Modern Engineering
8190 River Road V4G 1B5 Delta, BC, Canada

As we head into another year of the pandemic, I’m constantly thinking about the supply chain. There will be fewer workers on the job, higher demand for product and no one to fulfill orders. But how do you protect your supply chain in the midst of a pandemic? Here’s how: 1. Diversify your supply chain. Have more than one or two suppliers, especially if they're international.... 2. Work with suppliers in your region wherever possible. Costs may be higher, but you'll have more control. Plus, you'll be supporting the local economy. 3. Use suppliers from different areas. If one area is hit, you have supplier options you can rely on in surrounding areas. Disruptions are guaranteed to happen. The question is...what are you going to do about it? #supplychain #supplyanddemand

Guess what? It’s okay to fail. Heck, it’s actually healthy to fail, in business and in life. When you fail, you learn. Successful business owners use failure as fuel to try again. Be creative and develop a different strategy. If you think about failing as the end of the road, you may as well throw out the map. ... Don’t give up on yourself because the best investment of your time and money will always be you. Thanks for attending our TEDTalk.

The world is pretty unpredictable right now but some things never change. Take our innate desire to innovate--that's as old as time. Innovation is going to happen whether we like it or not, and the reason is because people are always looking to do more with less of their time. In our industry the innovation that has taken place over the last number of years is automation. You can try to run from innovation as long as you want, but we can guarantee you won’t make it unless you... accept automation. It’s not something to be scared ofhere’s why: It makes complex work easier to do with fewer mistakes. The shop’s human employees then can then focus on problems that require human solutions, such as overseeing the process, changing it where necessary and maintaining equipment. Embrace the automation. Welcome innovation. You will be more successfulwe promise! #innovation #people #automation #change

When you adapt to change, the possibilities are limitless. Too often, we see machine shops shutting their doors. Why? They impose limits on themselves and their business’ capacity. Change pushes people to adapt, and those who master this skill will begin to see the limitless opportunities that stem from adaption. #modernengineering

The economy sucks! Business sucks! COVID-19 sucks! Everything sucks! Sound familiar? Let me let you in on a little secret: whining doesn’t help! And it won’t change a damn thing. If you think this downturn is an anomaly, it’s time to give yourself a shake. This is going to happen time and time again, and you’re going to have to learn to deal with it.... So here’s what my many grey hairs and years of experience have taught me: Always look to improve the productivity in your organization. Always be looking for good people. Always invest in your business. Always put money away for a rainy or downturn day. Always innovate and don’t panic when it comes to change. Always push customer service. These are some ideas I try to run with, and guidelines many companies I know have implemented and survived long-term because of. Here’s my secret to surviving: if you run your company as if you're in a constant downturn while implementing the ideas above, imagine where you’ll be.

Does your business have a sense of community? That’s the first thing I ask any company or business I’m considering working with. Why does this matter? Well, why would you want to align your business with a company that has low company morale, employees that hate their job and a toxic work environment? Point proven.... Creating a strong sense of community in your business takes time, work and energy and valuing your partnerships should as well. At Modern Engineering, we’ve worked hard to build a community and I’m proud to be apart of it and see the positive effects first hand. Here’s a few secrets to creating the modern community: 1. Share your knowledge 2. Spend time strengthening your family 3. Expand your community Take time to work on these three critical tasks, and you too, will see the positive effects of a strong workplace community.

It’s your choice: Control or chaos. Manufacturers need to have a plan for the future and need to stop running a reactive business. How equipment is purchased, how employees are... treated, how employees feel that’s your measure. I know that no matter what, day-to-day decisions still need to be made, but they need to reflect your long-term plan and not be made on a whim. The choice is yours: develop a plan that brings control, a brighter future, and less fear to your business, or continue without a plan and breed chaos, instability, and less productivity.

