27 minute read
FOCUS
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: RISING COSTS VS. NECESSARY INCENTIVES
by Maggie Taylor, writer, Inside Rubber
Employers in virtually every industry are struggling to attract and retain high-quality employees. Large and small businesses alike are scrambling to overhaul their wage and benefit structures to remain competitive in a highly volatile employment market. Many companies have found themselves locked in constant competition with other local businesses over a singular pool of employees and workers. Leaders and human resources professionals in the manufacturing industry are experimenting with a variety of solutions and changes to deal with these ongoing challenges.
A primary struggle for many companies is the challenge of offering a competitive rate. In the Detroit area, for example, multiple Amazon facilities and the “Big 3” automotive manufacturers are major competitors, especially for smaller companies and tier suppliers.
“Now that the larger companies are back in production, they’re making offers to our employees that we can’t compete with. One of the Big 3 has taken three of our people in the last two months,” said Audra Kimbel, human resource manager for PolyFlex Products, Inc., Farmington Hills, Michigan. “Those were key positions for us. We’ve been able to backfill them, but you’ve got to start the training all over again. A leadership change does bring a fresh perspective, but when it comes all at once, it doesn’t give you a whole lot of time to adapt.”
Most businesses have raised pay rates multiple times over the past two years in an attempt to remain competitive. Suzie Thomas, accounts payable, reported that Eclipse Mold, Inc., Chesterfield, Michigan, has implemented three substantial wage increases since 2019, anywhere from two to four dollars. And those changes have applied to longterm employees as well as new hires, though the exact rate – within a specified range – is determined by seniority and good standing. The company currently is exploring what a wage ceiling might look like for long-term employees. “It’s hard because there’s a point where they’ll cap out. We haven’t done that yet,” said Thomas. temporary employees. The company paid a higher rate of $16.50 to temporary employees but offered a slightly lower rate of $15 for a full-time role, with the promise of a onedollar raise at the 90-day mark, pending good performance. PolyFlex Products tested this strategy on five employees from temp agencies and have retained all five. However, there’s risk involved when hiring temporary employees.
“Temp employees outshine regular employees until they get hired,” said Kimbel. “Suddenly, they’re missing days or being unsafe or having problems on the floor with other people. That’s always a risk you take. So, we’re trying to work out the kinks right now.”
Many companies are struggling to balance wage increases against the overall rising costs of doing business. “Obviously, with everything else going up, so are our costs,” said Thomas. “It’s been a struggle. The price of materials is going up. We’ve gotten quite a few new jobs in, which we’re quoting differently. And we’re negotiating new terms and new prices with long-term customers, but it’s a slow process.”
Businesses also are being forced to consider their employees’ expenses in their calculations. “I started tracking daycare expenses, fuel costs and food prices back in March,” said Kimbel. According to her research and records, the cost of sending a single three-year-old child to daycare in the Detroit area, the 14th largest metropolitan area in the United States, is around $340 per week. For some employees, childcare costs account for their entire paycheck – or more. “Their money is going to daycare,” said Kimbel. “They’re not earning anything. They’re losing more money. That has become more of a reality that we haven’t addressed yet.”
Recruitment professionals have experimented with a variety of additional benefits to incentivize new hires – with mixed results. “A lot of entry-level people have state benefits,” said Thomas. “Benefits are not a high priority for people in my area. More paid time off would be the only benefit that actually would attract people.”
Products began offering a $500 bonus to any employee who referred a new hire who stayed on for at least 90 days. “We thought it would have more of an impact,” said Kimbel. But some employees have taken advantage of the program. “One guy has referred four people,” she said.
Some companies have implemented more flexible workfrom-home policies. But for some roles, that benefit is irrelevant. “People on the floor have to be here,” said Kimbel. “They can’t work from home.” Kimbel shared that PolyFlex Products is exploring the possibility of a program to help employees offset the rising costs of fuel. The program would award a weekly “appreciation allowance” to employees who worked their full schedule, at least until gas prices drop below four dollars per gallon.
