The Thomas Blog

What You Might've Missed in Marketing and Manufacturing This Summer

Well, folks, we’ve passed Labor Day Weekend, which means summer is officially over.

Amidst the craziness of July 4, summer vacations, and family barbecues, it can be hard to stay afloat of industry trends. As you settle back to the usual work routine, you’ll want to catch up on everything that’s been happening in marketing and manufacturing while you were away.

Here’s a roundup of the biggest industry trends you may have missed this summer.

Finding The Right Contract Manufacturer: Single- Versus Multi-Station Production Processes

It seems logical that when developing a product with multiple process requirements, you would search for multi-station equipment, and single-station equipment for a one-process operation. However, this common screening process can actually yield less than optimal results.

5 Can’t-Miss Marketing Videos, Advertisements

With so many advertisements flooding our screens, it's tough to keep track of the ones worth rewatching. Since 2016 is still just getting started, we thought it was important to take a look at what has been successful in the past year, and one word comes to mind: emotional.

How Tennis Rackets Are Manufactured

The tennis rackets that you'll see on display at the U.S. Open are nothing like the clunky, wooden rackets used years ago. That's because today's game is faster, with average serve speeds of 124 to 140 mph, and engineers are tasked with creating rackets that can not only accommodate these speeds, but can withstand forces as great as 50 kilos while being lighter and more aerodynamic than ever before. So what technologies do companies use to create these modern marvels of engineering? 

While different brands use their own distinct materials and techniques for creating tennis rackets, the manufacturing process is mostly consistent. Check out the step-by-step process of creating a tennis racket below:

5 Reasons Why U.S. Companies Should Consider Exporting

Exports are a growing and substantial part of the U.S. economy, with more than 304,000 U.S. companies exporting goods last year. Of those companies, nearly 98 percent were small- or medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with fewer than 500 employees.

5 Topics U.S. Procurement Professionals Are Talking About On Social Media Right Now

As you know, social media runs rings around traditional media in terms of early access to news, unadulterated commentary from all levels of the workforce, and providing an interactive forum for discussing, rather than just reading about, the biggest issues facing our profession.

Video: A New And Improved Corvette For A New Generation

The decade-old rumor of a new and improved Corvette is finally coming to fruition. A sleeker model of the classic American sports car will come out as early as 2018. The dramatically changed car will have a mid-engine design, allowing better handling and responsiveness and more flexibility while incorporating a potential plug-in hybrid powertrain or all-wheel drive. 

6 Marketing Activities to Jump On During Summer Shutdown

Summer shutdown is upon us.

When production on the floor halts this season and all your machinist colleagues are off-the-grid, you can do so much more than kick back while your MRO manager cleans and evaluates the shop floor.

This is a great time to get introspective about what you've accomplished this year, how you can continue growing as a marketer and re-evaluate what's left to meet Q3 and Q4 goals. Let's take a look at your opportunities.

Video: U-Loop Could Let You Travel At Record Speeds

Are you sick of waiting in traffic while traveling this summer? With the latest hyperloop technology, long travel times may become a thing of the past.