The U.S. construction industry is on the upswing, rebounding a depressed market since the 2008 economic crash. Economic growth, new construction starts and plans to hire are all positive indicators. As growth expands and optimism spreads, predominantly B2C trends in 2014 will trickle down to B2B markets, including construction.

The future of the manufacturing industry rests on the shoulders of the millennial generation. As a member of the millennial generation myself, I feel it is important to talk about how we as employers can empower, and utilize the strengths of my fellow millennials. 

According to a recent study from the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2030, more than 20 percent of Americans are projected to be 65 years old and over. This wave of retiring Americans will breed a significant demand for technically trained millennials—those currently between 19-32 years old—to fill available positions in manufacturing companies across the country.

I sat down with our very own Senior Technical Director of Product Development Randy Myers to discuss how the manufacturing industry has changed, key design considerations for roll forming and the importance of selecting a strategic metal fabrication partner. Randy has been a valued member of the American Roll Form team for 30 years.

Product lifecycle management (PLM) integrates information, people and processes, inviting opportunity for greater internal communication and collaboration.

In order to exchange product data efficiently, you must implement strategies to help engineers, salespeople, shop floor professionals and anyone else involved in the PLM process to collaborate. 

“Lean” is more than a buzzword—especially for many of the manufacturers who put the production philosophy into practice to improve internal systems and processes. 

The main principle behind lean manufacturing is to reduce waste of any kind—wasted energy, inventory, resources and time. By cutting out excess waste, manufacturers can decrease operational costs, increase efficiencies and maintain output quality.

According to Gartner Forecast data, mobile app stores will see annual downloads reach 268 billion in 2017, with total revenues of $77 billion. Beyond mobile apps, engineering software vendors see an opportunity to store data for their customers on the cloud for easier storage and backup, automation and collaboration.

Supply chain performance is imperative to a company’s success. Supply chain excellence is determined by the effectiveness and coordination of elements that move a product from supplier to customer: inventory, facilities, transportation and data.

Traditional customer service models are reactive in nature, relying on customers to initiate interaction. 

But the business world has evolved. Existing customers are your greatest source of recurring revenue, growth opportunities and new business referrals. Customer experience is everything, which means mastering customer communications and loyalty is key to survival.

American Roll Form believes that environmental sustainability is an admirable and achievable goal for the manufacturing industry. We’ve seen firsthand how production improvement and product innovation can reduce raw material and energy consumption, often while cutting weight and cost in the process. 

Technology presents new opportunities for elongating equipment lifecycles and achieving new means of production. Below are leading innovations that are bound to make the manufacturing industry more environmentally responsible.

Communication is essential to any business’ success. 

Improving the effectiveness of your company’s internal communication paves the way for better product design, strategic product lifecycle management, agile manufacturing and more accurate forecasting.