Gas prices are not the only transportation barrier affecting recruitment. Many major public transportation providers are experiencing similar hiring struggles and have cut back on routes due to a driver shortage. In the Detroit area in particular, this has led to a gap in the bus schedule that affects second-shift workers.
“That’s a huge issue for us right now,” said Thomas. “People are saying, ‘I can’t do second shift because I can’t get home.’” Thomas has been working directly with the local transit authority to add a bus stop that would accommodate second shift, but until more drivers are available, the problem remains. “If they don’t have anyone to drive a bus, they can’t get home,” she added.
PolyFlex Products has offered two solutions to the issue: a partially funded carpool program and flexible scheduling.
Commute with Enterprise is a program that groups employees by zip code or other criteria to share a vehicle for commuting purposes. Thanks to reimbursements from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the cost of Commute with Enterprise is $120 per month for PolyFlex employees. That payment includes a vehicle, regularly scheduled vehicle maintenance and a gas card. The employees in the pool can share the vehicle for regular errands as well, such as grocery shopping and healthcare appointments.
However, the program hasn’t attracted much interest. “So far, just one person has taken me up on it, and he wound up having to resign,” said Kimbel. “I brought it up in a meeting, asking people to compare it to their car payment. You could be making money by following through with this program. But people just didn’t want others to know where they lived.”
Flexible scheduling has proven to be an effective solution under some circumstances. Many companies offer staggered start times, shorter shifts, swing shifts and other creative solutions so that employees can catch a bus or use a shared family car. Eclipse Mold has begun offering part-time, fourhour shift options for the first time.
“We’ve never done that before,” said Thomas. “We’ve always had very strict eight-to-four shifts. But now, if someone wants to four hours or six hours, I’m saying, ‘Let’s see what we can do.’”
PolyFlex Products also has seen positive results from offering more flexibility. “We have had such a great review on that,” said Kimbel. Some employees have adjusted their shifts to start earlier or later based on bus schedules and their families’ needs. According to Kimbel, these flexible options have contributed to employee retention. The staggered schedules also have led to better coverage for truck pickups.
While these flexible and creative solutions may not yield dramatic results, the outcomes can be positive. Even a small advantage over local competitors can make a difference in a business’s ability to retain its employees and hire new ones. In any case, refusing to stray from traditional methods of hiring and doing business doesn’t appear to be the appropriate strategy for successful recruitment. Remaining open to change and fresh thinking can help manufacturing industry leaders weather the ongoing challenges of the labor shortage so they can maintain progress toward their business goals.
Reprinted with permission from Inside Rubber, www.insiderubber.com.
AMBA’S EMERGING LEADERS EXPLORE LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES AND MANAGEMENT STYLES AT INAUGURAL RETREAT
by Rachael Pfenninger, director of strategic execution, AMBA
Unlike seasoned industry executives, today’s nextgeneration leaders don’t yet have the same experience and intuition needed to provide effective direction and support to the rest of their teams; yet, there is a need to advance and elevate them, especially as more senior executives exit the workforce.
This need drove the AMBA to develop its inaugural AMBA Emerging Leaders Retreat, held August 10-11, 2022, in Evansville, Indiana, where 40(ish)-and-under industry professionals met with peers for an exclusive, limited-seat leadership training experience.
Facilitated by Alyson Van Hooser, leadership keynote speaker and author of Level Up, Accelerate Your Success and soon-to-be-released Infinite Influence, these management professionals met as a group to discover, unpack and embrace the leadership styles that define an effective leader in a post-pandemic workforce. By diving deeply into employee empowerment, delegation and time-management strategies through peer connection and reflection, these up-and-coming professionals were able to work through the development of a personal leadership strategy that will guide and further their professional growth in the coming months and years. During the Retreat, attendees addressed many critical components of management, including primary supervisory management functions, primary resources to be managed and management objectives to keep in mind. In particular, Van Hooser focused on the criteria that must be established in order to effectively plan and delegate in a manner that allows leaders to empower their teams and reach their goals.
“Leading in today’s workforce is more challenging than ever. Couple that with new, inexperienced leaders and you have a recipe for confusion, frustration and burnout at every level of an organization,” explained Van Hooser. “Many employees who are new to management and supervisory roles have the best of intentions…however, good intentions do not always lead to positive results.”
