3 Things To Consider This Friday

Alabama Small Business Development Center has big impact

Words By Jerry Underwood
March 20, 2017

 The Alabama program is an accredited member of America’s SBDC, the largest and most comprehensive business assistance network in the U.S. Nationally, SBDC Day is set for Wednesday.

“Alabama fosters an environment that allows small business enterprises to put down roots and thrive,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “The Alabama SBDC Network leverages resources from Alabama’s higher education institutions and is a vital part of the state of Alabama’s support system to help small firms succeed.

For the rest of story, visit Made In Alabama.

Silk Sensor Could Speed Development of New Infrastructure, Aerospace and Consumer Materials

NIST News
March 17, 2017

 Consumers want fuel-efficient vehicles and high-performance sporting goods, municipalities want weather-resistant bridges, and manufacturers want more efficient ways to make reliable cars and aircraft. What’s needed are new lightweight, energy saving composites that won’t crack or break even after prolonged exposure to environmental or structural stress. To help make that possible, researchers working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a way to embed a nanoscale damage-sensing probe into a lightweight composite made of epoxy and silk.

For the rest of story, visit NIST website.

Services Trade: Why it Matters to US Manufacturing

By Jonathan Katz
Mar 8, 2017

 Whether it’s the movement of parts, industrial machinery or consumer products, the growth of global trade has brought new opportunities for both domestic and foreign manufacturers. The expansion of trade has led to another major growth industry – services.

 As manufacturers boost their import and export activity, their need for insurance, logistics, financing, engineering support and maintenance services increases, as well.

For the rest of story, visit IndustryWeek.