Company News
10 Great Things about People You don’t like. Click to keep reading…
If you’re in a leadership role, or part of a functional team at work, you should check out this blog post on the value of including people that you don’t like in the mix. Carl Jung said “the meeting of two personalities is like the...
24 January, 20192019: Ten Trends to Watch. Click to keep reading…
Here are some of the trends and stories to watch for in 2019, according to the Kiplinger Letter: GDP – growth will slow in 2019 to 2.5% (versus 2.9% in 2018). Growth will also slow in Q4 2019, as the jobless rate will inhibit firms...
24 January, 2019Apprenticeship Redux. Click to keep reading…
Expect the Department of Labor to propose new rules surrounding apprenticeships sometime this fall. The change will allow industry-led groups to certify apprenticeship programs that will augment the existing state and federal system. Work-based learning programs could be certified by trade and profe
03 October, 2018Attitude of Gratitude. Click to keep reading…
When you cultivate gratitude you’ll sleep better, feel happier, be more empathetic, and strengthen your resilience. Gratitude can rewire your brain and activate the release of dopamine and serotonin. With practice, you can retrain your brain to deflect negative thoughts. Here’s how you can cultivate
03 October, 2018Autonomous Cars? Yes. They’re a thing. Click to keep reading!
The rise of autonomous cars is upon us. Although some of us might feel like the Jetson’s era was just a kitschy cartoon, self-driving cars are likely to change the urban landscape. If we use self-driving cars the same way that we currently use passenger...
22 August, 2018Continuous Improvement is a Mindset. Click to keep reading…
Happy New Year 2019. 2018 was a fantastic year for most businesses – mine included. Thank you to all our customers for the business you placed with our group over the past year(s). As we look forward to 2019, expectations are that this is...
24 January, 2019Deficit Debacle. Click to keep reading…
It’s expected that the budget deficit will expand to $1 trillion in 2019, almost 5% of GDP. While the deficit topped out at $1.4 trillion in 2009, that occurred during a recession, versus today’s long-running expansion. There are many factors that are contributing to the...
27 December, 2018Energy Costs in 2019
Expect that energy costs will be somewhat higher in 2019 compared to 2018. Crude oil prices will continue to rise, with U.S. crude averaging $70/barrel. Gas prices are also inching up and will average $2.90 to $3 next year. Natural gas prices will remain stable,...
27 August, 2018Fitness and big data. Click to keep reading…
Life insurance companies are beginning to offer rewards to customers that track their fitness activity using wearable trackers (like Fitbit and the Apple Watch). Insurers like fitness buffs, as they are likely to live longer and are probably more health-conscious, and less risky to cover....
27 December, 2018Foreign in a Domestic Sense. Click to keep reading…
As many employers struggle to fill job vacancies, displaced Puerto Ricans are being recruited for jobs in the U.S. Industries that hire workers via temporary visas are having an especially hard time filling positions, and find hiring Puerto Ricans a solution that helps alleviate the...
14 September, 2018Happy Holidays
Hosting family over the holidays? Invited to a holiday brunch? Download this recipe for a delicious Cranberry Coffee Cake. It makes the perfect hostess gift.
21 November, 2018Labor shortage. Millennials and the future. Click to keep reading…
Employers all over the country are struggling to find qualified job candidates. Many of our principals find it very challenging to find quality people for all different types of manufacturing positions. As the economy continues to grow and companies are trying to increase productivity to...
28 August, 2018Libra Industries: NIST SP800-171 Compliant
Libra Industries, an electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider, is pleased to announce that it is now compliant with Special Publication 800-171 – “Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Information Systems and Organizations” – from the National Institute of Standards a
27 December, 2018Manufacturing in 2019. Click to keep reading…
While manufacturing is in the midst of a very solid year, a few storm clouds are gathering in the sky. Rising interest rates will inhibit the availability of credit. The strict immigration policies will continue to make it difficult to find skilled workers in a...
03 October, 2018Mars revealed. Click to keep reading…
If you’ve been wondering what NASA has been up to, it turns out they have been busy trying to get a lander to Mars. The InSight spacecraft survived a descent through Mars’ atmosphere, and landed on the surface on November 26, 2018. NASA was able...
04 December, 2018Practice with Deliberation. Click to keep reading…
We have all heard the old adage “Practice makes perfect.” Malcolm Gladwell’s 2008 book, Outliers: The Story of Success, touted 10,000 as the ‘magic number’ of hours someone needs to devote to their craft to become an expert. A pioneer in the study and science...
06 November, 2018Product Launch Pacing. Click to keep reading…
Researchers at Georgia State University, V. Kumar and his colleagues, considered how Apple, the most successful company in the world, launched products to the marketplace. They studied the relationship between the frequency of product launches, how unique the product is and the valuation of the...
27 August, 2018Smart Manufacturing. Click to keep reading…
Staying aware of market and industry trends is vital to remaining competitive and relevant for any organization. In the manufacturing world, there has been a strong push towards “Smart Manufacturing”, and as a result we are finding factories increasing efficiencies, reducing down time and therefore;
12 October, 2018Surf clean in 2019. Click to keep reading…
Here are some great tips on avoiding hackers, data breaches and malware attacks in 2019: Set boundaries and stick with them. Decide upfront what data you are willing to share online, and stick with your limits. When you install new apps, use your own rules...
24 January, 2019Tariff Showdown. Click to keep reading…
As an economic strategy, tariffs can be an effective way to test your trading partner’s willingness to retaliate. Ethan Harris, head of global economics at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, says “The act of putting on tariffs teaches you something about the other side.” While...
27 August, 2018Thixomolding. Click to keep reading…
The thixomolding process is similar to plastic injection molding using magnesium alloy in place of a plastic resin. This technology creates ultra thin, light-weight components with high precision and tighter tolerances than casting. Some of the highlights of magnesium thixomolding include: Strength
06 November, 2018Today’s Relationship Building. Click to keep reading…
While so much of our everyday lives are conducted online, it is still important to me to build personal relationships while doing my job. An early reliance on automation can hinder the development of an authentic and genuine personal connection. Admittedly, I did not...
06 November, 2018Trade war woes. Click to keep reading…
Touted as the new NAFTA, President Trump struck a deal with Mexico and Canada in September, 2018. The USMCA (U.S-Mexico-Canada) agreement will ensure the continuation of cross-border commerce among the three countries. The new agreement includes changes to the rules of origin percentage for the...
06 November, 2018Trump vs. China. Click to keep reading…
Here’s an interesting take on the Trump vs. China trade war that is starting to impact business in the U.S. The New York Times Thomas Friedman contends that the trouble with China is the market access barriers that China implemented over the past forty years....
04 December, 2018