New and emerging leaders often lack clearly defined leadership processes. They struggle to connect with their employees in a way that breeds cohesive teamwork and loyalty, and inspires improved performance. And if by chance they do hit the trifecta, because there is no clarity in their process, they only catch lightning in a bottle once.
For example, the group discussed how to achieve any objective with and through other people. In order to do
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so, the objective must be 1) specific 2) measurable and 3) worthwhile to the individual and to the team – with emphasis on the individual. Today’s employees demand leaders who truly understand their personal motivation, are committed to their individual growth and can communicate effectively and consistently. Without correctly understanding employees, success is left to chance. It becomes increasingly impossible to effectively lead others when there is no mutual understanding. And in a world that is more diverse than ever, this becomes the game changer.
“The single greatest competitive advantage in today’s business world is a highly engaged team and that starts with leadership, i.e., managers and supervisors,” emphasized Van Hooser. “The leaders who can connect with people to lead them to a culture of empathy, adaptability and high performance will win – it’s the future of work. These goal-setting or expectation-setting components and others are necessary parts of the leadership process required for success; but even though they may seem obvious to some, it’s easy for new or even seasoned leaders to forget or not realize their importance in their pursuit of the goal.”
When asked to describe his event experience, one attendee, shared that “the opportunity to learn from Alyson, and listen to what other members of the mold community found most relatable from her material was something I really enjoyed about this event. Networking and discussing issues with specifically younger peers in the industry also was very valuable. It seemed universal that developing leadership within companies was a focus across the board, and I think that the tools that Alyson provided to help address this will be very useful in the future.”
In addition to the workshop programming, event attendees visited Prodigy Mold and Tool, a manufacturer of highquality, close-tolerance, multi-cavity plastic injection molds and tooling for the medical, automotive, electronic, industrial and consumer goods industries. The event experience was complimented by an evening reception, which included a podcast session with Tony Demakis of the Alliance Specialties, Alyson Van Hooser and a panel of AMBA’s Emerging Leader Advisory Board members.
To listen to the event podcast and hear more of Alyson Van Hooser’s insights, subscribe to The Manufacturing Alliance Podcast on YouTube. To learn more about AMBA’s Emerging Leaders Network and to get involved, visit AMBA.org. Interested parties also can hear more from Alyson Van Hooser and subscribe to her newsletter at www.VanHooser.com/blog/. During the first day of the AMBA Emerging Leaders Leadership Retreat, Van Hooser outlined four key aspects that contribute to effective leadership and management styles.
THE ART OF PLANNING
Foundational Concept: All other things being equal, planning makes the difference between success and failure for most personal and professional endeavors.
Planning provides direction and a sense of purpose. Therefore, planning essentially is a form of decision making.
THE ART OF ORGANIZING
Foundational Concept:
Employee involvement, commitment and engagement are the cornerstones of effective organization.
Generally speaking, people ultimately will behave in such a way as to secure something they want or to avoid something they don’t want.
THE ART OF DIRECTING
Foundational Concept:
Appropriate delegation may be considered the highest and most impactful “art form” of management and supervision.
Delegation requires embracing who, what, when and how.
THE ART OF CONTROLLING
Foundational Concept:
Controls are the necessary and appropriate measurements managers employ to track progress.
Managers always should remember, “What gets measured, gets done!”
Please note: All of the information contained here is the intellectual property of Alyson Van Hooser and Van Hooser Associates, Inc. To contact Alyson Van Hooser regarding leadership training and/or opportunities, visit www. vanhooser.com. Interested parties also can hear more from Alyson Van Hooser by subscribing to her newsletter at www.VanHooser.com/blog/.
SHARED TIPS AND IDEAS FOR APPROACHING EVERYDAY SALES AND PROSPECTING
by Lindsey Munson, editor, The American Molder Builder
The American Mold Builder Association held a virtual forum in early November, it was a collaborative and informative event that lead to discussing and actively engaging in sharing ideas and best practices for marketing and sales team techniques, prospecting to win the lead and aligning qualified sustainable customers. Facilited by Shelly Otenbaker, WayPoint Marketing Communications, and Ken Seawell, Sandler Training, the forum ended with a panel session, where industry professionals shared several tips and ideas that easily can be applied to everyday business and implemented in the field with sales teams.
