The Bi-Weekly Newsletter of the Council of Industry
July 8, 2021
|
|
Manufacturing Industry News
|
|
Great Places to Work in the Hudson Valley:
Zierick Manufacturing Corporation
|
|
Zierick Manufacturing Corporation creates engineered interconnection solutions. The company produces electrical connectors, including surface mount connectors, through hole connectors, and interconnection hardware. Zierick primarily serves the Industrial Controls, Automotive, HVAC, Solid State Lighting, Medical and Security industries.
Located in Mount Kisco, NY, Zierick offers custom solutions and every part of the process is completed on site. Kerry Lynster, Special Projects Coordinator at Zierick, says this setup allows for employee cross training and flexibility in assigning specific roles. "We value people here more than anything else and we value quality," she says. "We like to work with people to accommodate them and use their talents to their advantage."
The small, family-owned company values its people. Zierick follows an open-door policy, which Lynster explains helps with communication between management and employees. "If you have an idea, management is willing to hear and listen to you," she says. Additionally, the company hosts an annual picnic and Christmas party.
Some of Zierick's more common roles for hire are in production. They are seeking manufacturing technician roles in the following departments: press, plating, assembly, and material handling. The company also offers an apprenticeship program.
Read more about Zierick here.
|
|
|
APPRENTICE PROGRAM
Email
to Learn more.
|
|
For information on advertising in this and other CI publications
|
|
9 Supply Chain Strategies for Tough Times
|
|
Supply chains are capacity-constrained and prices keep going up because people are spending on stuff v.s. experiences. The pressure is turning board meetings upside-down, related to material availability,freight costs, labor scarcity, container shortages, and more.The operational impact? Pick a headache: skyrocketing shipping costs ($20,000 for a 40’ container? Yep, it’s happening...), missed delivery schedules, tied-up working capital, heated customer service calls and more. What’s more many believe this is what the new normal will look like well into 2023.
|
|
How COVID-19 Helped These Organizations Push Ahead Of The Pack
|
|
In a matter of months, the COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed years of change in the way organizations operate. Faced with unprecedented disruption and urgent new demands, companies across all sectors and regions have accelerated their tech-driven transformations.
But not all of them approached this change in the same way. While most firms made new technology investments, a small minority went a step further. Recognizing that there can now be no leadership without technology leadership, they have compressed digital transformation with a more aggressive and progressive technology strategy—and reaped remarkable rewards by becoming “Masters of Change.”
|
|
Redefine Self-Care for Both Employees and Companies
|
|
All of us know that stress takes a terrible toll on our health and ultimately how we are able to perform our jobs. What we don’t know is how to figure out at what point stress will turn into anxiety and even depression which will affect both our personal and professional lives. While companies have tried a variety of methods to help employees, either through employee assistance programs (EAPs) or-- more recently due to the pandemic--more information and discussions about burnout, there is more that can be done.
“As companies did a great job pivoting during the pandemic, they must continue to do the same when it comes to self-care,” explains Robert Allen, CEO of New Dimensions Consulting Services and author of Self-care Let’s Start the Conversation. “As individuals, and as companies, we need to examine our levels of stress and chart a new course.” He describes the process as the 4r’s–Retreat, Reflect, Replenish and Regroup.
|
|
Cybersecurity Requires A Systemwide Approach
|
|
The Colonial Pipeline hack reveals that societies and economies are vulnerable to serious disruption, and physical harm, from accidental overreach by criminals. Ransomware exists to make money, usually through extortion from the private sector (or, sometimes, government agencies). When, as now, criminals launch unusually ambitious attacks on targets whose managers do not know exactly how their own systems work, then things can go wrong in dangerous ways. Companies will have to improve their knowledge of their own systems. Knowledge of operations, vulnerabilities, and remedies will be the starting point for building resilience. It will also enable companies to communicate effectively—to governments, regulators, customers, and the media—to build trust in the event of an incident.
|
|
Creating a Culture of Accountability
|
|
Accountability is an elusive attribute of a culture that all companies revere, frantically seek but rarely master. Those companies that successfully create a culture of true accountability achieve an uncommon alignment and focus resulting in a remarkable ability to master their own destiny. This seemingly nebulous attribute creates a powerful advantage to its masters.
