- The Institute for Supply Management® said that manufacturing activity in November pulled back from October, which had recorded the fastest pace since September 2018. The index noted decelerating—but still solid—expansions for new orders and production.
- Demand and output in the sector expanded for the sixth straight month, bouncing back from steep declines from COVID-19 in the spring. Yet, supply chain disruptions continued to challenge many firms.
- After expanding in October at the fastest pace in two years, the Dallas Federal Reserve said that manufacturing grew at a slower rate in November, mirroring other regional surveys. Activity expanded in Texas for the fourth consecutive month, with respondents upbeat in their outlook moving forward.
- New orders for manufactured goods rose 1.0% in October, increasing for the sixth straight month. Despite notable gains since the spring, the pace of new orders remains 3.2% below the pre-pandemic pace.
- New orders for core capital goods—a proxy for capital spending in the U.S. economy—rose 0.8% to $70.1 billion in October, a new record. Encouragingly, core capital goods orders have risen a very robust 5.9% over the past 12 months.
- Manufacturing added 27,000 workers in November, rising for the seventh straight month. Employment in the sector remains well below its pre-COVID-19 pace, down by 599,000 in November relative to the level in February. The current outlook is for 12,250,000 employees in the manufacturing sector at year’s end.
Focus is Shifting from Hardware to Software
Basic physics means machine tools have effectively hit the ceiling in terms of how fast they can remove material, their spindles can rotate, their axes can move and so on. This has shops looking more to software to boost overall process efficiencies. More capable and intuitive enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is becoming a big part of this. But, so is the ability to more easily pull data from machines, benefit from sensor technology to enable more adaptive machining and perform statistical process analysis. More shops will be hiring IT personnel to handle data analysis and equipment interconnectivity moving forward. Effective process control for high-volume operations is imperative.
The full article is noted below…
https://pbn.com/data-driving-more-companies-employing-once-overlooked-info-to-steer-strategy/
COVID Pilot Testing Program Information
- CIC Health is not going to facilitate the training and testing for this program. If you are contacted by CIC Health, that is not part of this program.
- RIDOH will be deploying the federally supplied BinaxNOW COVID-19 tests to your facilities. However, you will need to pick them up at the Dunkin Convention Center. These tests are still free of charge and they are FDA EUA approved and provide on-the-spot tests results.
- This test option provides you with flexibility with when individual employees receive their tests and there is no coordination with a courier service to transport the tests to a lab.
- Below are the onboarding documents and instructions for performing the BinaxNOW COVID-19 tests.
- NEXT STEP: In order to participate you must return the signed MOU and CLIA CMS-116-508 to Sam Chionuma at Samuel.Chionuma.CTR@ohhs.ri.gov as soon as possible.
- Once you submit the forms, please contact Cameron Lewis at clewis@hchent.com to set-up a time to pick up your requested BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Tests.
- Orders will be placed by Monday for pick-up on Thursday. Kits include 40 tests, please order enough to test over a 5 day period. (With the holidays, I would recommend at least 10 days.)
Onboarding Documents and Instructions
Chenevert Encourages COVID-19 Internal Audit Program for Manufacturers
Article originally published by PBN at https://pbn.com/chenevert-encourages-covid-19-internal-audit-program-for-manufacturers/ written by Susan Shalhoub
PROVIDENCE – When it comes to manufacturers and COVID-19 safety protocols, Rhode Island Manufacturers Association Executive Director Dave Chenevert said external audits done by the R.I. Department of Business Regulation have shown good results.
The manufacturers association’s COVID-19 Designated Internal Auditor program has contributed, he said, and manufacturers are encouraged to participate.
Gov. Gina M. Raimondo and R.I. Department of Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott recently asked each facility to participate in the program.
The program calls for companies to appoint an auditor, or monitor, to oversee aspects of a company’s safety protocols, Chenevert said, with management and employees taking part. Calling it a proactive role, Chenevert said the manufacturers association and Polaris MEP train COVID-19 auditors, offer resources and support compliance.
Responsibilities on the COVID-19 Designated Internal Auditor internal checklist include:
- Knowledge of the COVID-19 Response Plan.
- Insuring masks are worn in required areas, as well as adherence to personal protective equipment guidance.
- Department of Health compliance with poster/signage and checklist.
- Documentation of daily cleaning schedule.
- Visual checks of social-distancing adherence in gathering areas, such as breakrooms.
- Coordination with human resources department regarding employees’ absences and testing status.
Once the document is downloaded, it can be emailed to rima@mfgri.com. Efforts also involve wearing a mask in off-work hours to prevent bringing the virus into manufacturing facilities, Chenevert said, especially because the onset of flu season can exacerbate the problem.
“The impact to your facility is the potential cost of overtime, lost production and the shortage of personnel to operate efficiently,” Chenevert said in a statement.
Remote Work Grant
Governor Gina Raimondo and Rhode Island Commerce announced a new program to expand access to and the efficacy of remote work to further fight the spread of COVID-19. The effort will help fund the purchase of hardware, software and internet access to support Rhode Island workers and businesses. A total of $5 million has been made available to support businesses moving employees to remote work or increasing productivity in order to keep them remote. These funds can help support purchase of things like laptops and printers, subscriptions to necessary software products, and/or internet access.
A preliminary interest form is available on commerceri.com. Those interested in participating should apply by filling out the web form on the Rhode Island Commerce website
Manufacturing week highlights success of Quonset Business Park – by Steven King
Original article published at https://nerej.com/manufacturing-week-success-of-quonset-business-park-by-steven-king
With over 12,000 jobs at more than 200 companies, Quonset Business Park is the leading engine of economic development and job creation in Rhode Island. Despite the economic uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, the strength of Quonset’s manufacturing sector has ensured stable jobs for thousands of Rhode Islanders, and the sector is primed to continue growing.
The Rhode Island Manufacturers Association (RIMA) hosted a Manufacturing Week Virtual Kick Off conference on October 6th, which makes a conversation about Quonset’s role as the state’s manufacturing hub a timely one. The conference connected manufacturers with one another to leverage resources, products and services, and promote information sharing on industry trends and challenges. Quonset businesses were active at this conference, including Meister Abrasives, which offered their unique perspective in the Manufacturer Showcase session.
“RIMA is pleased to see the growth and major contribution that Quonset has made to the manufacturing sector,” said RIMA executive director Dave Chenevert. “We have several RIMA members at Quonset such as Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, R&D Technologies and Supfina Machine Company. We recognize the positive impact that Quonset Business Park has on the success and growth of the sector. Quonset Business Park is a manufacturing success story in Rhode Island and companies across the state are fortunate to tap into the leadership and expertise there.”
The Quonset Development Corp. (QDC) has maintained a strong focus on fostering the manufacturing industry at the business park throughout the pandemic. Here are some statistics that show the health of Quonset’s manufacturing base:
• Quonset businesses employ nearly 7,000 Rhode Islanders in manufacturing jobs.
• Manufacturing jobs account for 59% of the employment at the park.
• 17% of all manufacturing jobs in Rhode Island are at Quonset.
• The average salary for manufacturing workers at Quonset is 11% higher than the statewide average.
RIMA’s advocacy and the Manufacturing Week Conference are great resources for the industry in R.I. QDC is glad to partner with them, and our companies are available as a resource for any manufacturer facing challenges during these difficult times.
Looking to the future, there are promising signs of continued growth across Quonset’s manufacturing sector.
1. Electric Boat, Quonset’s largest employer, has started an aggressive hiring campaign to support the construction of the Columbia Class submarines, the next generation nuclear sub for the U.S. Navy. The company has on-boarded 100 people in the past several weeks, and expects to add nearly 1,000 more employees by the summer of 2021.
2. Two Quonset manufacturers have teamed up to help their customers achieve outstanding quality. As a company specializing in advanced abrasive solutions, Meister Abrasives has collaborated frequently with next-door neighbor Supfina Machine Co., which offers a range of abrasive machining solutions for manufacturers that need precise and fine surface finishes. In recent years, the companies have had success with their collaboration in developing specialized machines to help manufacture high-volume parts ranging from ceramic bearings for aerospace manufacturers to steel pump components for fuel injection manufacturers.
