Last year, with support from DOD-OEA, the DVIRC established and led a partnership with Deloitte Consulting, Second Muse, Center of Effort LLC, Andrew Dahlgren, and Leanne Gluck. The partners developed a plan to strengthen the capabilities and competitive position of small- and medi

Pennsylvania’s Industrial Resource Center (IRC) Network, comprising seven not-for-profit organizations across the state, helps small to mid-sized manufacturers grow, thrive, and continue to be a vital part of Pennsylvania’s economy. The IRCs will expand their outreach to small and

This article is the second of a multi-part series. Read Part I Here Once the value propositions have been established, those values need to be viewed in light of how your business will work better with new software. While company size and revenue impact the budget for new software,

In September, two DVIRC Subject Matter Experts— Chris Scafario, Vice President of Consulting Operations, and Jeff Kopenitz, Director of Advanced Manufacturing & Training & Education—were asked to speak at the MEP Center Best Practice Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. The

Guest Contributor: Christopher (Chris) J. Bilotta, CPRW, Resource Development Company, Inc. Company owners, senior executives, and hiring managers are fully aware that the current environment for recruiting talent at all organizational levels is extremely difficult. With the natio

On October 12, more than 500 people gathered at the Seventh Annual Greater Philadelphia Manufacturing Summit, the largest ever hosted by the Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center (DVIRC). The Fuge (formally Johnsville Centrifuge) in Warminster, PA, where, in 1959, the Mercury

While ransomware is not new, the Wannacry attack has been so widespread that many small-business owners, manufacturers among them, have likely lost some sleep wondering if they’ve done enough to protect their systems. Could a ransomware attack be the end of their business? The inte

Once a company has determined the important value propositions for moving forward with the selection and implementation of new or upgraded software, it is time to form the detailed requirements for the new system to support. These requirements are essential to determining best fit

With so many media outlets and publications delivering content, it can be hard to sift through to find valuable information about the manufacturing industry at-large, local industry trends, and economic indicators. So, to help you make the most of your time and improve your busines

Adding 35% to cost has been a long-standing calculation of selling price for many manufacturers, particularly those costing and quoting as job shops. The 35% figure is derived from the gross margin value on the company’s income statement, estimated at 25%, and 10% for profit. Howev

What is Six Sigma? Six Sigma is similar to Lean manufacturing in that it aims to improve processes; while Lean is about eliminating waste, though, Six Sigma is a means of reducing variation. In essence, Six Sigma is a measurement of process capability. Six Sigma—or six standard dev

The final step in any software selection project is confirming that the preferred ERP software is working as demonstrated in the “real world.” The entire selection process is based on sales presentations, and while many software vendors are very professional and honest, knowing how

Three centuries ago, the First Industrial Revolution created new goods and new jobs through the introduction of structured manufacturing. The power of water, iron, and steam transformed the way that people worked and lived, but the changes didn’t stop there. A Second Industrial Re

DVIRC was recently awarded a contract from the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) to inform and help small and mid-sized manufacturers implement Industry 4.0 technologies. Industry 4.0, also referred to as Advanced Manufacturing Technology, is revolutio

Cutting-edge innovation in domestic manufacturing, historically a critical pillar of the U.S. economy and national security, has been dramatically impacted by foreign competition in recent decades. To counteract this and to strengthen the capabilities and competitive positions of s

Manufacturing in the United States has been flying high, but we all learn at an early age that what goes up must come down. The good news is that you have control over exactly how and where you land. The pace of economic expansion over the last two years has been anything but slow

By Harry Landsburg, Director, Business Process Technology Consulting Once your ERP software selection team has finished reviewing two finalist ERP systems, it’s time to make the final decision.  Your team has created a thorough RFQ for the needs of the company and the remaining ven

By Martin Ziegler, Owner and Principal Consultant, The Bonney Ziegler Group This is a very common question from companies considering ISO 9001 certification. In short, it will help companies to work more efficiently, understand their internal processes, consistently deliver the exp

On April 30th, DVIRC’s President and CEO, Barry Miller, Executive Vice President, Tony Girifalco, and several owners of manufacturing companies in the Philadelphia region journeyed to Harrisburg for “Hill Day,” an annual visit to the State Capitol to seek additional state budget

A recent study by the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research titled “The National-Level Economic Impact of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP): Estimates For Fiscal Year 2018” found the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing