I monitor economic news and insights very closely. It’s part of my daily media routine and there are several people whose opinions I seek out and follow. Based on all that, there are three interconnected E’s that are keeping me awake lately. The situation in Europe, the impending global energy crisis and the economy all have my full attention these days. I’m concerned but I’m also very confident that Algood will remain strong.
While everyone in the manufacturing sector and the business world is consumed with news about inflation, supply chain and the lingering pandemic, I’m concerned about something far more important – the physical and mental well-being of our employees. They are our most valuable asset and we are doing everything we can to help them and protect them.
Last Friday, Algood celebrated its 53rd birthday. Much has changed since our father, Max Guttmann, started Algood in 1969. But there’s a lot of truth to the adage that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
I love technology. I am an Apple junkie with my iPad, iMac, iPhone and Apple Watch. I only read magazines using a device. My iPhone wakes me up in the morning and my watch tells me how well I slept. But despite my infatuation with the world of tech, I’m the first person to acknowledge that there are skills and knowledge that cannot be replaced by the microchip. No matter what advances are made in artificial intelligence, there are things that only I or another human being can do.
It seems like every business conversation I have these days is somehow connected to tariffs. Whether it’s our customers, colleagues or our competitors, the current tariffs, and the looming 25% surcharge at the end of the year, are having a huge impact on the caster business.
I take a walk every morning that is absolutely critical but has nothing to do with exercise. My morning walkthrough of our manufacturing facility is the most important 20-25 minutes of my day. This is the walk that makes sure we’re walking the talk and fulfilling the commitments we make to our customers every day.
New product development is in some ways a really expensive betting game. It comes with a price tag of $30,000 to $200,000 excluding capital costs. That means we need to be really confident about the decisions we make.
At Algood our competition keeps us on our toes but over the years we have learned that the best way to compete is to do what we do best and the best way to view our competitors is in the rear view mirror.
When I heard about the recent criminal conviction of a site manager whose negligence took the lives of three employees, it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I was incensed at the fact that someone in a management position would risk the lives of workers in order to save time […]
I will travel across continents to see a customer. With so many modes of communication at my disposal it seems crazy. I could call, email, chat or even video-conference without leaving my office. On top of that business travel can be very challenging with all its lines, weather, flight and mechanical delays. Based on all that you might wonder why I would fly 3,000 miles for just one meeting. The answer is simple. You can’t replace face-to-face.
What does being the first to bring a product to market say about a company? Some might say it’s creative or innovative. Others might conclude it invests significantly in R&D. Still others might see that company as highly competitive. All of those things might be true, but from my perspective in the caster industry, being […]
Watching this year’s NBA playoffs was disappointing (to say the least) as a Toronto Raptors fan, but ultimately there were lessons to be learned from watching all those games – not just in basketball, but in business as well. One of those is that you’ve always got to close the deal and the other is what I call the Law of LeBron.
