Articles in this Nov-Dec 2008 Issue:
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Visitors: The stories (text-only) are below.
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President's Message - Back to the Top
Ramblings from the Top
I was sitting on the front stoop of the house the other day, sipping out of a paper bag filled with a bottle of ripple, and wondering where all the cars, trucks and people were. It seemed strangely quiet. I had heard that there were many out of work, that although the cost of fuel for cars came down that transportation cost went up. Tolls on highways, bridges, tunnels, subways and trains increased. My, my what could be happening. There was an article about a plant in Chicago that closed but the three hundred workers refused to leave, another meat packing business closed because most of the workers were arrested because they were in this country illegally. I guess there weren’t any American citizens that needed a job. Oh well, I'm not discouraged, I'm just confused.
Over two hundred politicians at the federal, state, county and municipal levels in our state have been convicted of stealing in all kinds of ways, some slapped on the hands, some to jail, but the many who remain are still not doing the work for the people who elected them. Take the recently passes family leave bill (please). You have to wonder why, after the New Jersey's business community voiced their opposition to the bill, that it that it passed 21 to 15 with two state senators abstaining. Why did they not vote for or against? Why did 63,000 emails expressing opposition for the bill go unheeded? Look at who wrote the bill and who sponsored it. I was recently invited to a cocktail party given by the author of the bill. I chose not to attend, nor will I support any politician who does not favor the business community, nor should you.
On the 15th of December, NJTMA participated in "Made In New Jersey Day", where we showcased some of the products made by our member companies. The event, sponsored by the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, was held at the State House and many of the state's political leaders had the opportunity to learn what really goes on in the manufacturing sector of the state of New Jersey. We stressed to them that over 70% of the work force in New Jersey is in the small business sector and many of them need NJTMA member companies to produce parts and tooling to enable them (and us) to flourish.
We explained how we have plants that make thirty foot long antenna for submarines, antenna for satellites. Tools as small as a 1” drill taps that allow you to turn your faucet in the sink and have water, shell cutters that allow sewer lines to bring waste water to the sea, or processing plants. My thanks to the contributing member shops for allowing us to display and discuss your products.
During the past year we have done a lot of networking with other organizations in and around our state. On January 13, 2009, we are having a joint meeting with the Philadelphia/Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Tooling Association (NTMA), which is currently being led by Bob Gaum of Gaum Incorporated. During the course of the evening we will have the opportunity to tour two plants in central Jersey ending with dinner at a great restaurant. You should have already received the flyer regarding this event. Please plan to attend what promises to be a very interesting evening and a great opportunity for networking. If we are to survive in the current business climate we need all the friends and contacts we have and then some.
This past October, our Governor proposed a series of measures to help stimulate our ailing economy, promote job growth and reduce selected taxes on businesses. Some of these have already been enacted into law. Although, in my estimation, these measures are not the cure-all for our businesses, these and other recently enacted or proposed legislation is a start in the right direction. We must continue to press our legislators to do more for manufacturing in New Jersey
Remember our troops in harm's way. Over 40,000 are from our own state, the great state of New Jersey. Support our troops and pray for their safe return.
And finally, I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
CAN DO, LETS GO!
Tony LaMastra, NJTMA President
Hone-A-Matic Tool & Cutter Co.
sales@honeamatic.com
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Do Manufacturing Woes Point to The End of An Era? - Back to the Top
How many people do you know who go to work each day and make something you can hold or touch? In most places, probably not many. America doesn't build like it used to. Services R Us seem to be where we are all headed.
Not even in our state Capitol, where the bold sign on a railroad bridge spanning the Delaware River, boldly boasts "Trenton Makes And The World Takes", harking back to when it made rubber, wristwatches, parachutes, linoleum, armaments, glassware, fine china, toilets, cars, wall plaster, farm tools, mattresses and cigars. Now it makes policy and bureaucracy, mostly employing people in state and local government. In New Jersey, one worker in 10 makes something, down from one in two in 1950. So it goes around the country. Not quite one worker in 10 is manufacturing.
In the past, somewhere at some point, automation always seemed to lead to more jobs. Now it seems to lead nowhere. Workers used to think: It's OK, it's leading to the next industrial revolution. But now the word on the street is: There isn't going to be a next industrial revolution.
To be sure, America still makes more than we think it does. The products are less visible, unless you have a semiconductor on your holiday list.
America's biggest exports in recent years has been commercial aircraft and parts, worth over $100 billion last year. Next comes autos and auto parts, worth $80 billion, both from domestic and foreign factories in the U.S. Earth-moving equipment and MRI scanners are other examples of high-end products still made in the USA.
U.S. manufacturers make more with fewer people. Some 3 million manufacturing jobs - nearly one in four - have been lost since 2000 while productivity has gone up. The service sector drives 80 percent of the economy. That's schlepping fast food, processing information technology and a lot in between.
The industrial economy was built by bombastic corporate and union leaders working together and at head-butting odds during decades of negotiation, strikes and sometimes bloody confrontation. Now, after all that, it appears that the Nation's industrial age is coming to an end, job by outsourced job, industry by archaic industry.
Let the bailouts begin.
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A New NJTMA Member Offers Energy Cost Reduction Options for NJ Manufacturers - Back to the Top
Rising electricity and natural gas prices are cutting further into the working capital and bottom line of New Jersey manufacturers. Locally, energy prices have increased over 40% since 2003.
