Volume III, Issue I
Pay Attention As this issue of MMS goes to press, there are economic-based initiatives pending before our federal legislative bodies that all manufacturers should be aware of. These are not “bail-outs” like those pushed through to benefit the airline industry.
Pay Attention
As this issue of MMS goes to press, there are economic-based initiatives pending before our federal legislative bodies that all manufacturers should be aware of.
These are not “bail-outs” like those pushed through to benefit the airline industry. Rather, these bills contain stimuli that affect the depreciation schedules and write-off percentages for capital equipment purchases over the next few years.
These bills—H.R. 2485 (currently in committee) and H.R. 3090 (currently on the Senate floor)—are excellent starting points, but they just scratch the surface in terms of meaningful, long-term investment in manufacturing sectors that were hurting long before September 11th.
In October, John Memmelaar of Royal Master Grinders testified before Congress’ Committee on Small Business on behalf of AMT—The Association For Manufacturing Technology. Throughout his testimony, Mr. Memmelaar touched on a common theme relevant not only to machine tool manufacturers, but to all small businesses stuck in manufacturing’s malaise: don’t stop there. “(We support) the bill(s) as an important first step . . . . However, we hope to see the bill(s) improved as (they) move through the legislative process,” said Mr. Memmelaar.
And he’s right on. Because “policy creep” works both ways, it’s essential that manufacturers from all walks continuously challenge their representatives’ perceptions of manufacturing and monitor how that support actually manifests itself.
Contact your representatives. Get involved. Visit www.house.gov and www.senate.gov and read these bills and amendments. Tell them what will help and why you’re important to listen to.
If we don’t pay attention now—and stay with it—we’ll pay in other ways later.
Job Shop Site Of The Month
Associates In Manufacturing (AIM Tool & Die) is a manufacturing shop just west of Grand Rapids, Michigan. And its site offers lots of information. Like any good site, the shop’s capabilities are up front and well represented. And AIM Tool presents its product lines effectively, too. AIM’s site shows how simple navigation is valuable to a shop’s Web presence.
Want your shop or plant considered for Job Shop Site of the Month? Send your site's URL to otw@mmsonline.com with OTW Site Of The Month in the subject line. Please—job shops and plants only.
