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Procurement Problems We Address

  • Jun 02, 2023
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Procurement Problems We Address

Research revealed several common problems OEMs face when seeking new suppliers.  Proficient Sourcing exists to address most of them with success. The first item, naturally, is the time-consuming task of determining capabilities, capacity, and quality standards needed for the project.  Sorting through the various website options may not be sufficient. We can do this for you, and there’s no obligation!  Once we know what you need we’ll research our network to find an appropriate shop… Read More

Outsourcing Your Manufacturing: Pros and Cons

Outsourcing Your Manufacturing: Pros and Cons

Proficient Sourcing LLC exists to help you find excellent suppliers so your outsourcing will be successful.  There are many factors involved with outsourcing, and it’s always educational to check the internet to see the pros and cons. Fortunately, we found no new revelations.  But depending on your business there are certainly many things to consider. In most cases we know, an OEM seeks manufacturing resources not available within the company, or perhaps beyond current capacity. … Read More

OEM Standards: Should We Worry?

OEM Standards: Should We Worry?

What’s going on with large corporations these days?  Some may be your customers or suppliers, so their motivations should be significant in your business plans.  And to the extent this population includes OEM’s we are concerned. It’s probable outside forces have tried to influence corporate behavior forever.  But now, in a time of social media and instant and broad communications, perhaps this has become more important.  Such things as ESG and CEI, if expanded into… Read More

Inclusive Economic Growth via Manufacturing?

Inclusive Economic Growth via Manufacturing?

A McKinsey & Company article of Jan 12, 2022 is labeled as part of the Davos Agenda.  This alone gives us pause.  Do you trust the Davos crowd for sound advice?  Please let us know your view on this subject. In any case, among other things, this McKinsey author bemoans the decline of US manufacturing, as it’s driven inequality and hurt its global competitiveness.  Further, revitalizing manufacturing could add lots of well-paying jobs with digitization… Read More

The 4 Day Work Week – A 2nd Take

The 4 Day Work Week – A 2nd Take

We continue to hear news about the 4-Day workweek.  Some European countries have implemented this, but it has yet to take hold in the US.  Is this a good idea for us in manufacturing?  Or in other types of work?  And who would benefit from such a change? We have no particular view on this subject, other than the obvious fact that such a change would present problems to manufacturers, along with many others, of… Read More

ESG: A Second Look

ESG: A Second Look

Manufacturers might be well advised to pay attention to the current movement using ESG standards (whose standards are these?) for funding decisions.  This could affect your retirement system as well as access to funding for any number of things. For a second time we want to take a look at ESG standards for investments.  Proficient Sourcing recommends suppliers for manufacturing OEM outsourcing needs, and most of our recommended companies are domestic shops.  If funding becomes… Read More

Supply Chain Under Strain

Supply Chain Under Strain

Proficient Sourcing LLC provides OEM’s access to a network of outstanding manufacturing suppliers.  As almost all are midwestern, we offer an alternative to companies being subjected to supply chain difficulties with overseas suppliers. The January/February edition of Expansion Solutions magazine has an excellent summary article “A Supply Chain Under Strain”.  The article points out several key supply chain points. Everyone involved with foreign suppliers is aware of the potential for sea, air, rail, and road… Read More

Manufacturing Outlook: Problems Remain

Manufacturing Outlook: Problems Remain

What is the near term outlook for US manufacturing?  Not particularly encouraging. There are nearly an infinite number of internet answers to this, and we found 2 good ones at the National Association of Manufacturers 4Q 22 survey and Deloitte’s 2023 Manufacturing Industry Outlook. Here’s a segment of NAM’s Summary of Findings: “While manufacturing proved to be quite resilient through the challenges of the past few years, the sector ended 2022 with weaker conditions, both… Read More

China: Big Problems Lurk!

China: Big Problems Lurk!

  China has very big demographic problems. Is this situation meaningful for us folks interested in US manufacturing at present or soon? We shall see. All of a sudden, a large number of news sources are reporting a potential demographic crisis beginning in China. We wonder what this means for OEMs with Chinese manufacturing. The government has a very major issue dealing with these things and still maintaining a manufacturing powerhouse. Apparently, for the first… Read More

Manufacturing Outlook for 2023

Manufacturing Outlook for 2023

Making sense of economic forecasts is risky business, but we looked at many claims of such expertise concerning manufacturing.  This is a summary of one such source from Hitachi Solutions.  Their report contained several factors widely reported in other places. As we all know the trifecta of problems, labor issues, supply chain and inflation remain as a combined big deal.  How these will shake out over 2023 remains to be seen.  The Hitachi report lists… Read More