Mathew Rice was frustrated last year when he couldn’t find anyone near his Fremont, Ohio, home who could make an enclosure for his Maxum 2800 Sport Cruiser without at least a three-month wait. So Rice decided to purchase the necessary equipment, get some training and do the job himself. “I told my wife, ‘I’m going [...]

It’s an unwelcome responsibility, but almost every business owner and manager will eventually come face-to-face with the disagreeable task of terminating one or more employees. “Firing people is one of the toughest, most unpleasant things you do as an employer,” says James Walsh in his book Rightful Termination (Merritt Publishing 2006). “Your stomach tightens and [...]

If yours is a typical manufacturing shop, workers’ compensation costs—or the threat of them—can quickly become a major expense. Almost every business in the United States that has employees must deal with the cost of workers’ compensation, so you’re not alone in this potentially damaging liability. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help [...]

These days every new employee brings a possible threat to your business, including theft, sexual harassment, physical violence, identity theft, fraud and drug use. The potential for ruinous legal actions is higher today than ever before. That’s why a background check before you hire an applicant could save your business. It’s essential that background checks [...]

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 [...]

Ask an average person, “Would you voluntarily do something that is unethical or illegal?” Generally, he or she will reply something like, “Heavens, no!” People naturally prefer to do the right thing. However, when faced with enough pressure, some people will be tempted to cross the line. In my work as a professional ethics consultant [...]

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 [...]