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Article: Tool-and-die makers cut new path to stay alive.
- Article from:
- Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL)
- Article date:
- June 9, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Chicago Tribune. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Michael Oneal
LANSING, Mich. _ The idea seems guaranteed to generate FBI subpoenas: Gather a bunch of traditional competitors in a conference room and ask them to hammer out ways to chase new business as a group.
But desperate times lead to unusual measures.
So on a recent morning, representatives from 17 tool-and-die makers scattered across Michigan filed into a room provided by the Michigan Manufacturing Association here. The idea was to share "lean" operating tactics, arrange visits to each others' plants and devise joint approaches to winning orders from Toyota Motor Corp. and other customers.
"Are you ready to ...