Posts Tagged ‘Foundry’
Monday, November 30th, 2009
Today was the end of Charlie Weis’s five year tenure at ND. With a 35-27 win loss record, and ending this year at 6-6, the stock holders at ND are less than pleased. Athletic director Jack Swarbrick announced the decision, saying in a news release: “We have great expectations for our football program, and we have not been able to meet those expectations.” Charlies is gone.
Those close to me all know that I am not a fan of Notre Dame (personal reasons) but I am a huge fan of sports and more importantly a huge fan of success and the fact that “Status Quo Sucks”. I have been listening to the fans, friends, co-workers, family and all others say: “Charlie needs to go!” Now that being said I respect ND as a business machine and a lot can be learned from ND as a business model. ND will need to belly up 15 – 20 mil to buy out CW’s contract than somewhere around another 5 mil for a new coach. Do you think the amount of money even comes into play? No amount of money will keep ND from making the correct decision. Summarizing the AD, they have expectations and it ain’t losing!
This brings me to another point. All sports teams are ran like a business: high school, NCAA and the pro’s. You can try to argue that they are not, but they are out there to win and be successful just like business. When there is a losing season or seasons the fans want the coach and/or coaches replaced. You never hear”Awwww, how can they fire him”, or “he has been with the team for years, how can they do that?” It’s always good riddance, bring on the next coach. Such the opposite in most work places. It’s kinda funny how one’s desire for a sports team to be successful vs the desire of the companies success. Just sayin.
Tags: BCI, Bremen Castings, Bremen Foundry, bremen indiana, Bremen Machining, business, business climate, casting machining, Charlie Weis, CNC, Ductile Iron, Fired, Foundries, Foundry, Gray Iron, IN, Indiana, machined complete, Machining, Manufacturing, metal casting manufacturer, ND, Notre Dame, sports, SQS, status quo sucks, Weis
Posted in General | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009
The demise of customer service in America seemed to come about through a gradual decline over the last decade. Today, with the current economic climate, we are seeing significant improvements in our treatment as consumers. In the past, we were consuming in large amounts regardless of how we were treated as the customer. Contrast that with the current climate, where we have all reeled our consuming in favor of more saving and you see the decline in demand has dictated better customer service.
Consumers today are diverting their reduced dollars to those providing the best customer service. We have grown intolerant of poor customer service or have we always been intolerant? I would argue that we have always been intolerant and that we did not demand good customer service. We received exactly what we demanded, nothing more and nothing less. Today, we are demanding more and we are getting it or moving to where we receive better customer service. If consumers are smart enough to learn from the past, then we need to continue to demand good customer service even when we return to a new level of normalcy in the economy.
Tags: BCI, Bremen Castings, Bremen Foundry, bremen indiana, Bremen Machining, casting machining, CNC, customer, customer service, Ductile Iron, Foundries, Foundry, Gray Iron, IN, Indiana, machined complete, Machining, Manufacturing, metal casting manufacturer, service, SQS, Team BCI, technology, tooling
Posted in General | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Over the years all these books, consultants, papers, teachers, parents, co-workers and everyone around us has heard and understands this over rated term. It’s the feel good attitude to look at everything as your glass is half full. What does that mean? You are a positive person? You are an optimist? You fit in the norm of socety and say the things that make you look smart or educated? I say you are lazy and dependant on others. It’s ok to look at the world as 1/2 full if you like comfort and Status Quo. I am not negative or a pessimist but for me, co-workers, sports teams, companies, lawyers, doctors and any other profession you can think of, works a hell of a lot harder, smarter and uses common sense when behind the eight ball or “The Glass is 1/2 Empty”. Think about it. The glass is at the same level whether it is 1/2 full or empty, correct? When it’s 1/2 full you are comfortable and you know that you have 1/2 left. When it’s 1/2 empty, you know you only have 1/2 left and you better fill the damn thing up before it goes dry. It’s all about the attitude.!
Tags: 1/2 empty, 1/2 full, BCI, Bremen Castings, Bremen Foundry, bremen indiana, Bremen Machining, casting machining, CNC, Ductile Iron, Foundries, Foundry, Gray Iron, Machining, SQS, Team BCI, technology
Posted in Manufacturing | 3 Comments »
Sunday, April 12th, 2009
Members of the BCI team attended the paper show out in Vegas this last week. I was disappointed with the number of foundries that were present. I know times are tough and so are the environments that we are in now, but what a better time to have conversation with other foundry members and to hear technical papers to help educate and learn some ways to help improve your process. I know it seems like we are working harder today (slow times) than we were when we are busy but what a time to implement those cost saving ideas or change your process around. When the market picks back up we will all have the same excuses “I am too busy!” AFS had good intentions of having this Casting Congress but the economy was an excuse not to attend. Shame on our industry. I have never heard anyone say they would not spend to recieve a greater return.
Tags: AFS, American Foundry Society, BCI, Bremen Castings, casting congress, Foundries, Foundry, Metalcasting Congress, Team BCI
Posted in Manufacturing | No Comments »