Many companies cite lack of accountability as one of their top impediments to success, yet they seem unable to establish accountability despite their frustrations. If you conduct a root cause analysis you will uncover many contributors to this lack of accountability.
|
|
Graphene Aluminum-Ion Battery Charges 70 Times Faster Than A Lithium-Ion Battery
|
|
Brisbane-based Graphene Manufacturing Group (GMG) is building more sustainable batteries that are ultra-fast-charging, with a life up to three times longer than lithium-ion batteries, using technology developed at The University of Queensland (UQ). They’re graphene aluminum-ion batteries, no lithium required.
In experiments performed by the AIBN scientists at the UQ, coin cell prototypes delivered the following key performance figures:
- A power density of around 7,000 W/kg. (Power density quantifies how fast a cell can charge and discharge. To compare, current lithium-ion batteries sit between 250-700 W/kg, and ultra capacitors deliver around 12,000-14,000 W/kg.)
- An energy density of 150-160 Wh/kg, 60% of the energy per weight of the current best commercial lithium-ion cells. (The more significant the energy density, the more range you can get from your battery pack.)
The first of the two key performance figures, the monster charge rate, is the real head-turner for an EV manufacturer
|
|
How Does Scorching Heat Impact the Growing Trend Towards Vehicle Electrification?
|
|
As a historic heatwave hits the West Coast, it is straining the electric grid. And, for proponents of electric vehicles, it’s creates a bit of a conundrum. As the heatwave continued to build, the California ISO has asked residents to relieve pressure on the electric grid, in part by charging EVs at off peak times. This comes at a time when an aggressive move to build a robust EV industry is well underway, including the2035 target date to end sale of gas vehicles in California, events straining the utility grid could lead to limited mobility and high costs to charge.While this instance will be short lived, other events will transpire in the future, putting similar strains on the critical infrastructure. As with any initiative, hiccups are sure to surface, which often prompt innovative solutions–a defining characteristic for the U.S. manufacturing community. Of course, if these issues are not handled carefully, the result could be a huge catastrophe.
|
|
OSHA Updates N95 Mask FAQs
|
|
The Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration (OSHA) has updated its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the use of N95 face masks in the workplace with the intention of reducing the potential for workers of contracting the COVID-19 virus.The agency also has addressed its standards regarding respirators and particle size, and at the same time it explained how N95 respirators effectively protect wearers from coronavirus exposure given rumors that they are not effective in blocking the virus.
|
|
NYSDOL Publishes Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Standards and Model Plans For Various Industries
|
|
Council of Industry Associate member Bond Schoeneck and King report that on the evening of July 6, 2021, the NYS Department of Labor (DOL) published the long awaited “Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Standard” (Standard), a general “Model Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Plan,” and several industry specific model prevention plans as well.
Private employers in New York State now have 30 days, or until Aug. 5, 2021, to either adopt one of the model plans or develop an alternative plan that meets or exceeds the requirements in the Standard. Employers that choose to develop an alternative plan must adopt a plan pursuant to an agreement with the collective bargaining representative (if any), or where there is no collective bargaining representative, with meaningful participation of employees, for all aspects of the plan. Employers should carefully review the Standard and the applicable model prevention plan(s) and determine whether to adopt one of the model plans or develop and adopt a compliant alternative prevention plan.
|
|
What's Happening in Your Association
|
|
OHSA's Most Frequently Cited Industry Standards
|
|
This session educated participants on the Top 10 OSHA – “General Industry” violations from the year 2019-20 with an in-depth look on how to comply to these specific safety requirements. Year after year the top ten violations appear relatively unchanged. The webinar gave insight to these hazardous and costly issues.
