Archived Articles
These articles are over 6 months old but are still useful to business and manufacturers.
Cliff Outdoors - Featured Manufacturer of the Week
Added: November 2nd, 2011
The MEP is proud to announce Cliff Outdoors of Casper, Wyoming as the first featured Manufacturer of the Week on the Make It In America site. (read more...)
Wyoming Manufacturer Builds World's Largest Coal Hauler
Added: September 2nd, 2011
Westech/WOTCO, a Casper, Wyoming based manufacturing company has set a Guinness World Record with its new coal hauler. Manufacturing-Works has worked with Westech/WOTCO on lean manufacturing techniques. (read more...)
Keeping America the Land of Endless Opportunities
Added: August 25th, 2011
As we consider the economic situation nationally and locally we tend to focus our blame on the folks of D.C. for much of our ongoing perceived misfortune. This is especially true given the recent debt ceiling debate, the long term unemployment across the country, and the concerns on Wall Street. Taking a step back, I would suggest that we also include a look inward to assess at least partial blame for our current situation. Are we each individually ready for the change that is necessary for our country to regain our position as a global leader? Do we all have what it takes to make the tough choices that come with a leadership position? (read more...)
Manufacturing: The Resurgence of American Innovation and Jobs
Added: July 8th, 2011
There's something really great that's going on in America right now: people are talking about manufacturing again. If you ask individuals from the baby boomer generation, they'll tell you that manufacturing was a cornerstone of the economy when they were growing up. Everyone's job was associated with manufacturing in one way or another and we were proud of our products Made in the USA. Manufacturing was a part of patriotism. (read more...)
A Logo Is Not a Brand
Added: June 16th, 2011
When you think of a brand, what do you think it involves? Is a company brand just a logo? Is it just your business card, your colors or your letterhead? (read more...)
ISO 9001 Proven to Help Win New Business
Added: June 9th, 2011
According to data from The British Assessment Bureau's (BAB) independent 2011 Client Satisfaction Survey, 44 percent of respondents said that they had won business as a result of becoming certified to ISO 9001. (read more...)
Don't let anyone else register the domain name for your website
Added: April 13th, 2011
When you're getting started on a website, make sure it will always stay under your control. (read more...)
7 Questions to Ask Your Web Developer
Added: February 15th, 2011
Getting started on a website can be a daunting task. There is a lot to consider when you're looking into getting a site built for your company. It needs to work well and look good in order for your customers to find it, and want to stay. (read more...)
Why Branding Matters
Added: September 17th, 2010
In our daily life, we often get asked why branding matters. For many, brand is not something that's easily understood, and for good reason; it’s complicated! So what is it and why does it matter? (read more...)
What Design Can’t Do
Added: September 15th, 2010
Design can’t change the quality of your product nor can it change how your company works. It is the other way around. Your logo should reflect your company. Your company doesn’t reflect your logo. (read more...)
A Plain English Guide to Modern Manufacturing Methods
Added: September 3rd, 2010
Methods of manufacturing – and the manufacturing software that enable them – have changed a great deal since the Ford assembly line, shifting from the rigid, push-oriented production principles of the early 20th century to more flexible, pull principles. If you find yourself wondering what a pull principle is, you’ve come to the right place. (read more...)
Power Play
Added: August 5th, 2010
For the 29-year-old CEO of Wham-o, getting the storied company back on track is no game. (read more...)
Cretex purchases Concrete Products of Wyoming in Casper
Added: August 4th, 2010
CASPER – Cretex Concrete Products West, Inc. of Rapid City, S.D. has recently purchased the assets of Concrete Products of Wyoming (CPW) in Casper, Wyo. (read more...)
Local companies employ global ‘Lean Thinking’
Added: August 3rd, 2010
Mary the receptionist always opens the mail when it comes at around 10 a.m. on Monday. She passes the slit-open envelopes on to John, who sorts the letters by department and gives them to Sue, who passes them around. (read more...)
PROFITABILITY – 13 Virtues of Innovation Engineering
Added: July 13th, 2010
The overt benefit of pursuing innovation is increased profitability. Research by Georgia Tech finds that companies who pursue innovation as a core business strategy realize a 50% higher profit margin. This occurs because innovation helps you escape the marketplace forces that seek to make all offerings commodities - that can be purchased at the lowest price. (read more...)
Kennon Products of Sheridan Works to Solve Other Businesses’ Problems
Added: July 1st, 2010
When it comes to solving business problems, Kennon Products in Sheridan has it covered. (read more...)
Insight Mining - 13 Virtues of Innovation Engineering
Added: June 30th, 2010
Ideas at their most basic are sparked by making connections. Insight Mining feeds the brain with customers based stimulus to spark fresh ideas. (read more...)
Energy and Cost Savings through Green IT
Added: June 29th, 2010
Information and communications technology (ICT) has become a significant source of energy consumption. ICT equipment now makes up about 5.3 percent of global electricity use and more than 9 percent of total U.S. electricity demand. (read more...)
That Dirty Word — “Creative.”
Added: May 26th, 2010
“I needed my appendix removed so while being wheeled into surgery, I told the doctor I only budgeted $200 for the operation but if I liked his work, I had other organs he could remove down the line at a higher fee. I asked if he wouldn’t mind if I had a few people look over his work and make some suggestions on how he performed the operation.” (read more...)
Wyoming and Kansas Lead MEP in Sales, Growth
Added: May 10th, 2010
On February 25, Wyoming Growth Services coaches, Rick Rothwell and Barry Bruns, learned how to run a Eureka! Jump Start program. By April 1, they had sold 20 of them, in a state with a population of only 500,000. That’s right, twenty in a month. (read more...)
Why Innovate and what stops you
Added: May 6th, 2010
I did some work with Scottish Enterprise yesterday and they showed me the results of a recent survey on what drives innovation in Scotland and the EU. It’s from a massive survey of SME companies. Four charts in particular were particularly revealing. (read more...)
Remarks by the President at the Export-Import Bank’s Annual Conference
Added: April 30th, 2010
On March 11, 2010 EXIM City State Partners Larry Stewart and George Rex attended the Export-Import Bank’s Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. Read some excerpts from President Obama’s full speech. (read more...)
Bridging the Manufacturing Gap
Added: April 20th, 2010
One of New Hampshire's critical economic engines is facing a widening gap between the best practices it needs to compete globally and the practices NH companies actually employ. (read more...)
Not the Time to Unhook the Engine
Added: January 26th, 2010
In the first half of the 20th century the chewing gum magnate, Mr. Wrigley, was riding on a train. The woman in the seat next to him asked why he continued to spend so much money on advertising when he had the chewing gum market cornered, had made huge sums of money, and continued to make even more money. (read more...)