DJ Products, Inc.

Summer is winding down and we’ve already felt the first breath of fall in our neck of the woods. Still time for a few more weekends at the lake, but it won’t be long before folks are hauling their boats out of the water and cleaning out their RVs for winter storage. Getting these expensive mega toys tucked in for the winter used to be a herculean task. All decked out with the latest features, these babies are heavy. It required a couple of burly guys and a lot of muscle and straining to push and pull these vehicles around the storage lot or boat yard and maneuver them into their winter berths. Then the recreational industry discovered DJ Products’ versatile TrailerCaddy trailer mover. 

Originally designed to maneuver large, heavy cargo trailers and trailered equipment short distances around factory lots and storage facilities, DJ Products’ versatile TrailerCaddy trailer mover has found a new fan base in the recreational vehicle and boating industries. Using DJ Products’ motorized trailer mover, a single operator can easily move hefty RVs and boats into place in RV storage lots and boat yards. Tricky maneuvering in tight spaces is effortless with the compact, ergonomically-designed TrailerCaddy. Move forward or backward smoothly from a full stop to 3 mph with a turn of the handy twist-grip control handle. Maximum operator control and compact size minimize potential damage to surrounding vehicles, even in tightly confined areas like stacked storage facilities, dealer showrooms, repair bays and trade show displays. Ergonomic design minimizes the risk of potential muscle strain, making it possible for a single employee of any size, strength or gender to move vehicles with equal ease.

Click here for complete information about DJ Products’ versatile TrailerCaddy trailer mover and to watch a video of the trailer move in action.

One of the realities brought home by the worldwide recession is the fact that the economy truly has gone global. Manufacturers who fail to adjust their business models and adapt will be unable to compete. Many believe American manufacturing is at a crossroads. Driven by 282,000 small and midsize manufacturers — the backbone of U.S. industry — many of which lack the resources to meet the demands of global competition, American manufacturing must step up to the plate or find itself struck out by better prepared foreign competitors.

In our August 21 post, we talked about six essential next generation strategies identified by the American Small Manufacturers Coalition from a survey of 2,500 U.S. manufacturers. An online article on the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) website pointed out several of the most challenging threats to the viability of U.S. manufacturing revealed by the Next Generation Manufacturing Survey.

• Too few manufacturers, only 28%, recognized the importance of global positioning. The days when the U.S. dominated world manufacturing are gone. The torch has passed to China, India and other emerging powerhouses. The reality is that market demand, talent pools and competitive opportunities are growing outside U.S. borders and declining within. The greatest opportunities lay in forming global alliances.
• Too many U.S. manufacturers failed to recognize the growing importance of green operations and sustainable product and process development. Only 16% of survey respondents considered eco-friendliness important to their success with a like percentage denying its relevance. The reality is that consumer demand for green and sustainable products is increasing. Government regulation will mandate change if manufacturers fail to adapt.
• U.S. manufacturers are clinging too tightly to the old management from the top down model. Too few manufacturers are taking competitive advantage of the opportunity to partner with employees, suppliers, even competitors. Less than half of survey respondents engaged employees in improvement efforts; less than a quarter sought supplier input. The reality is that productivity and innovation improve when employees, suppliers and customers are fully engaged. Future success will belong to the collaborators, not the mavericks.

The majority of American manufacturers seem to have stuck their heads in the sand rather than face the challenges of the future. Those who deny the future are apt to be buried by it.

Not so long ago some were predicting the death knell of U.S. manufacturing. As the recession brought Detroit’s Big Three to their knees, put the brakes on consumer spending, forced massive layoffs and shuttered cash-strapped plants across the country, American manufacturing seemed to be in its death throes. But as they say, what doesn’t kill us makes us strong. Strong competitors assimilated weak ones. Loose financial and operational practices were tightened. Costs and expenses were pared down. From the assembly line to the board room, American manufacturers are running a tighter ship – and it seems to be paying off. Manufacturing declines have been slowing since December. In July new orders resulted in the biggest production jump in more than two years. Customers are beginning to restock and assembly lines are running again. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter; but there is concern that unless U.S. manufacturers make major changes to their business model, the light could still go out. 

A recent national study found U.S. manufacturers distressingly unprepared to compete in an increasingly global economy. Conducted by the American Small Manufacturers Coalition in conjunction with Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the Next Generation Manufacturing Survey polled more than 2,500 U.S. manufacturers. The report identified six essential next generation strategies manufacturers must adopt to compete successfully in global markets:

• Customer-focused innovation
• Talent recruitment, development and retention
• Systemic continuous improvement
• Supply chain management and collaboration
• Sustainable product and process development
• Global engagement

More than 25% of American manufacturers — over 90,000 firms — were considered at risk because of their inability to meet world-class achievement levels in any of the six strategies. Unless U.S. manufacturers are able to adopt next generation strategies, America may not be able to compete in global markets.