Energy prices pose dangers to manufacturing sector

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Reuters Business Channel | Reuters.com:

Another example on the theme of costs and prices

“International competition may limit manufacturing companies' ability to pass on higher raw material costs to their customers, said David Huether, chief economist of the National Association of Manufacturers.

‘While they have better pricing power than a couple years ago, they're still being significantly hurt by rising commodity costs,' he said.”

The article DOES point out, at least, that lean is a strategy for reducing costs to get profits back in line:

“Cost cuts and better productivity have helped manufacturers to offset the burden, but these have been squeezed as far as they will go…. and a focus on “lean manufacturing” may help them weather a downturn.”

Now don't confuse “lean” with “cost cuts” meaning layoffs. Lean companies won't take the short-cut approach to slashing costs short-term with layoffs. Identify and fight waste instead!

Please check out my main blog page at www.leanblog.org

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Mark Graban
Mark Graban is an internationally-recognized consultant, author, and professional speaker, and podcaster with experience in healthcare, manufacturing, and startups. Mark's new book is The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation. He is also the author of Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More, the Shingo Award-winning books Lean Hospitals and Healthcare Kaizen, and the anthology Practicing Lean. Mark is also a Senior Advisor to the technology company KaiNexus.

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