Giving Thanks And Looking Ahead

Call me crazy, but even after almost 30 years in the metalworking industry, I’m still enjoying the gig and am grateful for all it has done for me. The people, places, technologies and creativity that my travels have exposed me to are, for me, priceless and a seemingly never-ending source of inspiration.

I was thinking on the trip home from the EMO show in Hanover, Germany, how nice it was to see metalworking manufacturing in the midst of better times. This business is much more fun in good times. It looks like 2005 is going to finish as a good year for the industry in general and our segment in particular. Moreover, 2006 looks even better.

The attendee mood at EMO was buoyant, and the exhibitors seemed genuinely optimistic that show inquiries they were gathering would convert to orders sooner rather than later. I can testify that during show hours, traffic through Hall 17, where many of the precision machined parts players were located, was heavy. To see a little of what Production Machining saw, go to pages 46-50 to read more about EMO and to learn about new products and literature items from the show.

This issue marks the close of our 5th year. Within the past 2 years, the retention rate for existing subscribers to PM has been the highest of any of the six trade magazines our parent company publishes. What that tells us is you want to read Production Machining.

Most of you will see a subscription renewal card on the front of this issue. By filling it out or renewing online at www.productionmachining.com, we will continue sending the magazine to you in 2006.

The big news for next year is that the magazine frequency is going from 10 issues a year to 12. Every month, you will get topical feature articles, technical discussions of new ways to do a job and application stories featuring shops like yours that have implemented best practices in a variety of ways.

Early in 2006, PM will have in place an Editorial Advisory Board (EAB). The idea of the board is to use the experience and interest of our readers to help us continue to select topics of relevance and interest for coverage in the magazine. We will select eight to ten members to serve on this working board and ask for their input about the kinds of articles they’d like to see. The board member’s input is in addition to the direct input you freely provide. I encourage you to continue your dialogue with us to help us make the magazine more useful to you. I’ll be announcing more about the EAB in the future.

In February, we will publish a Buyer’s Guide for the first time. It will contain the most extensive list of suppliers to the precision machined products industry. According to our 2006 capital spending survey, you have told us that as a group, your businesses will budget more than $2.5 billion for capital investment next year. The Buyer’s Guide will be a resource for you to find who has the products and services you need. We’re publishing it early in the year so you can reference it throughout 2006.

Last but not least, you will see ongoing changes and enhancements on PM’s online component, www.productionmachining.com. We call the synergy between the print magazine and the Web integrated media. You read the magazine, see something that interests you—a product, process or company—and then go to PM Online to research more in depth and anonymously. We are constantly making this tool more useful and valuable to you.

The PM staff thanks you for your continued support. It’s been a great ride thus far, and we’re excited about the new things coming in 2006. Stick with us. You’re going to like what you see. Happy Holidays!