Assembly - December 2008 - (Page 33) says Nordex CEO Thomas Richterich. “Our objective is to generate 20 percent of our revenues in the United States.” The Nordex facility is just one example of the continued growth in capital expenditures in the machinery manufacturing industry (NAIC 333). All totaled, assemblers of hay balers, bulldozers, band saws, vending machines, gun sights, air conditioners and ball joints will spend $778.1 million on new equipment next year. That’s 25 percent more than what the industry spent in 2008, and it’s the industry’s second straight year with a double-digit increase in capital spending. Overall, NAIC 333 will account for 27 percent of all equipment spending in 2009. That compares with 22 percent in 2008, and it’s the most for this industry since 2006. The 2009 median budget for machinery makers is $100,000, which is twice the 2008 figure and the largest median since 1999. What’s more, 24 percent of plants in NAIC 333 will spend at least $1 million on assembly technology next year—the highest percentage for this industry in the history of our survey. In fact, 37 percent of all plants with million-dollar capital budgets are in NAIC 333. Assemblers in this industry are less concerned about assembling new products than they are about replacing old or worn-out equipment. Only 36 percent of plants in NAIC 333 are buying equipment to assemble a new product. That compares with 41 percent for the nation as a whole, and it’s the 12th time in 13 years that this industry has been below the national percentage for assembling new products. Conversely, half the plants in this industry are looking to replace old equipment. That compares with 46 percent for all U.S. plants, and it’s the fifth straight year that this industry has outpaced the nation in that regard. Computers and Electronics Demand for high-definition flat-panel televisions has boosted employment at Sony Corp.’s assembly plant in East Huntingdon, PA, from a low of 600 people in the summer of 2007 to 850 people today, and the plant now has five automated assembly lines instead of two. The picture wasn’t always so rosy. In early 2007, Sony management in Japan threatened to shutter the facility and shift production to Tijuana. However, plant managers persuaded them to assemble Sony’s new 52-inch model at the facility. The plant’s investment in automation was the deciding factor, because it made the facility more cost-competitive. Unfortunately, the Sony facility seems to be the exception, not the rule among assemblers of televisions, computers and other electronic products (NAIC 334). The industry will spend $489.9 million on assembly technology in 2009—18 percent less than 2008 outlays. All totaled, assemblers of clocks, disk drives, telephones, radar equipment, thermostats, microchips and other electronic products will account for 17 percent of all capital spending next year, compared with 22 percent for 2008. The median budget in this industry is $100,000, which is virtually the same as the 2008 figure of $95,000. Twenty-eight percent of plants will spend less in 2009 than they did in 2008. That’s slightly more than the 26 percent for the nation as a whole, and it marks the third straight year that the industry has outpaced the nation in that ratio. Similarly, Cut waste tomorrow The learning curve for lean just got shorter Eliminate waste: Prevent overproduction. Reduce inventory. Cut space requirements. Avoid errors. Optimize flow and ergonomics. Two guidebooks show how. Lean manufacturing promises benefits throughout your assembly operations. But to reap those benefits, you have to do it right. With decades of experience, Bosch Rexroth can help. We’ve packed dozens of tips into two new guidebooks: “Lean Manufacturing — Principles, Tools and Methods” and “Efficient Material Flow in Lean Production.” Download them today, or order them online at www.boschrexroth-us.com/lean. Also, check out our other lean tools, including our e-mail webletter on lean production. It’s our way to help you stay on top of all things lean. Go to www.boschrexroth-us.com/lean and download your copy or use Web Code US0405 www.assemblymag.com December 2008 / ASSE M B LY 33 http://www.boschrexroth-us.com/lean http://www.boschrexroth-us.com/lean http://www.boschrexroth-us.com/lean http://www.assemblymag.com
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