SALES TEAM TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
Define a sales and marketing strategy that aligns the sales team and company with short- and long-term goals. These goals could be outlined by three areas of the sales approach: Outreach and engagement with prospects; moving prospects from awareness/interest and converting them to a sales lead; and finally, into actionable and sustainable customers. what motivates and drives prospects/current customers, addressing sales lead goals for product/service outcome and evaluating past and present behaviors of prospects/current customers, among other key resources.
Be open to unconventional methods and, if needed, reevaluate the marketing strategy to fit the industry of “today.” Maybe it’s moving away from 75% print to 50% print and 50% digital, or it’s introducing the unexpected instead of doing the expected by trying a new marketing method. Tactics could include recording a podcast, hosting a webinar or hopping on the phone with a new lead or a current customer to just say “hi” and talk shop.
Develop an elevator speech that is concise and honest, telling a company’s guarantee and story. Typically four to six sentences in length, it is important to keep it relevant and compelling to the ideal prospect/target audience and most importantly, it needs to be memorable.
leadership and the sales team. Through this plan, an active approach develops loyalty and trust that can be accomplished through phone calls, coffee dates, a game of golf or any other form of direct contact. Equally important, a passive approach opens the mind, creates interest and brings awareness with little to no interaction by pushing content on social media, sending an email, conducting a Zoom live or any other form of indirect contact. The engagement plan depends on where the sales team is in the sales process.
Invest in and utilize customer data management systems. A CRM software system delivers actionable information, integrates across all digital platforms and opens team communication. It collects, organizes and manages prospects, new leads and customer information. A data visualization tool is a software application that produces graphs, charts and mapping that assist in data analysis; it is vital to making practical, intuitive sales decisions.
Set annual sales metrics to align sales goals with the company sales strategy. Metrics outlined but not limited to include revenue per quote, average close rate and company touchpoints, which are an excellent benchmark source for tracking prospects and leads, qualifications for sales leads and current customers, and overall company sales goals.
ACTION-BASED IDEAS
Ask for ownership from the sales team – where work becomes more than just a goal. The idea is centered on the development of a top 10 list or less of company goals and sales expectations set by the sales team and leadership. This list would be signed and dated by the sales team, creating ownership and self-accountability.
Listen intently to build trust. Leadership must “listen” to its sales team and the sales team must “listen” to prospects, sales leads and current customers. By making this small change to listen, a sales team now is aware of potential and current customers’ pain points (problems, reason of concern, business impacts) and because of this an honest relationship can be formed and together a solution found – paying off dividends in the end.
Be actionable and a solution seeker when a customer delivers a complaint, service was not 100% satisfactory or a product malfunctions. It’s an opportunity to truly shine in the face of adversity and a chance to provide exemplary customer service. When one door closes, another door opens – behind it could be a sale or a customer that was about to walk but didn’t because someone listened.
Integrate tools that are value-added for the sales team and can be cross-functional within the company. An example of a tool is a “sales book” that is owned and managed by sales team members, built in the field and includes everything from prospecting conversations and goals for pushing new leads across the finish line to stats and general activity. Couple the sales book with bi-weekly meetings with leadership to discuss failures and achievements, set timelines for training that may be needed, gather new data points both qualitative and quantitative, discuss resources that are working and not working and continue to build out sales goals with overall company goals.
As 2022 comes to a close, companies and their sales teams are pushing hard to the finish line and there’s no time like the present to take action – call a new lead and make a coffee date, create a podcast and get uncomfortable, network with mold building peers and share resources or, utilize the easiest tip of them all – simply just listen.
Thank you to the AMBA member panel, including Jim Bott, INCOE; Charles Daniels, Wepco Plastics, Inc.; and Michael Thiessen, Tebis, Inc., for sharing their sales and marketing expertise and being a resource within the tool building industry. For more information on the November 2, 2022, AMBA forum, visit www.amba.org.
