Are you a fan of semiconductors? We’re willing to bet you are, even if you’re not sure what they are or what they do. You can think of them as the tiny chips that power pretty much everything electronic in the modern world. Televisions, smartphones, computers, cameras, automobiles…the list goes on and on. In fact,
“Made in the USA” – it’s a label that many take great pride in. There are millions of people who make buying decisions every day based upon where goods are manufactured. They support American-made products because they want to support American businesses. This isn’t always easy, because for certain categories of products, such as electronics,
What’s the greatest challenge facing manufacturers today? Is it inflation? Ongoing supply chain issues? Competition from foreign companies? All of those could arguably be listed as significant challenges, but there’s one challenge that most, if not all, manufacturers would agree remains their biggest barrier to growth and profitability: hiring enough skilled workers to fill their
Is a career in manufacturing for you? More and more students are answering that question with a “maybe” or a “yes” than ever before. And why not? Modern manufacturing facilities offer opportunities that didn’t exist just a decade or so ago. In the not-too-distant past, students were often faced with a simple choice: go to
Many younger people who grew up with computers believe that advanced electronics, powered by integrated circuits more commonly known as semiconductors, have mostly been the specialty of Asian countries, like China, Japan, and Taiwan. Some might be surprised to learn that the first semiconductors were developed by engineers in the United States. Indeed, semiconductor manufacturing
Have you sensed the transition that appears to be taking place across the country regarding how people view industrial jobs? For years, the path to life and career success has been firmly routed through four-year colleges. Recently, however, many have started to realize that a college degree is not only costly, but also not a
Is it just us? Or did artificial intelligence (AI) just appear overnight out of nowhere? It seems like we should be used to this by now. A new technology appears on the horizon, promising yet another major breakthrough in the future. Then, before you know it, the future is here. This trend likely results from
What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the phrase “alternative energy”? For some, mental images of towering wind turbines might come to mind. For others, it could be vast fields full of solar panels. As so-called “solar farms” become more and more popular, many landowners are transitioning their agricultural fields to house
Amatrol is pleased to announce that its president, Paul Perkins, has been named to IBJ Media’s third annual Indiana 250, “a list of the state’s most influential and impactful business and community leaders, representing public and private companies, law firms, universities, not-for-profits, government and community organizations.” According to a press release from IBJ Media, “The
One of the lingering memories manufacturers have of the COVID-19 pandemic is the upheaval caused by supply chain disruptions when economies around the globe shut down for weeks or months at a time. In the United States, the auto industry was hit particularly hard by a shortage of critical computer chips that control nearly every
When you think of oil production, which countries come to mind? If you’re like many people, you may be thinking of countries throughout the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabi, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates. Would you believe, though, that one of the preeminent oil basins in the entire world is located right here in
