CBS report, “Successful attacks by hackers involved …
The Time Standards Manual was developed in 1996 by the Marine Fabricators Association (MFA), a division of the Industrial Fabrics Association International, to serve as a benchmark shop owners can use to set fabrication times, with which they can generate competitive labor costs. The manual is an ongoing project that will grow and change organically …
July 1, 2016
If you are a marine fabricator who lives in a cold climate, you need to make the most of warm months when customers are motivated to get their boats in tip top condition. Those warm months are when you can expect a healthy infusion of cash, but that cash has to be carefully budgeted for …
June 14, 2016
These days, customers are driving the marine fabrication industry to move faster, and that means finding opportunities to make every stage of production move as quickly as possible. In fact, many marine technological advances have emerged, in part, because of end users’ feedback. “We are constantly working to improve how easy it is to pattern, …
June 7, 2016
Like many manufacturing industries, marine fabricators continually struggle with maintaining the right mix and amount of inventory to use in the production of their custom products. Sure, you can invest in comprehensive inventory management software to translate your inventory management into effective production processes. However, other inventory techniques can also result in an improved bottom …
May 1, 2016
Every marine fabrication business faces an increasing amount of red tape in the form of rules, regulations, fees and taxes. At the same time enforcement on every level is becoming more aggressive and issue-focused—with even more costly results. Experienced fabricators know that tax mistakes are sometimes inevitable. Fortunately, a combination of unique tax write-offs and …
March 1, 2016
As you sell products or services, you might find yourself preparing a number of different types of sales proposals: Unsolicited proposal. A proposal that you initiate solely as a prospecting tool. Usually (although not always), you’ll speak to the customer before you submit it. RFP response. This is a proposal generated after you receive a …