HOW DOES HEALTHCARE DELIVERY DIFFER FROM PIZZA DELIVERY?
by Susan Denzio, director of information and administrative services, First Resource, Inc.
Mmmmm, pizza! When the order is placed, it typically is understood what options are available – size, toppings, additional side items, delivery and, of course, the total cost. Now, imagine if it were possible to create a healthcare delivery system that was as understandable to people as ordering a pizza. Believe it or not, a system does exist that is affordable and easy to use.
Ask any business leader about rising costs, and it is most likely that healthcare benefits escalation will be mentioned as one of the top three most important concerns. The issue, however, is that rarely are employees pleased with the insurance options and, in many situations, the benefit plans are under-utilized. Could this be a result of a lack of understanding, both in regard to what is available and how to gain access? The answer to this question is yes! Recent studies indicate that educating employees about their insurance benefits and how to use them at the critical “point of need” positively impacts outcomes and satisfaction levels.
Nearly every employer has experienced the pain of educating employees about benefit options. Communication efforts generally include flyers, mailers, posters and wall diagrams pinned in break rooms or cafeterias. Most employers use open enrollment meetings to deliver large amounts of benefit information, but in the end, employees are left with an abundance of questions. Even though support usually is made available from most plans through the phone number included on the back of the insurance card, many employees will not engage with this customer service option. Rather, questions are pointed directly to human resource professionals when a point of critical escalation has been reached; these interchanges can become quite personal and involve confidential health, claims and billing issues. Since most human resource teams don’t have the wherewithal to access the appropriate level of data to understand what an individual might be undergoing, the interchanges often are unproductive and extremely frustrating, causing employees to look unfavorably at the benefit offering. At the end of the day, company executives must consider other options to ensure investments in insurance benefit plans yield the positive impact expected on both employees and their families.
Best-in-class company leaders now are using concierge service professionals to eliminate the frustration and close the benefit education gaps for their employees. These services have proven to reduce the workload of management teams and improve the employees’ viewpoints of the company benefits provided, resulting in decreased employee turnover.
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Employee concierge services focus on simplifying the healthcare journey for employees, especially when the journey is full of unknowns that tend to accompany critical life illnesses and injuries. With one simple call, employees have direct access to a concierge service (“pod”), or a dedicated team of medical technicians and specialists, to help them navigate the healthcare maze of delivery options. Embedded in the infrastructure of the overall solution and inserted into the confines of the administrator, the employee concierge’s dedicated team has access to the data, the member’s health records and the providers. Being better connected to the human element helps to resolve issues, clarify points of concern and provide the best direction for employees; these services have been proven to impact health outcomes.
From a finance and funding perspective, an actuarial study conducted over 15 years demonstrated that concierge services provided to employees and dependents actually reduced claims by 17.5%. The boutique concierge service platform eliminates the 1-800-number call-center feel and replaces it with a laser focused, high-performance team that does one thing – answer the questions and provide guidance for employees and their dependents – that’s it! Because the dedicated teams take a very focused, specialized approach to create a better experience, employees are able to navigate easily amidst the complex healthcare delivery system in such a way that no one feels alone. Imagine an employee who has just been diagnosed with a critical illness, receiving a communication similar to this:
“Hello, Mr. Smith. We are here to help you, we completely understand your health plan and we will ensure you receive the best services in the most expeditious manner possible. Now, let’s get started.”
Concierge services systems are proven to provide employees with better support in making consumer-driven healthcare decisions, which increases plan utilization. Return on investment studies have shown that claims decrease when usage increases. When employees routinely seek a doctor’s care, conditions that have a chance of becoming severe often can be caught early and are more easily treated, lowering the total cost of care.
MAPP’s CAPTIV8 solutions fully integrates employee concierge services for its members. To learn more, contact Susan Denzio at sdenzio@firstresourceinc.com.
Are you ready to TAKE CONTROL
of one of your company’s largest expenses?
AMBA is combatting members’ rising insurance costs with tailored strategies that positively impact both your employees and your company.
Visit amba.org/captiv8 to learn more.