It’s not pressure unless you are not prepared. Colin Kapernick

What does lost productivity mean anyways? When I talk about lost productivity, I mean the number of billable hours we lost due to repairs and downtime. This got me thinking about how much money could be saved by a decrease in the number of saw changes. I decided to focus on downtime. I found out that if an edger is down, the cost per minute (yes, it’s measured by the minute!) ranged from $100 to $300. Let’s meet in the middle and say every minute an edger is down. This costs ...the sawmill $200. I also found that the average saw change took about 30 minutes or more depending on the edger. Now, I’m intrigued, so I decided to get my calculator out. I estimated that there are 260 working days in a year. Every day to go from a saw change to every second day was to go from 260 to 130 changes a year. How much money was saved by this? 130 saw changes x 30 minutes per saw change x $200 per minute = $780,000 I will give you a second to process this number. Even with cutting potential repairs in half, that is still a significant amount of money lost. Similarly, the savings the sawmill saw by cutting the saw changes in half will directly increase profits.

There are approximately 1.5 million unemployed Canadians and 433,000 unfilled jobs. This indicates that none of the 1.5 million people are qualified for these jobs. I find this very distressing. This oversized issue is what I like to call the sales gap. How is it that none of the 1.5 million unemployed people are unfit for the 433,000 unfilled positions? This makes my blood boil. Adding to the sales gap issue are the facts that many business owners often admit that they are... making money, not training workers. One of the main reasons businesses are not taking the lead on training from within and are not making that investment is that they believe employees will leave immediately after a better offer. This gives no credibility to the employees. The solution seems very clear, but the lack of will from the business community makes it hard. There’s the elephant in the room that no one wants to touch. It will never go away if it’s not addressed, and the solution, a fearless investment in our people.

Stop being so cheap; you have to ask yourself, what are the real savings? I got a great deal on a piece of equipment a while back, but today I am hemorrhaging money because of that great deal. I went in for something that was just as good. They conveniently failed to tell me that all the other customers bought it based on the lower cost, not the quality or ability of the supplier to provide support. In total, I saved $100,000, but in the end, I spent more than $100,000 on repairs. I know I am not the only one who has decided to save money that only ended up costing a lot more in the long run. This lesson has influenced how I am going to make purchases in the future. Price isn’t everything, and the cheapest deal out there is probably cheap for a reason: because it won’t pay off in the long run.

Happy Canada Day!

Have you ever heard the saying, be careful what you wish for? Years ago I found myself sitting in a Purchasing Agents office, thinking to myself that there were so many other places I’d rather be. My mind wandered back to about four months prior to this meeting. We had sought out this customer, the one where the PA worked. We sought them out because our company does amazing work, a company of high integrity, and we work hard for all our customers. We were a much smaller m...achine shop back in those days, and we were wanting to land this really large customer that would take our shop to the next level. This is where the be careful what you wish for, comes into play. Days went by, and we received large order after large order from this company. It was a faucet that would not stop running, and we were sinking. We fell short. I looked up at the PA and told him the truth. We did not have the capacity to meet the purchase orders that you issued. We had no idea how much business you were going to send us! We learned from this situation. If you do not plan ahead for when you do land that big contract, you will not be ready for when it happens.

"There is no way around hard work. Embrace it. You have to put in the hours because there's always something which you can improve." - Roger Federer Experience. Savvy. Skill. These are all great attributes to value. But they're nothing if you don't put in the sweat. You want to stand out? Soar above your competition? Thrive? There's only one solution: you gotta work for it. All the greats are great because they're relentlessly hardworking. If there's no autopilot for Roger F...ederer, there's no autopilot for you. Sweat equity. That's one corner you should never cut. #sweatequity #hardwork #workhard

This dumpster fire of a year comes to an end. It hasn't been easy and we've still got some serious challenges ahead. But one day we'll look back, thankful for some of the hard lessons we've learned... About the importance of people and connecting with them. ... About finding ways to take care of ourselves, mentally and physically. And about business and dealing with the unexpected. We hope you're in a place right now where you can also look back in relative comfort and charge ahead, ready to tackle 2021 with a fresh perspective. Happy New Year, friends!

Whether you're celebrating Christmas or something else, all of us at Modern Engineering wish you peace, joy and happiness to you and all your loved ones. #happyholidays #merrychristmas

I wonder why many businesses don’t take the time to plan for the future. Some act on the spur of the moment, without consulting any key stakeholders. Planning for your business isn't very different than planning a perfect vacation. Here's what I mean:

Is there anything worse than the tyranny of leaders? Managers and CEOs with big egos who just want people to say "yes" to their often terrible ideas. They build a culture around themselves and anybody who disagrees is dismissed for being "negative". This is one of the worst things possible in business. It stifles growth. Dampens innovation. Breeds resentment. Good leaders do this instead: they look for people who will challenge their ideas. They collaborate with their team.... They surround themselves with experts who know more than they do and they're not afraid to follow their advice. #leadership

Happy Remembrance Day everyone. A heartfelt thanks to everyone who has laid down their lives so we can have ours. Let's never forget their sacrifices, the tyrannies they faced and the freedom we have because of them.

