Dear Reader
Welcome to the Spring 2024 Edition of HV Mfg, the Council of Industry’s magazine by, for and about Hudson Valley manufacturers.
Regular readers of this magazine know we write quite a bit about innovation and adaptation being hallmarks of successful Hudson Valley manufacturing firms. Those that thrive here are likely to have developed company cultures that are open to opportunity, focus on customers, anticipate change and embrace technology.
Our Spring edition highlights two such firms and also delves into some of the topics that they need to understand to be successful. We start with a profile of Poughkeepsie’s James L. Taylor Manufacturing. A maker of woodworking equipment, the company has a deep rooted focus on customer satisfaction that has kept them innovating and adapting for more than a century.
Our leader Q&A is with Lee Galperin, President of Smith & Warren, a designer and manufacturer of custom badges for police and fire departments, security firms, the military and other agencies. Also more than a century old, Lee talks about Smith & Warren’s commitment to quality and customer focus as well as his and his family’s passion, perseverance and dedication.
Of course, developing and maintaining a culture that is innovative, open, nimble and customer focused doesn’t happen without effort and hard work. Leaders need to be consistent yet open to change and they always need to be employing the latest most effective tools to grow their business. They need to be following industry and global economic and political trends and they need to ensure they are operating not just within the law, but ‘beyond compliance,’ as we like to say.
With that in mind this edition includes several articles to support manufacturing industry leaders. Steve Howell, Partner with RBT CPAs, writes on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. He outlines the capabilities of such systems, how to select the right one for your manufacturing business and shares case studies in effective (and not so effective) implementation. Gus Scacco, CEO and Chief Investment Advisor at Hudson Valley Investment Advisors writes on current trends in globalization. Gus asks and answers why much of American manufacturing moved overseas during the past 20 years and why these firms seem to be moving back to the United States. Further he writes on the implications for New York State and Hudson Valley manufacturers.
People, or course, are the key to a firm’s innovation and adaptation. Compensating and training them properly and effectively is essential to any firm’s success. Josh Adams and Robert Guidotti, Principals at Jackson Lewis P.C., a Law firm specializing in labor and employment law, provide a valuable compliance checklist for US and New York State Wage and Hour laws. These laws are numerous and can be confusing – especially in a factory setting. Their article provides insights to help employers navigate the maze and ensure employes are paid properly.
We also get a look behind the scenes at Dutchess Community College’s Mechatronics Lab at the College’s Center of Excellence for Industry and Innovation at Fishkill. The lab is the culmination of many years of planning and hard work and now – roughly 6 months into its operation, helping students and incumbent workers alike build skills needed in advanced manufacturing operations across the region.
Of course, we have our regular Spring edition features including news briefs, and our Member and Associate Member Directories.
Please also note the many and varied organizations who placed advertisements in HV Mfg. The Hudson Valley manufacturing sector ecosystem is strong and diverse including not only manufacturers, but banks and engineering firms, accounting firms and labor attorneys, educational institutions and equipment suppliers and so much more. Many of these organizations have placed ads in this magazine. I thank each of them for their generous support of the Council of Industry, this publication and manufacturers throughout the region. I hope you enjoy this edition and thank you for reading.
Sincerely,
Harold King
President
Council of Industry