Introducing CAPTIV8, health insurance strategies created for mold manufacturers.
KEEPING THE CHINA TARIFFS: A NUMBERS GAME
by Omar S. Nashashibi, co-founder, The Franklin Partnership, LLC
Thirty-three – that is the number of OEMs and Tier I suppliers that convinced the US Trade Representative in 2018 to lift the 25% tariffs on plastic injection molds. One hundred and fifty-two – that is the number of American Mold Builders Association members who formally contacted the USTR in November 2019 calling for the US Government to reinstate the tariff on Chinese imports. They succeeded, and on December 28, 2019, mold builders secured the protection again with the 25% tariff back in place. The AMBA is about to ask its members to step up again, for themselves and the US manufacturing industry.
This summer, 61 AMBA members filed comments in response to USTR’s inquiry as to whether support remains for continuation of the tariffs. Message received. The Biden administration is keeping the 25% tariffs in place on molds, dies, tooling and other imports from China while it conducts the required four-year review of the Section 301 actions.
The Biden administration now is conducting a full review of the impact of the US industry and economy tariffs, accepting public comments from supporters and opponents of the tariffs from November 15, 2022, to January 17, 2023. The input received from stakeholders, including AMBA and its member companies, will help inform USTR’s decision on whether to remove all tariffs, keep all in place or, more likely, lift some and restart an exclusion process for others.
The White House is under significant pressure from OEMs, Tier I suppliers and retailers to lift the 25% tariffs on over 6,800 Chinese imports, including molds, dies and tooling, as well as the 7.5% tariff on 3,200 goods from China. AMBA members flooded USTR in 2019, and again in July 2022, delivering a powerful message to policymakers who decided to reinstate and retain the 25% tariffs on molds, dies and tooling. The association needs members to weigh in again with USTR and respond to notices from the AMBA, calling on manufacturers to file formal comments in support of keeping the tariffs in place.
USTR is asking for stakeholder input by January 17, 2023, with its questionnaire broken down into three sections. The first area on which the government is seeking comment is on the effectiveness of the Section 301 tariffs in eliminating China’s policy of intellectual property theft and forced technology transfer. One of the questions asks if there are other actions more effective that the USTR could take in obtaining the elimination of China’s actions. In addition, this first section seeks input on the economy-wide effects, including effects on domestic manufacturing.
Section B is the industry-specific portion, where AMBA will provide details about the membership, the benefits of the tariffs for manufacturing supply lines and the negative consequences of lifting the tariffs on molds, dies and tooling. AMBA is collecting data from companies to help underscore how the tariffs continue to support the industry’s higher capacity utilization rate, allowing for additional capital investments and supported profits.
The final Section calls for comments on specific tariff lines, such as the 25% tariffs on plastic injection molds. This is the most critical area for AMBA members to fill out – notably, question 20, which asks, “Explain why maintaining the current additional duties, including the current rate of duties,
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would or would not be effective in obtaining the elimination of or in counteracting China’s acts, policies and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property and innovation.”
Sources in Washington indicate USTR is expecting a significant influx of comments from the public and will use that information to inform and support its decisions on whether to lift, maintain or expand the tariffs on specific imports. Since 2019, the AMBA has succeeded in reinstating and retaining the 25% tariffs on plastic injection molds and other tooling and dies. AMBA is utilizing recent data to support keeping tariffs in place. In July, both an AMBA member and the associations managing director testified in support of the tariffs before the US International Trade Commission, proving an effective voice for the industry and paving the way for retaining the tariffs.
Data compiled from government sources by the Peterson Institute for International Economics showed that imports of products not subject to tariffs are 50% higher today than immediately prior to the trade war, while imports from China facing a 25% tariff are down 22%. China now accounts for 18% of total imports, down from 22% in 2018.
Michigan manufacturer of high quality abrasives for nearly 50 years.
The numbers are on the side of keeping the tariffs. The politics of today are for remaining tough on China. However, in Washington, D.C., facts are not always the deciding factor.
The US midterm election is in the rearview mirror, with the 2024 race for the White House coming up next. Tensions between Beijing and Washington, D.C. remain tight, with President Xi of China securing in October an unprecedented third five-year term in office.
