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SCMFG Exclusives

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"In the air or on the road" Manufacturing Design with Paul Kumler Feb 4

Could South Carolina Be The Place? Part I

It’s a valid question. It’s not too presumptuous to think. Why not? Could South Carolina be the home to the next supersonic commercial airplane? Perhaps this isn’t on anyone’s radar screen yet. For decades, there has been discussion of a new supersonic commercial airplane. During my Boeing career, in the 1990’s there was talk of […]

By SCMFG/Staff
"In the air or on the road" Manufacturing Design with Paul Kumler Jan 7

Offshoring engineering will come back to haunt us

When American businesses outsource their engineering, especially to lower cost offshore service providers, are those companies increasing current profits at a significant future cost? Businesses continually look for ways to reduce their costs to enhance profits. Large corporations reward their executives and managers when they find ways to reduce costs and maximize profits. For publically […]

By SCMFG/Staff
"In the air or on the road" Manufacturing Design with Paul Kumler Dec 6

Think you don’t need a professional engineering (PE) license in aerospace?

Guess again and fly higher I’m asked often by recent engineering graduates if they should pursue a professional engineering (PE) registration.  Most of the questions come from graduates entering the aerospace field. When I was beginning my engineering career, I wrestled with the same question. The process to receive a PE registration (engineering license) requires […]

By SCMFG/Staff
Trade Nov 15

Trade Missions; Multitool to International Development

“Trade missions like this (Trade Winds 2016) allow for US Manufacturers like us to develop international contacts and leads while building good working alliances.” – Sun Surveillance, Spartanburg SC Have you ever asked yourself, “what are these “trade missions” I keep hearing about? What would I get out of participating? And is it the right […]

By SCMFG/Staff
Automotive Nov 8

In the zone; Where SC manufacturers can avoid tariffs, stay lean and pad the bottom line

Over the last quarter century, and with a big fat “Thank You” going out to BMW, there has been a flurry of global manufacturing brands and their host of tiered suppliers descending upon South Carolina, and to the Upstate in particular. And with the Charleston Harbor being deepened as I write these words, the ocean’s […]

By SCMFG/Staff
Aerospace Oct 25

Where’s my parts? South Carolina’s dependency on seamless production

“If I call you at 7:30 p.m. on a Friday evening, will you answer the phone and get my parts delivered to me on time?” In a manufacturing ecosystem subject to tariffs, bad weather and port congestion, South Carolina firms along the supply chains of a BMW, Boeing, Volvo or Mercedes have been forced to […]

By SCMFG/Staff
"In the air or on the road" Manufacturing Design with Paul Kumler Oct 17

Roads? Where We’re going, we don’t need roads

The Future of Aerospace I admit it, I am a Trekkie. Yeah, Star Wars was OK, but I always preferred the original Star Trek.  Watching this show in my younger years, combined with seeing nearly every single NASA rocket launch and the first moon landing triggered my imagination and interest. In fact, I credit this […]

By SCMFG/Staff
"In the air or on the road" Manufacturing Design with Paul Kumler Oct 3

The Small Business Eco-System

An aerospace retrospective with KTM Solution’s Paul Kumler I recently attended an SC Aerospace Advisory Board meeting where a preliminary supply chain study report was presented. The report was generated to understand the impact of the aerospace supply chain in South Carolina. I found one statistic particularly interesting. Approximately 80 percent (283 of 355 companies) […]

By SCMFG/Staff
Automotive Sep 27

Bridge Building; How South Carolina will remain a storefront to the world

Walking under the trees along Main Street in Greenville and into the sun again down near the Poinsett Hotel and City Hall, one could close their eyes and transport themselves to stations around the world. The digital storefront and globalization of commerce has positioned South Carolina as a gatekeeper for the world’s marketplace, and the […]

By SCMFG/Staff
Manufacturing Sep 12

Hanging it on housekeeping; The first step in supply chain progression and safety

So…You want to become a tiered supplier? You want to fly beyond the “mom and pop” machine shop and onto the radars of a BMW, Boeing or Michelin? Well, you’ll need to start making your own bed first. In addition to a more aesthetically pleasing facility, a “clean” work environment is vital to implementing Just […]

By SCMFG/Staff
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