Tax relief for equipment

September 1, 2013  |  Features, Management

Thanks to the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, managers, executives and owners who have hesitated or postponed making capital investments for their marine fabrication businesses through the recent economic downturn might now want to consider how the use of those tax incentives and others alread…
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Eye of the needle

September 1, 2013  |  Features, Management

Bread and butter. Life blood. Members of the family. Call them what you will, industrial sewing machines are fabricators’ best friends—or, perhaps on a bad day, their worst enemies. Fabricators, manufacturers and suppliers tell us what’s new and what’s still working. Opinions abound about lu…
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The do’s and don’ts of online discussion groups

July 1, 2013  |  Management

So why bother to join one of those online discussion groups? If you think a group is just one more dreaded task, you’re mistaken. Think for a moment about the insight and ideas you gleaned from your last professional conference. Or the practical tips colleagues give you on the telephone every …
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Successful succession planning

July 1, 2013  |  Features, Management

Sooner or later, everyone contemplates retirement. For those who own a closely held or family-owned fabrication business, retirement is more than just a matter of deciding to not go to work anymore. In addition to ensuring there will be enough money to retire, business owners, shareholders and partn…
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Contingency plan: An unexpected breakup leads to solo success

July 1, 2013  |  Features, Industry News, Management

“I think the most significant lesson I’ve learned over the past couple of years is not to get too comfortable,” says Cindy Boersema, owner of The Nautical Needle in Holland, Mich. “Being a business owner is not about relying on others to always be there to work for you and with you—bec…
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Handling online criticism

May 1, 2013  |  Management

The right—and quick—response can salvage your digital reputation. By Rebecca Kennedy Imagine this: You’re surfing the web some morning, and a flurry of negative posts about your business or product line pops up. The criticism could come from a consumer website, a blog, a social-med…
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Marketing in the digital age

May 1, 2013  |  Features, Management

Like all things, marketing products and services have changed over the past decade. A typical marketing campaign of yesteryear for a small business involved direct mail, print ads, radio and billboard advertising, flyers, posters and listings in the Yellow Pages. Today, 98 percent of consumers sear…
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Creating a dream shop

May 1, 2013  |  Features, In the Shop, Management

Steve Jobs started Apple in his parents’ garage. Amazon, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Mattel and Microsoft also began in garages. Dell and Facebook began in dorm rooms. And Virgin Group’s humble beginnings trace back to an old church crypt. Like Jobs, Larry Schneider founded a company in his parents…
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Tech blows in

May 1, 2013  |  Features, Management

OK, you’re afloat in the Bahamas. The enclosure protecting your pilot house blows out. You need a fix right away. Wind, waves, weather—it happens all the time, but replacement isn’t always easy. In many such cases, an enclosure must be fitted carefully to your specific boat. So, stuck there in…
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Selling through to the end

March 1, 2013  |  Features, Industry News, Management

Solid customer relationships is the underlying goal in successful sales. By Barb Ernster Sales strategies might serve different objectives and involve different tactics, but for the most part they are universal to businesses of any size, follow the same trends, and transcend industries. Building sol…
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