There is much information available for the 2023 manufacturing industry outlook. We are giving a viewpoint from a small business perspective. We are a small
Merry Christmas from all of us at C&C Machine! Like many, we spent the year battling inflation and the availability of raw materials. In the
A Finnish Company, Polar Night Energy, has developed what is being called a “sand battery”. However, it does not store electricity, it stores heat. According
Naval brass is used in marine environments because it has a high resistance to corrosion. Brass alloys 464 and 485 falls into the naval brass
The demand for copper is projected to increase due to the transition to “green” technologies like wind turbines and electric vehicles. The main industries that
Inflation concerns continues to be the top issue for small businesses. More small business owners are expecting sales to decline in the near future. According
Volatile copper prices are affecting the cost of custom bus bars. Copper prices, like the prices of many other materials, have been highly volatile of
Supply chain issues, including the availability of raw materials, are one of the key challenges for manufacturers in 2022. This leads to inflation which is
Machine knurling is ideal for cylindrical products like knobs and handles. The machine knurling process produces a textured surface that improves the user’s grip to
Neon is used in manufacturing processes in gas or liquid form. Ukraine produces about 25% of the world’s neon. The current tensions in Ukraine could
Medical devices that help the world seem to be invented every day. Devices like MRI machines, joint replacements and robotic surgeries. We did some research
Companies such as Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson and Abbott Laboratories lead medical device manufacturing in the USA. Combined, these companies had over $88 billion in
The job outlook for CNC machinists, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), does not appear to take into consideration current efforts to reshore some
There are many challenges to consider when selling a small business like a CNC machine shop or metal fabrication shop. Common Challenges There are common
Materials recycled by CNC machine shops are dependent on the types of products that the shops manufacture. However, common materials include steel, aluminum, copper and
We recently manufactured an order of custom terminal block screwdrivers. There were two sizes, both of which would be used by our customer’s field service
Major manufacturing stories and trends for 2024 are useful for planning for 2025. We investigated and now offer a perspective from a CNC machine shop.
We recently had the opportunity to machine custom components for a cryogenic system. The small pins were made from 304 stainless steel. The pistons were
A China stimulus package can impact a small US precision machine shop by increasing demand for raw materials like steel, aluminum and copper. This can
We recently had the opportunity to machine components for an intake assembly associated with an organization doing research and development for artificial lift techniques in
Tariffs can have positive and negative impacts on CNC machine shops. Imported materials, products and machinery used by the shop that carry a high tariff
The NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) had a negative impact on US manufacturing jobs. What was NAFTA? NAFTA was an agreement signed by the
Industrial robots in manufacturing have been in use for many years. AI-enabled robots are being developed to improve industrial robots in manufacturing. The First Industrial
In NFIB’s (National Federation of Independent Businesses) small business survey of April 2024, the overall optimism index increased by 1.2 points from March. In terms
China is the leading EV battery manufacturer by country with approximately 57% of market share. The China-based company, CATL, has a 34% share all by