Most institutions have not updated their curriculums to reflect the changing nature of the industry, meaning graduates are not being properly equipped with the skills they need to compete for jobs today and in the future. This education gap is preventing progress and hindering the success of so many machine shops. Up-and-comers need to understand new technologies and processes. If they don't understand them, they won't adopt them, and they won't be employable. https://buff.ly/2GacHHF

We need to start working toward a common goal, and once all three of our parties do, the entire industry will change. Governments will invest in the right programs, educational institutions will create programs to teach the right skills and employers will invest in tools and equipment that enable employees to be more productive. Businesses will create a culture of training. I think it will work, but the only question now is... Can we work together?

Automation: Boo. Shop owners: It's always astonishing just how terrified shops are of that four-syllable word: au-to-ma-tion. It sends them in a spiral, causing them to reject improving their systems and processes because they're afraid it'll open the door to the big bad automation ghoul that'll make them redundant. ... But automation doesn't replace human performance. It improves it. Automation doesn't replace our workforce. It shifts it. Automation doesn't replace people. It makes them more important than ever. So think about that this Halloween. Don't trick yourself into believing the scaremongering misinformation around automation. Treat yourself to a brighter future where you've set your shopand your employeesup for success. https://buff.ly/3jfwJil

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! There's a lot for us to be grateful for. Focus on that stuff. I hope you get to spend this very special day with loved ones.

Like many shop owners, my team and I face challenges every day. They range from meeting strict customer deadlines to dealing with equipment problems. And that’s just the start of it. There never seems to be a day without a difficult obstacle to overcome. Some of these daily problems stand out more than others, often as a result of actions by our own suppliers. Here are the ones that cause my blood pressure to rise the most: https://buff.ly/3ifSdub

For nearly a hundred years, professional British cyclers were known for one thing: being mediocre. They didn't win medals, they didn't win the Tour de France or any other major international cycling event. You could count on them. To not win. Then in 2003, Dave Brailsford was hired as the performance coach for British Cycling and in the ten years that followed, transformed the British Cycling team into a winning team. What changed? Brailsford was all about a philosophy called the aggregation of marginal improvements, or, as he described it finding ways to improve by 1% every day. Improvement doesn't have to be notable or even noticeable. Look at your business. How can you improve by 1% every day?

It's the matchup of a lifetime between two heavyweights. In the one corner, you've got speed. And in the other corner, weighing two hundred and eighty-seven pounds....quality. In our culture of convenience, speed's the defending champ: everything's a race to the bottom of how fast you can get things done. Obviously, time IS money and in order to be competitive, you've got to be able to skate with the big boys and turn things around quickly. Get it done fast, get it done fas...t, get it done fast. But what happens when speed comes at the expense of quality? What does that do for your customer in the long run? "Yeah, they're the fastest in the industry, but their product is shoddy." You become replaceable because there's always someone willing to do it faster, shoddier. When you systematically sacrifice quality, let QC slip, you start to lose. Sometimes, the most efficient way to get something done fast is to slow down.

I’ve visited mills that used two to three spacers per saw guide in order to get the size they want. Is it worth using saw guide spacers to change your target size? Let's analyze three main areas of concern when it comes to using spacers and the impact they have not just on your cut, but on your business as a whole. https://buff.ly/3jnnDQn

One of the things this pandemic has revealed is the weaknesses in our processes and systems, like our supply chains. The loss of a supply chain crippled so many businesses who were blindsided and had nowhere to turn in a pinch. Want to protect your business? Improve your supply chain. Here are three ways to do that. https://buff.ly/3j9Gw95