Republicans on Capitol Hill and the 2024 campaign trail continue to pressure President Biden to remain tough on China, while the White House seeks to reduce US reliance on Chinese batteries and manufacturing inputs. Retailers and consumer groups are raising alarm over persistent inflation, echoing some calls from importers to lift tariffs.
The Biden administration is facing pressure from all sides and is unlikely to please all stakeholders. The administration’s approach instead is to appease as many as it can, while limiting the political and economic fallout from those on the wrong side of their actions. This is where the threat to AMBA comes in – USTR could lift some tariffs, but not all, while allowing exclusion requests for many imports but not for each industry.
This is a classic case of Washington picking winners and losers, which is why AMBA needs its members to stand up, have their voices heard and send a strong message to USTR against lifting the tariffs on molds, dies and tooling. The AMBA lobbying team also is working to head off attempts to secure another temporary exclusion for importers of plastic injection molds, and this effort by member companies in the four-year review process will go a long way to support these lobbying efforts.
Staying silent through January 17 only will help Chinese manufacturers. AMBA members should heed the call and file comments with USTR today.
Omar Nashashibi is a founding partner at The Franklin Partnership, LLC, a bipartisan government relations and lobbying firm retained by The American Mold Builders Association in Washington, D.C.
Webinar: Unionization: Employer Do’s and Don’ts, November 29, www.amba.org/events
DECEMBER
Webinar: Advocacy Outlook: 2022 Recap and What’s to Come, December 6, www.amba.org/events
JANUARY 2023
Webinar: AMBA State of the Industry, January 26, www.amba.org/events
FEBRUARY
Plastec West/MD&M West, February 7-9, Anaheim, California, www.imengineeringwest.com/en/show-brands/ plastec-west PTXPO 2023, March 28-30, Rosemont, Illinois, www.plasticstechnologyexpo.com
MAY
AMBA Conference 2023, May 10-12, Grand Rapids, Michigan, wwwambaconference.com
Alliance Specialties and Laser Sales ....................................... www.alliancelasersales.com.....................................................35 AMBA Conference 2023......................................................... www.ambaconference.com......................................................20 BORIDE Engineered Abrasives ..............................................www.borideabrasives.com .......................................................44 CAPTIV8.................................................................................www.amba.org./captiv8.com....................................................40 Crystallume, a Division of RobbJack Corporation..................www.crystallume.com..............................................................41 DME ........................................................................................www.dme.net.............................................................Back Cover Dynamic Surface Technologies ............................................... www.dynablue.com........................................Inside Back Cover Federated Insurance.................................................................www.federatedinsurance.com..................................................38 Grainger................................................................................... www.grainger.com...................................................................42 GROB Systems........................................................................www.grobgroup.com................................................................12 HASCO America, Inc.............................................................. www.hasco.com.......................................................................16 HEIDENHAIN......................................................................... www.heidenhain.us....................................................................3 INCOE Corporation................................................................. www.incoe.com........................................................................25 iWarriors .................................................................................. www.iwarriors.org....................................................................13 Kruse Training .........................................................................www.krusetraining.com...........................................................45 PCS Company.......................................................................... www.pcs-company.com ...........................................................24 Plastic Engineering & Technical Services, Inc........................www.petsinc.net.......................................................................17 Progressive Components ......................................................... www.procomps.com.......................................Inside Front Cover PTXPO ....................................................................................www.ptxpo.com.......................................................................32 Regal Components...................................................................www. regalcomps.com...............................................................7 R.E.R. Software....................................................................... www.rersoftware.com..............................................................37 Swiss Steel International ......................................................... www.swisssteel-international.us..............................................27 Ultra Polishing, Inc..................................................................www.ultrapolishing.com..........................................................10 UNISIG.................................................................................... www.unisig.com/mold.............................................................11 Vincent Tool.............................................................................www.vincenttool.com ..............................................................29 Wisconsin Engraving Co. Inc./Unitex ..................................... www.wi-engraving.com...........................................................29 YRC Freight ............................................................................ www.yrcfreight.com.................................................................22
