Happy New Year

When is it passe to wish someone a happy new year? The holidays are such a wonderful time of year but always seem to come and go so quickly. It has only been a month, yet it seems odd to see that random holiday decoration or even a lit tree through a window while driving to work. Are those people still in the holiday spirit or just lazy?

Last year ended on a strong note and 2006 has gotten off to a great start. Most of the manufacturers and supplies I have spoken with had a strong 2005 and are looking for continued growth this year. Competition, however, is at an all time high both domestically and internationally; a trend that will not reverse soon. What does this mean for individuals sourcing material, machinery and supplies? Let the buyer beware. While many companies still offer quality products at competitive prices, the old adage, “you get what you pay for,” has never rung more true. If you are seeking the lowest price, you may be trading short term gains for long term headaches. Over the past couple months I have heard some horror stories about cutting corners to save money. They are not only short-sighted, they put peoples lives in jeopardy as products could, and probably will, fail while in service. Saving money and time is a good thing. Cutting corners is not.

On that note, if your company thermoforms plastic sheet you will be interested in Michael Alongi’s article Top 10 Tips to Becoming More Efficient in Sheet Fed Thermoforming. New materials and technologies are offering thermoformers the opportunity to compete in areas they were not able to just a few years ago. By making your shop more efficient you can open the doors to even greater possibilities in 2006 and beyond.

Sign, sign everywhere a sign. You can not travel down a street in an urban area without seeing a myriad of signs, but does your shop have the right tooling to cut the wide variety of materials commonly found in this vast market? Click on Router Bits for the Sign Industry and see what Van Niser suggests.

Our workplace is an important part of our lives. We spend between 35 and 65 percent of our waking hours at work. Many people identify themselves by their careers while others identify their problems with their work environment. This has caused workplace violence to be on the rise. To learn more, click on Safety Solutions.

Good luck reaching your goals this year. E-mail me at dwhelan@plasticsmag.com if there is anything we can do to help your company be more competitive in 2006.

Enjoy the issue,