Far from slowing down, the pace of change in the supply management profession continues to accelerate. It’s critical for supply managers and for the survival of the profession itself that practitioners continually update their skill-sets to avoid being left behind. It doesn’t matter how experienced

In light of the recent presidential election, there has been a renewed focus on the plight of blue collar workers and the lack of job opportunities in manufacturing and other industrial sectors. However, while workers say they cant find jobs to support their families, at the same time companies a

With the holiday parties and New Year’s celebrations in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to take a look ahead at what’s in store for supply chain in 2017. And while we don’t have a crystal ball to predict the future, there are some trends that will undoubtedly and irrevocably shift the supply chain

At THOMASNET.com, we are big champions of American manufacturing and reshoring. In fact, we work with suppliers who produce amazing products made in America every day, and we play an instrumental role in helping small- and medium-sized suppliers grow. But how can we measure growth for the

The Belgian city of Bruges is well known for its historical sites, such as Belfry & Halle, Basilica of the Holy Blood and Markt. But beneath the citys cobblestone streets lies a spectacle that not too many tourists know about — a beer pipeline that stretches two miles long. De Halve

The skills gap is a major roadblock to the growth of the manufacturing industry. While training programs could be the solution, they raise the question of who should be leading the training initiatives – and who should be paying for them. The U.S. government has the money to put into manufacturin

The new year is always a time of both reflection and looking ahead, especially when it comes to search engine optimization and search engine marketing trends. This year, we expect to see the pay-per-click advertising trends established last year continue to grow. Its no secret that 2016 was for PPC

New products are being created every day, so what’s new in the marketplace? Our friends at Industrial Equipment News created a roundup of their favorite product developments so far in 2017. Here are some of the products that topped the list:  Japanese Bidets Are No Longer Lost in Tran

At Thomasnet.com, we are big champions of American manufacturing and reshoring. In fact, we work with suppliers who produce amazing products made in America every day, and we play an instrumental role in helping small- and medium-sized suppliers grow. But how can we measure growth for th

These days, consumers demand businesses to be green — from green packaging to green solutions to green food — a green company offers sustainable or renewable products or operates in an environmentally-friendly way. Adopting environmentally friendly processes and energy-efficient practices has numer

Like macaroni and cheese or a song and a dance, some things work better together — even marketing and sales. Without alignment, it hurts your business across the board, and it doesnt just hit one of your departments. A study from Forrester found that 43% of CEOs believed that misalignment had cost

The packaging industry is expected to continue growing through the new year. In early October 2020, we reported the following major sourcing KPIs for packaging materials seeing a YoY increase vs. 2019: The number of sourcing sessions for packaging materials has grown by 25%  The number of RFI

From reducing costs to increasing efficiency to spurring innovation, many people are excited about the impact that 3D printing will have on the future of manufacturing. However, the truth is, it already has made a significant impact on the industry. Take a look back at the evolution of 3D printing

The outlook for additive manufacturing and 3D printing is promising. Back in 2017, Thomas reported on the increased sourcing activity for additive manufacturing. Although the base technology of additive manufacturing was developed in the 1980s, its use has become more prevalent in the last few

In 2019, lithium-ion sourcing activity on Thomasnet.com soared, and the B2B buyer data showed the top two industries driving the trend were software and technology, and healthcare and medical. Today, there are three major lithium-ion battery markets: transportation, electronic devices, an

In September 2020, Thomas reported sourcing for solar energy equipment on the Thomasnet.com platform had grown by 125% year-over-year and a substantial 171% over Q2 averages. In related category searching on the platform, solar collector panels were up by 157% year-over-year in Q3 2020 and 11% over

The global CBD market is anticipated to grow at a strong rate. Market projections see the recreational cannabis market expected to grow over 40% between 2020-2025 as availability increases and prices drop. With medicinal and recreational marijuana legalization increasing throughout the U.S., more c

Encompassing items as simple as bandages all the way through to ultra-high-tech pacemakers, the U.S. medical device market is one of the largest in the world. Forbes called it a “disruptive” market of $410 billion through 2023. Today, “disruptive” is an appropriate word.  More than a decade ag

The word “innovation” is usually associated with the creation of a product or service. Sometimes it’s a twist on an existing category; for example, instead of hiring a personal chef to figure out your meals, businesses have formed that deliver all the ingredients for a meal to your doorstep, cutting

Historically speaking, positive and lasting change is made only when we have an open and honest conversation. For the legislators and manufacturers of New Jersey, there was no better discussion to be a part of than the New Jersey Legislative Manufacturing Caucus roundtable. Unprecedented access and