Both companies say their partnership has played a big role in their respective successes.
3. Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence introduced a metal binder jetting (MBJ) simulation this fall that helps manufacturers reduce costs and lead times for production of complex metabolic parts such as gears or turbine wheels. Hexagon is a global leader in sensor, software and autonomous solutions that use data to boost efficiency, productivity, and quality across the industrial and manufacturing industries.
The QDC team is excited to see additional hiring, collaboration, and new innovative products coming from our manufacturing companies.
No matter the economic realities, manufacturing will be an important part of our continued success at Quonset Business Park. As one of the leading industrial parks in the region, the QDC team is committed to creating a climate where manufacturing employment continues to grow at the Park and across Rhode Island.
Steven King, PE, is the managing director of the Quonset Development Corp., North Kingstown, R.I.
Restore RI Updates for Manufacturers
We are excited to share with you some changes we’ve made to the Restore Rhode Island grant program that make it even more valuable for manufacturers to apply. Manufacturers with up to 50 full-time equivalent employees who experienced a 30% or greater loss of revenue are now eligible for up to $25,000 grants.
Already funded? For manufacturers who already received a grant in an earlier round and would like to apply for an increase, they can request additional funds using this web form or grant increase calculator. Completed forms should be sent to restoreadjustments@
We ask that you share this with the manufacturers in your network and would appreciate any posting on social media to spread this information. We are very excited about this grant increase and want to share with this industry. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out!
SBA Small Business Awardees
Congratulations to All RIMA Members:
- Rhode Island & New England Small Business Manufacturer: Michael Black, president of National Marker Co. in North Smithfield.
- Rhode Island Jeffrey Butland Family-owned Small Business: Dan Shedd, president of Taylor Box Co. in Warren.
- Rhode Island District Director Award: Paul Deroche, small-business advocate.
- Rhode Island & New England Small Business Exporter: Joseph Janson, CEO of NVTS Night Vision Technology Solutions LLC in Jamestown.
- Rhode Island & New England Financial Services Champion: Angela Laperriere, assistance vice president, business assistance manager and lending officer at Seed Corp. in Taunton.
- Rhode Island & New England Microenterprise: Rebecca Twitchell, president and founder of half full llc in Providence.
- Rhode Island & New England Minority-Owned Small Business: Juan Lantigua, president and CEO of The Family Cake in Providence.
- Rhode Island Home-based Small Business: Duran and Kristy Searles, co-owners/artists at Painted Karma Custom Designs in South Kingstown.
- Rhode Island Veteran-Owned Small Business: Adam Batchelder, owner of Smoke & Squeal BBQ in Pawtucket.
- Rhode Island Women-Owned Small Business: Janelle Blakely Photopolous, owner and creative director of Blakely Interior Design in North Kingstown.
- Rhode Island Young Entrepreneur: Kaitlyn Szczupak, owner and president of S & S Transmissions and Auto Repair Inc. in Tiverton
SBA Survey
As you are aware, the CARES act provided resources to small businesses through the PPP program in which over 17000 Rhode Island small businesses took advantage of in the early days. While Congress and the Administration continue to discuss the next package, which could contain additional PPP, we need to help and prepare our business community. We want to help, we can help but in doing so we will need your help though this survey.
https://www.sba.gov/feedback – Please complete SBA’s District Office Customer Experience Survey – Anonymous and only takes 5 minutes
Rhode Island receives $6.8 million from Feds for Revolving Loan Fund
Rhode Island has been allocated $6.8 million from the federal government to capitalize and administer Revolving Loan Funds for businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced Wednesday.
The R.I. Commerce Corp. will receive $6 million of the funds and the Providence Business Loan Fund will receive $836,000 of the grants. Commerce will use the money to oversee an RLF that will provide gap financing and loans to coronavirus-impacted businesses across Rhode Island while the Providence Business Loan Fund will use the money to capitalize and administer an RLF to provide loans to coronavirus-impacted small businesses in the city of Providence.
The grants come from the U.S. Department’s Economic Development Administration in the form of Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act Recovery Assistance grants.