Quality
Magazine - A new white paper prepared by the Hollings Manufacturing
Extension Partnership (MEP) Board discusses the state of domestic
manufacturing and the characteristics of good manufacturers, and plots a
course to improve the competitiveness of manufacturing in the United
States. The MEP is managed by the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST). The Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory
Board (MEPAB) is an external advisory body created to provide guidance
and advice on the MEP program from the perspective of industrial
extension customers and providers who have a vision of industrial
extension with a national scope.
Resolving the competitive disadvantages that U.S. manufacturers face is similarly nuanced. Although many observers have pointed to innovation as the key characteristic of successful companies, the report finds that innovation alone is not enough. To be meaningful, innovation must result in new products, new production processes, or new management practices. Manufacturers also need to be green, care about their workforce and develop their in-house talent, and find their niche in the global marketplace.
To read the full, original article click on this link: The NACFAM Weekly: NIST-MEP White Paper Assesses the Present and Future of American Manufacturing
Author: Paul Fowler
