Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/339857
July/August 2014 33 Economic cycles are a fact of life. We can't go back six years and change the circumstances that created the great recession and the damage it did to the economy and our businesses. And we can't replace the wisdom lost when vet- eran employees were laid off. But we can bring some of that knowledge back with a little effort and creative thinking. The Word on the Show Floor… More Suppliers Looking to Mexico Several booths at this year's NRA show made it clear that some key manufac- turers are moving their operations out of China into Mexico, says Foster. The entire Baker's Pride line is now made in Mexico, and Manitowoc showed a range of lower-cost ice machines manu- factured there as well. According to a recent article (June 1, 2014) in the New York Times, a wide range of American manufacturers are making the same move, including well- known brands like Caterpillar, Chrysler, and Black & Decker. These firms have found the quality and consistency of Mexican products to be higher than China, with control of plants and speed of delivery (one week versus six to 10 weeks) also showing improvement. Of course, easier access from U.S. gateways to Mexico makes it more efficient for American managers to run factories. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the additional good news for America in this story is that when manufacturers move to Mexico, the content of American made parts and components goes from 4 percent in Chinese factories to 40 percent or more in Mexican factories. vulcanequipment.com/powerfr y DONE TO PERFECTION. © 2013 Vulcan INCREASE YOUR FRIES PER HOUR. The PowerFry™ VK Series delivers more fried food in less time. Plus dramatic energy savings. Take it for a test fry and see for yourself. Scan to learn more VLC13-07A PwrFry_FEDA_C225x95-M1.indd 1 4/23/13 3:30 PM Foster Frable continued industry associations that can easily be scanned and assembled into an indexed packet of key information. Keep the information in a thumb drive or your website for easy access. f. Carefully monitor large and complex projects, particularly those with tight spaces and challenging timetables. Ask DSR's or project managers about the knowledge and experience of the general contractor and other trades involved in projects. If contractors have never worked on a project with a commercial kitchen before, it's especially important to monitor every aspect of the project and make sure the team is on the lookout for the red flags that will occur when a foodservice project isn't built cor- rectly. g. There is no better way to teach inex- perienced people about our industry than to get them into the field during the installation and commissioning of projects. Give them an opportunity to observe problems as they occur. They will feel the chef's pain when a new piece of equipment doesn't work. h. Encourage regular monthly read- ing of industry trade magazines like this one. Our industry has excellent publications loaded with insight and shared knowledge that provide useful primers for new employees. Don't stop with just the equipment- and supplies-related publications. Read a few of the restaurant and on-site foodservice magazines that provide information about the issues and challenges that your customers face in the real world. i. Consider re-hiring older workers who might have retired during the recession. If they don't want full-time work, they may have an interest in part-time work as checkers, mentors, shop-drawing reviewers, and similar tasks. Their knowledge will go a long way to support and educate new employees.