Is Your Company Stuck In The Muck?
By George Hedley Is your business growing and giving you the results you wanted when you first started your entrepreneurial journey? Or are you stuck in the muck and can’t seem to get moving? As small companies begin to grow, they get bogged down, hit challenges, and find roadblocks that hold them back. These include
Elgin Industries Receives Eighth Consecutive ‘Preferred Partner’ Award from JASPER Engines & Transmissions
Forthe eighth consecutive year, Elgin Industries has received the“Preferred Partner” Award from JASPER Engines & Transmissions,North America’s largest remanufacturer of gasoline and dieseldrivetrain components. The award was presented to Elgin National Salesand Marketing Manager Rick Simko during JASPER’s Preferred PartnersBanquet held Sept. 10, in Jasper, IN. Elgin, which supplies a wide array of precision-engineered
Ohio Technical College Celebrates 40 Years of Automotive Training
Alot has changed in the world of automotive technology since 1969, withV8 muscle cars making way for high-tech hybrids and the days ofdo-it-yourself repairs being replaced by professional technicianservice. The same holds true for leading automotive school OhioTechnical College, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary as apremier provider of hands-on technical training. This milestone
Top 10 Tips for On the Job Safety
Are you working safely? While no one starts the day off thinking “Today I’ll ignore basic safety procedures and put myself – and my employer – at risk,” letting your guard down around equipment and heavy metallic objects (such as those in any engine building or machining facility) can result in an accident. Timberland PRO,
Manage, Lead, Train or Educate?
Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of management material that was written by Peter Drucker, who is generally recognized as “the father of modern management.” His style leans toward understanding relationships within management teams and bringing out the best in people to produce excellent results. This leads me to ask, if you were to evaluate
Mexican Manufacturer, Manufacturas Diversas to Acquire ROL’s Engine Gasket Division
ROLManufacturing has announced an agreement with Manufacturas DiversasS.A. de C.V. whereby Manufacturas Diversas will acquire the assets ofROL’s Engine Gasket division in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Theassets to be acquired relate to manufacturing and distribution of thedivision. Manufacturas Diversas plans to operate this business in theU.S. and Canada under the name ROL Tech Inc.
Urge Congress to Give Small Businesses Access to Affordable Health Insurance
Now is the time for SEMA members to contact their elected officials in support of reforms to stabilize and reduce costs. Contact your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators immediately by phone, fax or e-mail. Request that your lawmakers pass legislation that will provide access to affordable insurance for the estimated 27 million small business owners, employees
Federal-Mogul Reports Profitable Second Quarter with Positive Net Income and Cash Flow
Federal-Mogultoday reported positive net income and cash flow on improved salesversus the first quarter 2009, as the company’s restructuring andcost-reduction initiatives brought improved profits to the bottom line,countering the impact of the global market downturn. "We are pleased to report a profitable quarter, including strongergross margin, reduced selling, general and administrative expenses,positive net income, higher
Crane Cams Reopens Under Ownership of S&S Cycle
Performance industry icon Crane Camshas reopened under the new ownership of S&S Cycle, and is activelyengaged in manufacturing and sales operations of its ignition andmotorcycle lines. The company, founded by Harvey J. Crane in 1953, isnewly housed in a facility at 1640 Mason Ave. in Daytona Beach, and anumber of long-term Crane employees have
Take The War Out Of Warranty Claims
While it may have been an uncomfortable topic for some, I feel I succeeded with the previous column. Of course there are always those who dispute the need for personal responsibility. Since we live in a world full of handouts and government programs, why be responsible for yourself? I have a good friend who describes
Shop Management: What is a Shop Foreman?
A few years ago, it seemed that nearly every shop had a foreman.However, over the years I’ve noticed that the foreman position has beendissolved. Little by little, shops have gotten away from having aforeman and simply have a manager with direct control over thetechnicians. Why? Is it to “downsize” and save the costs associatedwith this
SEMA Show Education Days Designed to Help You Find Customers
According to the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) customers are out there just waiting for the right time to buy. Make now that time for your business. The Customer Service & Sales Solution seminar track at the upcoming SEMA Show in Las Vegas is specifically designed to help maximize every opportunity — and create some
Herman Trend Alert: Small Businesses Will Likely Lead the Recovery
Previous Herman Trend Alerts have stated that most job creation occursin small- and medium-size businesses. While we have witnessed recentwidespread job losses, small business’ historic net job creation willmake it a key player in our economic recovery. Not surprisingly, manypeople who have not been able to find employment have chosen to go intobusiness for themselves.
Ten ‘Must-have’ Features of a Shop Website
Research conducted among our readership indicates that only about half of you have a shop website. For those of you who haven’t unleashed the power of the Internet as ashop tool, what are you waiting for? You already know that it’s aneasy, fast way to find the information and answers you need to help youdo
Customer Engagement Today and Tomorrow
Consumers are spending less and expecting more. In the third quarter of2008, U.S. consumer spending fell by 3.1 percent, the steepest declinesince 1980. Concurrently, customer satisfaction is suffering. For thepast 18 months, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) hasalso decreased. The companies that will survive are the ones that engage theircustomers. Recently, PeopleMetrics issued its
ROL Manufacturing Makes Progress with Restructuring Plan
ROL Manufacturing, which has been operating under creditor protectionin Canada under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) andChapter 15 in the United States, is in negotiations and due diligencewith potential buyers for various parts of the business. ROL has received two court extensions to its CCAA stay of proceedingswith the latest set to expire Sept.
Why Buying That New Machine Is The Right Thing To Do Right Now
Why am I saying to upgrade and buy now? Well, I’ll tell you why: because if your equipment is behind the times it can’t create the tolerances that today’s engines require. So why now? After all, the market is in decline, business is off, times are really tough, right? Blah, blah, blah! Yes, the market
Customer Service: Good, Bad or Ugly, It
Normally in this space, we talk about high performance and ways you can expand into the performance market in an effort to continue your company’s success. Well, I’m going to change gears just a little bit and talk about customer service. I originally intended to cover another subject, but recent experiences have led to me
Profiting From Personal Performance
Ifyou’ve been following my articles over the last year, you may bestarting to get some new ideas for finding profits in selling highperformance engines, parts and accessories. We’ve discussed various sales techniques to battle internet and catalogparts sales, or “walk-in parts,” as I like to call them. I wrote aboutstrategies and gave them creative names
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: May 2009
Top 10 Machine Shop Business Tips Engine Pro recently held a series of 8 focus-group meetings in the Midwest. Each meeting consisted of 8 to 10 machine shop owners and a moderator. Three questions were asked during the meeting. “What’s working? What’s not working? What do you need most to help you ‘make it’ for