The current global demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) has created a severe shortage of PPE across the world. And while regular distribution channels ramp up, we have seen several creative ways some individuals and companies are making changes to support our COVID-19 response,...

If you watch the 24/7 news cycle, then you may think that the world as we know it is coming to an end. Yes, COVID-19 is affecting everyone, everywhere, but to different extents. If you are in a non-essential business, you’re hurting. Some component manufacturers in locked down states are...

As I have been following up with our employers on jobs that became active before COVID-19 restrictions, they have been more optimistic than pessimistic when it comes to hiring for 2020…until recently. Over the last week of April, my largest accounts have begun to posture as if it was...

Larry Dix and I had to leave Texas to find jobs in the 1980s, as oil had crashed, and no one was buying our trusses. Back then, oil was $25. Today, they’re giving it away. Both Larry and I landed and recovered in Virginia, where government spending levels out the economy (we hope)! No...

Corona Virus or Covid-19 has undoubtedly turned the world in which we live, work, socialize, learn, and play upside down. As I write this in the last week of March, we are starting a 4-week shutdown of our manufacturing facility in New Zealand and a 2-week shutdown period for both Indianapolis...

No doubt that as I am writing this, many of us have had to turn our focus to our families, our friends, and our businesses as the COVID-19 virus has rapidly spread throughout North America. The impact to many has been requirements to shelter families in their homes, except for critical functions...

Every astute business owner has a risk analysis with plans to mitigate those risks. Within the Component Manufacturing industry, elements such as housing downturn, hacking of systems, machine failings, and staff safety concerns would generally make up the topics. I’d put money on the fact...

Anyone who knows me to any degree will tell you I am not a sports fan. I do not follow any professional sports or know much about the players and culture. So it may surprise you to have me compare component manufacturing (CM) to baseball. To be honest, I mean to compare the management practices...

The rapid rise in cases of Americans infected or possibly infected with the coronavirus made it inevitable that the lumber and building materials industry would be affected eventually. Here are some expert recommendations on how you should respond if one of your employees gets the virus. Note...

The Coronavirus is changing our landscape so fast that the three articles I wrote within the last week are no longer applicable. Because of this, I’ve decided to just give some facts and opinions from my vantage point at TheJobLine.com.  First, as of March 24th, we have not...