The Thomas Blog

Manufacturing Day 2020: STEM Resources for High School and College Students

With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many schools to shift away from in-person instruction toward a remote learning environment, the challenge of maintaining student engagement takes on increased significance. This is especially true in courses that involve STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

When taught in a traditional in-person setting, STEM courses combine education in the theoretical treatment of the subject (gleaned from written material as found in textbooks) with the practical treatment of the subject (developed via hands-on work from labs, experimentation, and the use of instruments and materials). When shifting to a remote learning environment, the techniques for educating students on the underlying principles of a subject are much easier to transfer successfully than are the more practical hands-on aspects.

To help fill this gap, we have identified some resources that may be used to provide students at the high school or college level with practical hands-on projects that they can perform which will help them supplement their education in STEM subjects.

The resources below contain a mix of different potential project ideas, many of which can be performed from home with a minimal need to purchase special suppliers or materials. Other projects from the resources below, especially those at the college level, will likely require students to make some investment in materials, components, and equipment that would not usually be found in the typical household. These are higher level projects that normally would be accomplished in a college lab class, possibly in a collaborative group setting, under the guidance of an instructor or advisor.

Manufacturing Day 2020: 20 Educational Factory Tours

Industrial manufacturing takes place inside of factories and plants that house the machinery needed to perform specialized operations as part of the production process. The videos below offer a view into the workings of some of these factories to provide you with a look at different manufacturing operations and how they are performed and automated.

The videos have been grouped into sections based on the types of processes shown. Each section presents a description of these processes and links that will enable you to further explore these topics of modern manufacturing.

Meeting The Needs Of Your Buyers: Blog vs eBook

To effectively reach buyers and generate valuable leads, it’s critical to employ a dynamic, multifaceted digital marketing strategy — and that means creating a robust content marketing campaign.

Content marketing is a crucial tool for collecting valuable user details. It is a means of trading information; users provide data — their business, goals, their contact information — and in exchange, you provide insights and actionable advice in checklists, educational eBooks, or in-depth whitepapers.

For Manufacturers: How To Differentiate Yourself From Competition

The primary goal of an industrial content marketing strategy is to get your company noticed and grab the attention of potential customers. To do that, you have to differentiate yourself. But, of course, your competition is trying to accomplish the exact same thing. So with everyone striving to stand out, how do you actually get that done? You need the right approach to digital marketing, and you need to tailor your efforts to match your unique goals and needs. But what does that entail?

Impressive Brand Awareness Campaigns From Manufacturing Companies

As a manufacturing professional, you’re more than familiar with industrial companies large and small. But if you ask someone who isn’t intimately involved in the space which company he or she thinks of in relation to manufacturing, the results will surely be limited. Perhaps a couple of the biggest names will come to mind. 

These companies are well-known because they’ve created a name for themselves over the years. They’ve spread awareness about their products and services, and now they’re ubiquitous and prevalent in people’s minds. 

But manufacturing is changing, as anyone in the space will tell you. The population of young people entering the industry is different than it was just a few years ago, automation is increasing, and the landscape is shifting with no end in sight. Marketing for this field has also had to change. The biggest names in the industry have been successful with this, but now smaller manufacturers are turning to industrial marketing experts to get their business found too.

SEO Best Practices For Environmental Systems Manufacturers

More businesses are turning to online tactics to get their businesses found by more customers — but once you create a strong online presence, how do you continue building the traffic? 

We always suggest beginning with your goals first. What are your marketing goals trying to accomplish? Setting goals ensures you’re maximizing your effectiveness and ensures you can tie them to measurable results. Once you've established clear goals, communicate them with your team, designer, or industrial agency.

For environmental systems manufacturers, today's global pandemic situation presents valuable business opportunities for growth. Here are tips to take your website traffic to the next level and increase your reach to more buyers.

7 Easy Tips For Creating A Lead-Generating eBook

Creating an eBook for your business is one of the best ways to convert leads and increase brand awareness among potential buyers. In fact, 51% of today’s B2B businesses are incorporating eBooks into their content marketing campaigns.

Allowing for the dissemination of in-depth, detailed content, eBooks enable businesses to connect with a target audience based on their specific stage in the buying journey.

Why Industrial Companies Need Content Marketing

To understand why content marketing is important to manufacturers, OEMs and distributors, let’s first examine the complete picture of the modern industrial buying process.

Industrial buying is an infinitely more complex process than it ever used to be. In the past, business relationships were forged over lunches, golf games, phone calls, and plant visits. Suppliers showcased their know-how by “talking shop” and establishing rapport in person.

6 Tips For Revision And Self-Editing For B2B Marketers

Writing good quality content can be a lot of work, especially if your team is small or you're both the writer and editor. If you don’t consider yourself a natural writer, there are a few ways you can still create great content. Transform your mediocre rough draft into a stellar final copy by following the tips below.