Manufacturing Matters! Early-Bird Registration Now Open!

At WMEP, we've spent the past year working with manufacturers around the state, and the message we've gotten is loud and clear - business is booming, but opportunities are slipping away due to lack of skilled workers and the difficulty finding capital for growth. Based on these pressing needs and other feedback, we've built a powerful, one-day conference that puts manufacturers front and center.

Manufacturing Really Matters! connects manufacturers, government representatives, experts and educators to share thoughts and solutions to the issues that matter most. Check it out at www.manufacturingmatters.org

One day can make all the difference.

Wisconsin manufacturers continue to see growth with WMEP's assistance

State manufacturers assisted by the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP) continue to report growth and ongoing continuous improvement in their operations this past quarter, as per a recent survey.

Last quarter, WMEP-assisted companies reported:

102 jobs retained with an additional 82 new jobs created
$47 million in increased/retained sales
$3 million in cost savings
$6 million in increased investment towards plant/equipment, information systems, and workforce practices

The quarterly survey results show a steady increase in economic impact and jobs created by manufacturers for 2011.

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CEOs Recommend Non-traditional Talent Sources

Manufacturers are leading the economic recovery, yet face the dilemma of constraining their growth due to the lack of skilled workers.

A recent Lunch & Learn event in Madison hosted by WMEP, brought together more than 40 manufacturers and economic development organizations to hear from manufacturing leaders about their unique approaches to the issue.

Steve Dyer, president & CEO of Dickten Masch Plastics, Steve Ostrenga, CEO of Helios Solar Works, John Scocos, Secretary of the WI Department of Veterans Affairs and Stephanie Borowski, Executive Director of Second Chance Partners for Education shared their insights and experience working with high school students and veterans to help fill critical job openings.

If you ship, check out this Ocean Rate Update

from Jerry Hahn of LogiServe®

Eastbound ocean container rates from Asia are going up - again. Coming off 2011 where December had the lowest rates in almost 2 years, the 15 carriers in the Trans-Pacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA) are seeking to end the huge losses with General Rate Increases (GRI's) passed on to all parties despite rate contracts.

There was a US$400 per 40-foot container (FEU) increase in January, a projected increase of US$300 per FEU effective March 15th and another US$500 per FEU increase to the west coast (US$700 per FEU for inland points) proposed increase for May 1st. The January and March increases would bring rates back to pre-2011 levels and hopefully stop the bleeding. Bunker fuel prices are separate and also approaching record levels seen in mid-2008.

Whether the rate increases proposed will stick in their entirety is uncertain but they will definitely increase in part. The rate recovery is necessary to maintain service levels and carrier viability but the big question is by how much. May 1st is the normal date when new carrier contracts take place. You may want to review your landed costs.