Topics included:
- OSHA/ANSI/NFPA Standard reference understanding
- OSHA Interpretation letters and CLP
- Industry Best Practices
- QA/QC Member Forum
Presented by Jeffrey G. Malo, CUSP
Chazen, A LaBella Company | Health & Safety Compliance, Manager
|
|
For over 25 years, The Certificate in Manufacturing Leadership program has offered attendees a range of leadership skills through concentrations of courses. Participants who complete the required courses are presented with the Certificate in Manufacturing Leadership by the Council of Industry.
All courses are interactive half-day sessions (8:30 am to 12:30 pm) with scheduled breaks, networking, and group discussions. These courses are offered online and require participants to have a working webcam and audio.
Though participants are encouraged to complete the course series for the most comprehensive supervisory education, the Council welcomes individual course registration as well.
|
|
Business Council/NYS DOL Workforce Survey Results
|
|
In March 2021, the New York State Department of Labor and The Business Council of New York State partnered to conduct a comprehensive survey of New York State businesses focused on workforce development. They received 1,950 unique businesses responses to the survey, representing 8,355 business locations that employ more than 130,000 workers. The goals of this survey were to:
- Understand the current and anticipated future needs of the business community, specifically as they relate to hiring needs, skills gaps and training.
- Better outline, based on data, where and how to position resources related to training and hiring programs and initiatives.
The Business Council has extended an invitation to Council of Industry members to attend the Mid-Hudson remote regional stakeholder meeting. The virtual meetings will begin with the survey results, followed by a facilitated discussion of workforce development opportunities. The Mid-Hudson meeting is Tuesday, July 13, 2:00-3:30 PM
|
|
Global NY Grant Fund Helps Manufacturers Market Abroad
|
|
The Global NY Fund Grant Program is open to New York State small and medium-sized businesses and non-profit organizations seeking to create or expand exports of New York’s products and services to foreign markets. Since 2016 Empire State Development has allocated $2 million per year for the program, in which businesses may apply for grants up to $25,000 in funding. Some eligible expenses include market customization, trade shows and trade missions, export education, product adaptation and market certification.
GSGP's Trade Mission to South Korea and Japan
September 27–October 1, 2021
Join the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers trade mission to South Korea and Japan from September27-October 1, 2021. The mission delegation will make stops in Seoul and Tokyo. Each mission participant will receive a customized schedule of B2B meetings with prospective customers and business partners. Mission participants will also benefit from networking events and logistical support provided by the GSGP Trade Offices in South Korea and Japan.
USA Aerospace & Defense Showcase
On-going
Virtual platform hosted by Kallman Worldwide
The USA Aerospace and Defense Showcase is the world’s first Commercial Media Platform (CMP). It combines the centuries old mission of a trade show with the latest tools for online productivity and collaboration. Kallman Worldwide’s platform provides an industry specific digital marketplace that is purpose-built to facilitate commerce and trade. The Showcase is designed to help U.S. firms, large and small, connect with international aerospace and defense industry executives throughout the world, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Please contact a Global NY team member at mailto:globalny@esd.ny.gov for more information.
|
|
The Manufacturing Matters Podcast
|
|
Manufacturing Matters Podcast: Ron Lorentzen, General Manager,
Bantam Tools
|
|
|
In this episode, Harold King speaks with Ron Lorentzen, General Manager, Bantam Tools, about this fun, innovative and growing Hudson Valley manufacturer. Bantam Tools makes desktop CNC machines with professional reliability and precision, and they do it at an affordable price. The roughly 70-pound machines are easy to set up and work right out of the box. They are clean, safe, easy to use, and are rapidly finding their way into classrooms and laboratories around the county and the world.
|
|
|
Be a Guest on the Podcast!
|
|
The Council of Industry extends thanks to all Manufacturing Matters guests and listeners for their support. With more than 40 episodes released, we've documented countless conversations with local manufacturers.
In 2021, we're looking to introduce new faces to the podcast. If you or someone you know is involved in the Hudson Valley manufacturing sector and would like to be a guest on Manufacturing Matters, please contact Johnnieanne Hansen at jhansen@councilofindustry.org.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|