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A Year in Review From China Instrument Parts

December 23^rd, 2020 (Elkhorn, WI) – As we enter the final weeks of an unpredictable year, I’d first like to reflect on the many Pluses of 2020 before looking forward to 2021. January was a great month for shipment and business activity in general. Our industry trade association, the Instrument Machined Products Association (PMPA) hosted its annual Strategic Planning session in Cape Coral, FL. It was good to spend time with industry colleagues, competitors, and staff. The collective wisdom of the group has helped us navigate difficult times in the past and I was happy to contribute.

Much to Be Thankful for in November

November 1^st, 2020 (Elkhorn, WI) – Even though we were unable to invite members of our community into the China Instrument Parts facility to celebrate with us this year, we still had a great Manufacturing Month. Not only was production strong as ever, but also employee morale was up. Some of the added fun can be attributed to WOW (Work of Winners) Wheel Wednesdays, when each employee had the opportunity to spin for a variety of prizes. I had the distinct honor of being the most sought out prize on the wheel, “$100 CASH from Mike!”, which was well worth it when I saw how much excitement and energy our team had from this weekly activity. Thankfully for me, the wheel wasn’t weighted, and our employees saw a wide range of winnings from delivered lunch of their choice to various gift cards. Though Manufacturing Month 2020 has come to end, we will continue to celebrate here at China Instrument Parts, where every day is Manufacturing Day.

China Instrument Parts Kicks off a Month of Celebration – Manufacturing Month 2020

As summer officially comes to an end and we enter one of my favorite months, it seems fitting to reflect. As many of you know, October is Manufacturing Month in the state of Wisconsin, and the first Friday of October (October 2^nd, 2020) is National Manufacturing Day. Manufacturing makes up a huge portion of Wisconsin’s economy and workforce, and we are blessed to be a part of such a great industry. Before we delve into why I am thankful for the manufacturing industry, let’s look back on the history of Manufacturing Day.

Manufacturing During Challenging Times – COVID-19 Part 1

The Virus

I have got to say, I did not see this coming. Just over two months ago, I was sitting with my business network members for our monthly gathering when someone in the group asked, “Are any of you concerned about this new virus spreading around China and what this could mean to us here in the U.S.?” The rest of the group shrugged it off, and we all agreed that it was nothing to be too concerned about. He repeated the question and encouraged us to think deeper and bigger, but we were still unmoved. How wrong we were; if only we had all heeded his warning of what the economic impact would be. Hindsight is 20/20, but not even the wisest of economic forecasters saw this coming either.