Gardner Business Index shows slow expansion in third quarter
By: Michael Guckes, Former Chief Economist & Director of Analytics
The Gardner Business Index (GBI) closed September at 58.0. Employment, production, new orders and backlog activity all registered slowing expansion during September.
Infrastructure bill's hidden permitting gem
Edited by Margo Ellis, Former Editor, Valve Magazine
Amid the swirl of discussion around how much should be spent on infrastructure and whether the bill can pass a divided Congress, legislative policy observers have missed a brief, somewhat technical provision with the punch to materially impact U.S. infrastructure policy in an extraordinarily helpful way, reported The Hill on Sept. 29.
Supply chains impacted by shortage of workers
Edited by Chris Pasion, Managing Editor, Modern Machine Shop | Production Machining
Fixing supply chain woes will be a long process, and many of the problems currently being experienced are due to a lack of labor. Technological advances such as automation and artificial intelligence will help companies find a solution.
#automation
Petrochemical shortages are causing prices to skyrocket
Edited by Chris Pasion, Managing Editor, Modern Machine Shop | Production Machining
Analysts are expecting petrochemical shortages to last well into 2022.
Reshoring initiative projects annual records
Edited by Chris Pasion, Managing Editor, Modern Machine Shop | Production Machining
If this year stays on track, then the Reshoring Initiative projects reshoring and foreign direct investment job announcements for 2021 will be over 220,000 — 38% above 2020.
Study: usage of 3D printing for manufacturing sees big growth
By: Heather Caliendo, Senior Editor
The survey of practicing engineers found that 88% of respondents now use 3D printing/additive manufacturing in some way, and the technology is increasingly being used for the production of finished parts.
Intel breaks ground on two new chip factories in Arizona
Edited by Margo Ellis, Former Editor, Valve Magazine
From left: Keyvan Esfarjani, Intel senior vice president, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger and Arizona Gov.
Private sector output hit with supply chain and capacity issues
Edited by Margo Ellis, Former Editor, Valve Magazine
Private sector firms in the U.S. signaled a solid expansion in output during September, albeit at the slowest pace for a year and one that was much softer than that seen at the start of the summer, as reported in a press release from IHS Markit.
Coping with Supply Disruption and Demand Volatility
Manufacturers are currently experiencing unprecedented disruption of the supply chain on both the supplier side and the customer side.
Industrial production increased 0.4 percent in August
Edited by Margo Ellis, Former Editor, Valve Magazine
As reported by the Federal Reserve on Sept. 15, industrial production increased 0.4% in August after moving up 0.8% in July.