The Thomas Blog

Leads By Association: How To Leverage Professional Trade Groups To Connect With Buyers

Long before there were LinkedIn Groups, people who wanted to get together to discuss similar interests or professions did so by actually getting together. In person. Really!

Are Your Certifications Helping You Win Business?

For manufacturing companies, attaining and maintaining quality certifications can take a lot of time and effort. However, your certifications can be a powerful sales and marketing tool — if you're willing to put in a little more work.

The 5 Big Cybersecurity Risks Faced By Small Businesses

Over the past few years, some of the biggest brands in the world — Facebook, eBay, Target, Equifax, and many others — have become the victims of highly publicized, and extremely costly, cyberattacks. While these brazen attacks on big businesses garner a lot of media attention, the truth is that small- and medium-sized businesses are actually the biggest victims of cybercrimes and data breaches.

Can Disruptive Technologies Lead To Disruption For Your Business?

As new technologies emerge, new possibilities for disruption do as well. Smartphones and apps enabled Uber and Lyft to disrupt the staid taxi business, while the widespread availability of high-speed Internet allowed Netflix to bury Blockbuster and, ultimately, become one of the most profitable companies in the world. Even brick-and-mortar industries, like hotels and hospitality, aren’t immune to disruption, as evidenced the growing popularity of Airbnb.

Is Your Intellectual Property At Risk?

Industry 4.0 has revolutionized the manufacturing and industrial space by introducing new technologies, making it possible to enhance productivity, visibility, connectivity, and profitability like never before.

However, along with the technology, Industry 4.0 has also introduced plenty of new risks as well. Chief among these growing threats is the potential theft of your intellectual property (IP).

The Myth Of The Manufacturing Summer Slowdown

Every year, thousands of manufacturers around the country shut down their plants and facilities for a few weeks in the summer. They do so for a variety of reasons — to allow for vacation time, to take care of deferred maintenance, or to retool for the second half of the year.

Top Suppliers Use ERPs, Quick Follow-Ups

Most of us know that supplying a quality product or service on time, and at a fair price, is critical to achieving customer satisfaction. But what if you're not the only one that can do this for your customer?

You need become your customer's first choice for their next order — here's how.

How To Adopt Industry 4.0 In Your Shop

Fueled by new technology like the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Big Data, Industry 4.0 offers tremendous potential for improving operational efficiency and spurring growth. However, many manufacturers perceive Industry 4.0 adoption as more of an obligation than an opportunity, something to be relegated to an IT department rather than presented as a strategic, company-wide initiative.

A Summer Road Trip Through Manufacturing History

It’s finally summer, and that means warm weather, long weekends, and lazy, sun-soaked vacations. Some factories and shops even partially or fully shut down during the summer months, giving workers more time to spend with their loved ones.