Milwaukee South News

In the new year, manufacturers are reopening and resuming operations. While not completely back to normal, those that have survived are now looking to thrive. Keeping up with demand and finding the right people is challenging for manufacturing companies. Several key trends are being followed by these companies to find success.

By the end of spring, growth in US manufacturing was slowing down. Bottlenecks in the supply chain emerged as consumer demand increased significantly. According to the Institute of Supply Management (ISM), “…companies and suppliers continue to struggle to meet increasing rates of demand impacts limiting availability of parts and materials.”

One solution to overcoming these supply chain bottlenecks is finding additional partners to outsource some goods and services. At Allis Roller, many partners continue working with them and even expand some operations.

Maintaining a robust supply chain is one key trend for successful manufacturing. A transparent supply chain allows visibility of data for each new product across each stage in real-time. Over the last decade, there has been an increase in supply chain technology companies making this data more accessible and affordable.

As America returns to work, increased demand is evident, signaling a return to normalcy. Companies like Allis Roller play a role in getting the manufacturing industry back on track.

Another major challenge as demand increases is having enough qualified employees. “Before the pandemic, 38% of manufacturers had trouble finding candidates with the right skills and today that number is 54%, said The Workforce Institute at UKG.” Recruitment of new workers is becoming increasingly difficult amid fierce competition for skilled talent.

“The competition for talent will only continue to grow, so manufacturers absolutely need to do everything they can to widen their pool of potential candidates." Many manufacturers are actively recruiting from non-traditional or alternative sources: "62% have hired or considered hiring people with disabilities or special needs," "56% are targeting retirees," while "52% are considering previously incarcerated or 'second-chance' workers."

Allis Roller is a contract manufacturer specializing in precision machined parts and complex welded assemblies. Their CEO and engineers collaborate closely with customers to enhance manufacturability and cost while ensuring quality using lean manufacturing technology.