Every year, we at Universal Polymer and Rubber see a downturn in manufacturing activity. With the holidays here, along with cold weather, many domestic manufacturers are slowing down their production. This in turn means that we, too, have to slow our production down to reduce our inventory and lessen our payables. Some of this also comes thanks to the traditional end of the fiscal year, when companies are putting off on ordering more until they have their financial information completed.
While some manufacturers may see a slowing of production at the end of the year manufacturing climate as a bad thing, we see it as an opportunity. It allows us to accomplish a number of tasks such as:
- Perform preventative maintenance throughout our plant to reduce the likelihood of problems through our busy times.
- Review our yearly performance and develop long-term plans for moving forward.
- Work with our staff to find areas where improvements can be made, in processes, as well as in the equipment being used on a daily basis.
- Develop plans for further training of our workers to help them be up to date on the machines and processes.
- Take a look at our capital expenditures throughout the previous year, and plan any for the upcoming year.
- Take a look at the big picture and make sure that we are moving towards our goals.
By using our down time to develop and grow, we stay ahead of the curve for when manufacturing picks back up at the beginning of the New Year. This allows us to stay on the cutting edge of extruded rubber production and continue to be a leading company in the area of polymers and rubber products.