Leadership and management are closely related; however, despite often being spoken of in the same breath, they are certainly not synonymous. If we use those terms interchangeably, we tend to behave as if these roles are interchangeable and equivalent. Doing so means we miss critical components of excellence within our organizations. Destination vs. the path [...]

The Outdoor Fabric Products Association of New Zealand (OFPANZ) will hold its 2019 Annual Conference at the Napier War Memorial Conference Center in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, on July 25-27. The conference will bring together a diverse range of speakers and workshops, offering a variety of educational, social and professional networking opportunities, including the annual [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

As marine fabricators, you sell both products and services, and sales proposals are probably part of your business. Proposals educate prospective customers, motivate them to buy, and ultimately inspire them to establish and deepen a business relationship with you. What makes a great sales proposal? For starters, it: Establishes your credibility, providing evidence to your [...]