Recently, wholesale power has become available in this area. Metromedia Energy, Inc. is one of the largest and most experienced firms in the energy industry. MME is a local company, with headquarters in Eatontown, NJ. MME serves over 15,500 clients from D.C. to Maine.
MME is an independent supplier, not affiliated with any utility and offers flexible, cost-reduction options for natural gas and electricity. Short and long-term fixed and variable price terms are available, as well as, rebate programs for qualified energy consumers.
The mission of MME is to provide the highest level of customer satisfaction while reducing energy expenditures.
NJTMA members are invited to receive a free cost-savings analysis by calling your local representative. Klaudet Ristovski can be reached directly at (732) 440-0006. Metromedia Energy, Inc. makes it easy to switch and easy to save.
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Need Help? Call NJMEP - Back to the Top
The New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP) is a not-for-profit organization charged with assisting New Jersey's small and medium sized manufacturers to become more productive, profitable, and globally competitive. NJMEP's clients are generally small or medium sized, home grown, family owned businesses that make things by adding value, and use degrees of high tech materials, people, processes or technology in running their
operations.
NJMEP has field agents that cover every county in New Jersey. Each has both academic training and professional experience in a technical field. All have private sector management experience. NJMEP's field agents have access to all of the technical and business management resources available through New Jersey's academic institutions and within our state's extraordinary diversified private sector. NJMEP can provide services to each manufacturer based on their individual needs. Some examples of the services they offer are plant layout, R & D Tax credit analysis, Reducing Energy consumption, strategic planning, evaluation of computer software and info systems, marketing and sales development, material testing and analysis, employee recruitment, retention and training, R&D, inventory control, financial analysis, website development, automation and robotics, CAD drawing development, ISO 9000: Gap analysis and environmental analysis.
There are many other services NJMEP can provide which are determined by your needs.. NJMEP’s field agents frequently begin a client association with a "no out of pocket cost" assessment tool such as QuickView™ (a facilitated management self-assessment and benchmarking of all aspects of a business), a marketing assessment and/or a Lean Opportunity Assessment (a benchmarked comparison of operating costs and ratios). If a company identifies an opportunity or need through one of these assessments or ongoing operations, a field agent can introduce one of 200 functional experts and develop a proposal for the client. Remember, there is no cost for the initial visit or any of their assessments. The only investment is your time.
NJMEP’s 1500 + clients have realized the following: 1,103 New Jobs, 4,171 Retained Jobs, $160,352,400 in New Sales, • $282,818,270 in Retained Sales and $60,571,476 in Operating Efficiencies. As a matter of fact, several NJTMA member companies have utilized the services of NJMEP.
NJMEP's strategy is to produce incremental change in the productivity and profitability of New Jersey's small and medium sized manufacturers over and above what would have occurred without the MEP program. One of their key objectives is to keep New Jersey's manufacturing base strong and dynamic.
The NJMEP web site (www.njmep.org) provides additional information and Field Agents are available to visit and begin an interaction.
A representative of NJMEP will be a guest speaker at one of our upcoming dinner meetings. Look for the announcement and plan to attend.
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New Jersey Machine Shops, Industrial Distributors and Manufacturers Find New Customers On-line - Back to the Top
Industrial Leaders, creator of the Buy American website (http://www.industrialleaders.com/reviews), a B2B blog for the manufacturing and engineering community has launched a new report to help industrial suppliers in New Jersey find new customers on the Web. The company said the report provides trade leads, on-line industrial marketing resources and business opportunities for machine shops, industrial distributors, manufacturers and other suppliers of industrial goods and services in the state of New Jersey.
The site provides direct access to Live RFQs from pre-qualified national and international engineers and other industrial buyers in need of custom-made products and other manufacturing services as well as various industrial materials, tools and equipment at http://www.industrialleaders.com/mfg.html. The RFQs are suitable for job shops and custom manufacturers nationwide and are available for manufacturers based in Newark, Toms River, Trenton, Camden, Clifton, East Orange, Elizabeth, Jersey City, Paterson and other cities and towns throughout New Jersey.
The New Jersey Industrial Supply Marketing Report is free to access for all manufacturers and distributors in the state at http://industrialleaders.com/reviews/?p=587. Buy American and Industrial Leaders is dedicated to promoting U.S. based manufacturers and exporters of industrial goods across the globe in the effort to create jobs and help boost the country's lagging economy.
IndustrialLeaders.com, the 'American Industrial Marketplace' connects buyers and suppliers of industrial supplies, equipment and machinery throughout North America with emphasis on Canada and the United States. The primary focus of Industrial Leaders is to promote American manufacturers overseas at
www.IndustrialLeaders.com
Check these sites out today.
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NJTMA Welcomes our New Member - Back to the Top
Professional Associate Member: Federated Insurance NJTMA Welcomes a new Professional Member, Federated Insurance, 24 Gunpowder Drive, East Brunswick , NJ 08816. Contact: Sam Rockaway
T: 732-221-5318, FAX 732-387-8805, Commercial Insurance, Estate Planning
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Advertising In TAD
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Our newsletter is not only circulated to our member companies, it also gets delivered to a list of prospects. Both of which may benefit from your products and services. But, these individuals can’t find you if they do not know you are out there! Advertising in our newsletter is an excellent way to let people know whom you are, what you do and where to reach you! We urge you take advantage of this opportunity!
See the TAD Newsletter Advertising page for more details.
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