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Reflection, Resolution & Planning
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Mikko Lindstrom, President
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The Holiday Season is traditionally a time for reflection and resolution. However, in this current uncertain economy, all sheet metal fabrication owners and managers should not only reflect and
resolve…but also aggressively plan on how to give their companies the competitive edge in the months ahead.
While some experts say that the economy has been sluggish since last spring, many industries have found the entire year of 2001 to be a challenge. For example, some of our customers that
service industries such as telecommunications have sought orders from other segments until their core industries stabilize and recover. An article in a recent issue of the Wall Street Journal explains that
manufacturers were largely blindsided by the dramatic drop in demand for their products and were left holding too much inventory. To compensate, they slashed production faster than demand was
falling. This all happened with far greater speed and determination than in past slowdowns.
Today, there are a number of signals that we may be coming out of the recession: Various companies are reporting a slow but steady increase in orders.
Recent reports from the National Purchasing Managers, the Commerce Department, and others indicate strengthening of the manufacturing sector. Our
experience at FABTECH International and our Open House was much better than expected in terms of attendance, customer interest, and actual orders.
Clouds & Silver Linings
If there is a positive side to all this, the slowdown does provide an opportunity
for sheet metal fabricators to expend the time to study and evaluate their entire manufacturing process. This is the time to analyze firms’ capacities and to
develop a plan on utilizing companies’ strengths to their fullest. It is also a time to train employees, restructure where it is needed, and to invest for the future in
machinery and systems that will ensure a “Lean Manufacturing” environment.
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New products such as the Shear Brilliance and LPE help fabricators achieve lean manufacturing.
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As we stated in the last issue of the FINN-ISH LINE, the objective of Lean Manufacturing is not to purchase excess equipment that sits idle waiting for jobs that may appear just once a month on the
production schedule. But rather, its true purpose is to allow the purchase of flexible equipment that adapts instantaneously to particular production needs in order to efficiently manufacture parts
when, where, and in the quantity that they are needed.
Lean Manufacturing sets new standards for sheet metal fabrication equipment. We believe these standards match Finn-Power’s product
line perfectly. Our modular concept adapts to a multitude of production needs and changes, such as the recent downturn in the economy. The Finn-Power product
range offers a complete package to answer the challenge of Lean Manufacturing. For many years, Finn-Power has added versatility to individual work stages by
integrating them with automated material management, and making automation as flexible as possible. Our goal has always been to improve our customers’ productivity.
Today we have proven, globally-acknowledged solutions for any sheet metal fabrication need with a variety of work stages and methods. In addition, we not only have the modules for optimal
automating process material flow, but also the application engineering knowledge to specify the optimum in each case. The range is wide enough so that our customers do not have to compromise to
achieve Lean Manufacturing in their fabrication facilities.
In order to expose our customers and prospective customers to the features and benefits of Finn-Power’s flexible machines, cells, and systems, we offer a
Technology Tour of our manufacturing facilities and customer locations in Finland several times a year. Our last trip began on September 8 and included 37
Finn-Power customers from the U.S. and Canada. I was hosting the tour with four other Finn-Power International representatives and two of our dealers. The
Technology Tour was proceeding extremely well with customers viewing new technology, exchanging ideas, and planning future enhancements for their companies. All of this came to a screeching halt on September 11.
Frozen in Time
There are events in all of our lives that become indelibly frozen in time. The tragedy of September 11 was such an event. Our customers were delayed in their return to their
homes and families, as were many airline travelers throughout the world. We thank our customers for their patience and understanding during this very difficult time.
We also thank the many courageous firemen, policemen, volunteers, and military personnel who responded so heroically during the tragedy and continue to do so today. Our prayers
and thoughts are extended to the thousands of families from some 80 countries who lost loved ones in New York, Washington D.C., and
Pennsylvania. It is the hope of all of us at the Finn-Power Group that they all find peace and comfort during the upcoming Holiday Season.
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710 Remington Road