IndustryWeek's signature franchises attract manufacturing executives, because they are go-to resources for benchmarking their operations against others'. The franchises provide a litmus test for leaders to measure operational success (and shortcomings) and help them to identify what services and equipment they need to sustain or move toward excellence. IW's programs and reports help decision-makers know what makes the other companies so successful and what resources they need to keep up.
This special feature explores the very nature of the manufacturing profession by involving the entire IW community as active participants. Much more than just a look at dollars-and-cents and pay stubs, this article examines job satisfaction, workforce and workplace issues, managerial challenges and geographical comparisons. In addition, it addresses the leadership role that manufacturing professionals play in guiding the management and success of their companies.
The IW/MPI Census of Manufacturers is one of the largest annual studies of U.S. manufacturing metrics, management practices and financial results conducted at the plant level. The Census offers research for U.S. manufacturing executives seeking a solid basis for rational decisions.
The IW Best Plants program annually recognizes 10 plants from across North America for their best practices in employee motivation, inventory management, quality and other key performance indicators. IW spotlights the 10 winners and their strategies for continuous improvement in this popular special series of articles. The IW Best Plants program is an institution in manufacturing, offering a benchmarking template for other companies to measure their performances against. This special feature also offers a preview of the 2008 IW Best Plants Conference, to be held April 1-3 in Milwaukee.
Here's the chance for industry leaders to see how their competitors are succeeding in the battle for continuous improvement. This IW franchise takes a look at the manufacturing companies that are making the grade in operational excellence. It looks at and evaluates a combination of critical metrics including: revenue and profit growth, inventory turns, asset turnover, and return on assets. Every year IW publishes the results that keep executives looking for new resources, ideas and tools to drive them toward world-class status.
This published ranking is the only of its kind. The IW U.S. 500 annual report ranks the United States' 500 largest publicly held manufacturing companies by annual revenue, net income, profit margin and revenue growth percentage for each manufacturer on the list.
