Find Out How You Stack Up

In its 5th year, The Top Shops survey, sponsored by our sister publication, Modern Machine Shop, is online and ready for your participation. It’s a way to benchmark your business against others to see how you compare with leading discrete parts manufacturers in the United States. The survey will be live through February 28.

The survey is free and confidential. It is divided into four primary sections: machining equipment, shopfloor practices, business strategies and human resources. While no specific financial figures such as gross sales or net incomes are included in the questions, percentages are used to identify income per gross sales and annual sales growth rates. Over time, trend lines in these categories are emerging that can be very helpful for ongoing planning.

Participants who complete the survey will be able to receive a series of summary data reports of the compiled results. These reports not only serve as a baseline “report card” of sorts, but also provide hard data that can help eliminate the need to rely on gut feelings as a method of identifying and prioritizing improvement efforts.

The survey can be completed online or by printing and filling out the questionnaire, and then faxing it in to the number listed on the survey site. Since its inception, participation in the Top Shops survey has grown with each edition. Click here to view the survey and use it to benchmark your shop against others in our field.