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WMIA Schedules 2003 Educational Seminars for October 20-21

WMIA's 2003 Educational Seminars are scheduled for October 20-21 at Chicago's Ramada Plaza Hotel O'Hare. The meeting will feature separate seminars to help technicians and salespeople or sales managers enhance their performance. DETAILS

WMIA Joins Fight to Keep Manufacturing in United States

During a press conference held June 10, 2003, the National Association of Manufacturers unveiled a 

critical new study entitled, ãSecuring Americaâs Future: The Case for a Strong Manufacturing Base.ä  WMIA plans to actively support the drive to retain and enhance U.S. manufacturing. DETAILS

NAW Forges Agreement with Humana, Inc.

The National Association of Wholesaler- Distributors (NAW) has introduced a new, affordable multi-state Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) insurance plan that will arm more than 40,000 companies with practical cost-containment strategies -- while enabling them to offer comprehensive health insurance coverage to their employees. DETAILS

Consumerism Key to Containing Health Care Costs

A new study shows that health insurance premiums will rise 50% by 2006 ö an alarming statistic considering businesses are seriously overburdened already by a decade of annual double-digit premium increases. DETAILS

FCC Stays New Fax Rules Until January 2005

On August 18, 2003, the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") issued an order extending the effective date of its new rule governing unsolicited fax advertisements from August 25, 2003 until January 1, 2005. DETAILS

Don't Get Buried in Customer Data -- Use It

From the Harvard Management Update

With the advent of customer relationship management (CRM) in the late 1990s, companies came to believe that by using technology to tailor their offerings to individual consumers' needs, customer loyalty÷and company profits÷would skyrocket. But in today's crowded marketplace, customer loyalty is more elusive than ever. DETAILS

The Power of Posture

From the Harvard Management Update

The way you stand could change your life. Immediately. For businesspeople, stance is an important indicator of how deeply you are engaged with your job, how much you believe in the products you are selling, how confident you are that your company will survive. DETAILS

Member News

Woodbids.com Celebrates Successful Launch

Woodbids.com, a division of Schmidt Industrial Services, announced a successful start up, with heavier than expected traffic, and successful sales of a variety of products.  DETAILS

Ex-Factory Launches Auction Site

Ex-Factory has established a new auction web site devoted to selling of surplus woodworking equipment.  DETAILS

From the Trade Press

Controlling Profiles

Contributed by Wood Digest

The "moulder doctor" discusses a variety of ways to control your workpiece when you run it through a moulder. DETAILS

Stemming the Turnover Tide  

Contributed by Modern Woodworking

The once-held belief in the wood products manufacturing sector that salaries and employee benefits must stay low in order to increase profits appears to have been pushed aside for more enlightened policy adjustments that bring about the long-term benefits of a stable workforce, reveals Modern Woodworkingâs 2003 Annual Labor Survey.  DETAILS

It's All About Quality of Life  

Contributed by Modern Woodworking

Gat Caperton, president and CEO of Tom Seely Furniture, Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, takes great pride in building solid wood antique reproduction furniture of the highest quality. Heâs also proud of the stable workforce the company now has that produces these fine pieces. That wasnât always the case, however. When the employee turnover rate reached an all-time high four years ago, he knew it was time to set the company on a course to stop the revolving door. DETAILS

Teachers Grade Training Program

Contributed by FDM

The enthusiasm was contagious. Teachers and presenters shared ideas, stories and experiences at the WoodLINKS U.S.A. in-service sessions in Hartford and Oshkosh, Wis., April 10 to 12. In-service participants got a glimpse of how strong support from community, industry and educators works together to build a dynamic program. DETAILS

U.S. Furniture Producers to File Antidumping Petition Against China

Contributed by Wood & Wood Products

A coalition of U.S. furniture manufacturers plans to target imports of Chinese wood bedroom furniture in an antidumping petition to be filed this fall with the Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission. DETAILS