Looking Back on Almost One Year of Social Media at Graphicast
May 23, 2010
“Geoff Forester photograph, courtesy of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund”.
Graphicast began its social media journey almost one year ago. My personal journey began about a year earlier, but I was a passive participant in the process, looking in and observing from the outside. Although I was somewhat skeptical when I attended a business oriented social media overview given by Kelley-Sue LeBlanc of Aleuromedia, I was very excited by the end of the hour long session, as I saw a great opportunity for Graphicast to expand its message and its influence in our markets via social media. A few weeks later, we hired Kelley-Sue to help us on our journey.
To me, the key to success in using social media is making the leap of faith that sharing information increases your influence and the interest in buying from you. It also, as some fear, reveals information about you to your competitors. So what? They can get this if they want to anyhow, and this downside is a small price to pay for the upside. This is a variation on the same message I have been telling people who work for me. Many of them think that hoarding the knowledge they possess is their key to job security. If they keep it to themselves, their indispensability is preserved. I have tried, with varying degrees of success, to convince them that their indispensability is preserved by sharing their information with the rest of the company. By sharing, they become the “go to” people, the people of influence and the people with the highest value to the company. The others, the hoarders, usually don’t last.
Sharing within the company is one thing. Sharing with the entire world can be a scary thought. However, through the analysis and preparation we did for our social media programs, I recognized that there was much more to gain than to lose. The only way to create influence and become more than the four walls of the building is to try to become a “go to” company to the world. We’re trying. From the activity and comments we’re seeing, I think it’s beginning to happen.
Building Molds, Building Relationships
May 19, 2010
Graphicast recently sold a mold to National Optronics, Charlottesville VA. Since 2005, National Optronics has developed 8 tools producing value added cast and machined parts with Graphicast.
National Optronics, a manufacture of eye glass lens grinding equipment ,looks to Graphicast to make value added components for their equipment. Graphicast often reviews part and assembly prints for their equipment with them to determine if we can achieve cost savings by combining multiple parts into a single casting. Other savings are found when it is more economical to machine a casting than to machine a component from bar stock.
More than your average win-win situation, this has become a rare and appreciated relationship. A few years of review, understanding and design collaboration has lead to strong and fluid communications between the organizations. Today, projects are developed start to finish with relative ease, savings are realized, and at the end of a project, well, speaking for Graphicast, we are happy to have completed another job for National Optronics.
Graphicast Process Featured in Latest Designfax Issue
May 11, 2010
The Graphicast LTA casting process is highlighted in the feature article in Designfax Issue 18. Designfax offers tips and guidelines for design engineers, a key audience for our process information.
A Good Morning at the Manufacturing Leadership Summit 2010
May 4, 2010
The highlight of the morning at the Manufacturing Leadership Summit was a review of what the National Asociation of Manufacturers is doing to boost the visibility of the manufacturing sector around the country, especially on Capitol Hill. John Engler, president of NAM and former three term governor of Michigan, presented a rational overview of areas of tax policy, education, and industrial policy that are needed to secure manufacturing as a key foundation of our economy. With all the talk of the decline of manufacturing in the US, it is important to realize that the US share of global manufacturing output is 21%, while China’s share is 12%. That may be hard for some to realize, but it just underscores the need for stable manufacturing policy in government and a serious effort from education to keep the supply of a highly qualified workforce at the forefront of their efforts.
A Sad Week at Graphicast
May 3, 2010
Dennis Munsinger, our friend and colleague, passed away on April 24, 2010. Last week was a sad one at Graphicast, as we tried to deal with the sudden and unexpected death of our friend. Dennis was an exceptional engineer who freely shared his knowledge and experience with everyone at Graphicast. We all relied on him for some sort of help or assistance every day. He will be missed as an important part of the company, and as a friend and generous person.
Social Media Efforts For Industrial Companies Can Go Global
April 22, 2010
“Geoff Forester photograph, courtesy of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund”.
I recently heard from a contact in Europe about an opportunity for ZA12 castings. One of our customers in the United States suggested to an affiliated European company to look into ZA12 castings for some of their component needs. Through a nationwide search effort for a supplier, my contact saw the inquiry and quickly directed the European company’s buyer to our website and our videos on YouTube. Interest is growing and there may be opportunities for both Graphicast and my contact to supply this need.
Having content about Graphicast on various sites on the web is one of the benefits of using social media outlets. Through the many networks of contacts you can establish, and a little dedication to keeping those networks updated, a company can achieve a global presence through social media.
Economic Feedback from India – They’re Seeing a Manufacturing Recovery Similar to the US
April 18, 2010
“Geoff Forester photograph, courtesy of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund”.
I had a phone conversation this morning with a friend of mine who started a fairly large manufacturing company in India. He indicated his customers are expanding, but are also cautious about the sustainability of the activity. It appears a broad swath of both the US and Indian manufacturing sectors are seeing the same type of slow, cautious recovery. This is certainly Graphicast’s experience.
Graphicast Featured in Casting Tutorial in the April Issue of Product Design and Development
April 17, 2010
- “Geoff Forester photograph, courtesy of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund”.
Product Design and Development features Graphicast in its tutorial, “Casting 101″, in the April issue of the magazine. Several casting suppliers offer their guidance on what to think about when considering casting as a manufacturing process. This is not the first time Product Design and Development has recognized our graphite permanent mold process. Over the past five years, the magazine has featured us five other times, highlighting the many attributes of the process that designers should consider when looking for lower cost, higher performance manufacturing methods.
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