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Casteel Reporter
January 15, 2013
This month’s Casteel Commentary forecasts conditions to expect next year. It includes a report card for last year and I was surprised at how close the forecast was to reality. I would not expect to forecast as well this year but you can decide for yourself how useful this exercise is for planning. I expect a slow stagnant economy but better conditions for steel foundries that for the economy as a whole…
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Market Forecast
The 2013 SFSA Market Forecast
December 15, 2012
This month’s Casteel Commentary focuses on the need that young people have to belong and the opportunity that gives us in steel casting to provide them with meaningful employment. This means that we need to be aware of their needs and interests but it also means that we can have an advantage over most other employees in recruiting and retaining key young people…
October 15, 2012
The Casteel Commentary discusses the advantage we currently hold in the marketplace with senior and experienced technical and operating people. As we recruit and plan for the future we need to institutionalize our competitive advantage by extending our greater subject matter expertise…
July 15, 2012
One of the key challenges facing the steel casting industry is recruiting and retaining the next generation of staff. While finding talented technical people is difficult, developing skilled workers must be done by us. The SFSA Board has committed to developing an apprenticeship program for members to use to develop skilled workers for our plants. This month’s Casteel Commentary outlines the approach proposed for this effort…
May 15, 2012
The Casteel Commentary considers the opportunity to eliminate a significant competitive barrier to using steel castings, the divorce of machining from the casting operation. If the foundry supplies the finished machined component, they have assumed most of the quality risk and that is of value to the customer. By integrating machining and casting the foundry is capable of creating a more efficient and higher quality process. With the loss of expertise in our customer’s organizations, taking the casting design and machining as a core part of the business will make us more competitive…
Noise Exposure
March 15, 2012
NFFS Foundry Noise Exposure Seminar information
This month’s Casteel Commentary addresses the lack of subject matter experts in industry. This is systemic and provides a window of opportunity for us. If we as suppliers have the expertise, we can make it difficult to move our products to alternative suppliers offshore or other processes…
February 15, 2012
As an annual practice, I have reviewed last years prognostications and added new ones for this year. I believe the market will slow midyear but that 2012 will exceed 2011 in demand and production of steel castings…
December 15, 2011
As a culture we have insisted that all go to college and have not provided for the development of skilled craftsmen. Unfortunately this will limit our ability to compete…
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