Whats the best way to deal with a downturn? A lot of companies put their heads in the sand, pretend nothing is going. Others whine, whine, whine. ... Some companies downsize everything: from their staff to their marketing expenses, they take a hack saw to make their budgets as small as possible. And then some companies go full blast. It can be a good strategy but the chances of failure are very high and those failures are often very public, making everybody else whos playing it safe pat themselves on the back. Ive seen all of the above scenarios play out. Ive watched some companies, believe it or not, combine all four methods in the same downturn. Ive seen poor decisions, reactive decisions and more. It wasnt pretty. And heres the thingthe companies who used these four tactics have one thing in common: the majority of them are no longer around. In my experience, the way to do well or even thrive during a downturn is to start working as if your company is always in a downturn. This way, your organization is prepared for anything. So heres what my many grey hairs have taught me: 1. Always look to improve the productivity of your organization. Keep trying to be better. 2. Always be looking for good people. Good people get you through the good (no pun intended) and bad times. 3. Always invest in your business. Do not let your business get behind. You dont need to make large investments, but continual investments that increase your productivity. 4. Always be putting money away for a rainy or downturn day. This is important because even in a downturn, your company can still make important purchases and weather the economic hardship. 5. Always be innovating and dont hesitate when it comes to change. This could be anything from adding new services to designing new products. 6. Always be pushing customer service.

Is it worth remachining older saw guides? There are three steps to the process and its important to understand whats involved or you could just end up with melted saw guides you just have to throw away, or worse, an inaccurate guide.

Fear's a weird thing. On the one hand, it triggers a rush of adrenaline to our brains, allowing us to make snap decisions in the face of danger, which helps us survive and live another day. But that same lizard brain that keeps us alive can kick in at the wrong time and lead us to making terrible decisions that often end up hurting more than benefitting us. We see it now. We're in the middle of a pandemic that's radically transforming the fabric of our society, how we inter...act with our communities. That's dealt a savage blow to a large precentage of businesses. The ones that respond by slashing all their expenses and hoping they can survive until the world goes back to normal are in for a rude awakening when they realize... The normal they're waiting for ain't coming back. To survive, you're going to have to adapt, invest, stretch yourself, try something new, go out on a limb, make a bold choice. It's hard to know which will save you: listening to your gut or keeping a cool head. The best leaders are the ones who figure out how to balance both.

How do you remain competitive as a machine shop? With everything you have competing for your attention, how do you keep up with the pace of our industry and emerge on top? Competitiveness may look like a mountain that needs to be climbed right away, but focusing on making small changes in our businesses daily or weekly will get you to the top of the mountain eventually. Here are three steps: 1 Develop an improvement plan that will make your shop a little bit better every ...day. 2 Standardize your tooling from good suppliers. This will help make your machining more predictable. 3 Streamline your programming and scheduling. Always think simple. Simple means faster, which means more productive. When you focus on becoming incrementally better, just a little bit each day, we will reach your goals, slowly but surely. Be consistent, and results will follow.

This day is for you. The labourer. You who get up every morning, put on your boots at the crack of dawn and get to work. Tireless, thankless work. We see you. And we thank you. Enjoy today. Rest today. And tomorrow, we'll get back at it. #labourday

What's the best way to deal with a downturn? A lot of companies put their heads in the sand, pretend nothing is going. Others whine, whine, whine. ... Some companies downsize everything: from their staff to their marketing expenses, they take a hack saw to make their budgets as small as possible. And then some companies go full blast. It can be a good strategy but the chances of failure are very high and those failures are often very public, making everybody else who's playing it safe pat themselves on the back. I’ve seen all of the above scenarios play out. I’ve watched some companies, believe it or not, combine all four methods in the same downturn. I’ve seen poor decisions, reactive decisions and more. It wasn’t pretty. And here’s the thingthe companies who used these four tactics have one thing in common: the majority of them are no longer around. In my experience, the way to do well or even thrive during a downturn is to start working as if your company is always in a downturn. This way, your organization is prepared for anything. So here’s what my many grey hairs have taught me: 1. Always look to improve the productivity of your organization. Keep trying to be better. 2. Always be looking for good people. Good people get you through the good (no pun intended) and bad times. 3. Always invest in your business. Do not let your business get behind. You don’t need to make large investments, but continual investments that increase your productivity. 4. Always be putting money away for a rainy or downturn day. This is important because even in a downturn, your company can still make important purchases and weather the economic hardship. 5. Always be innovating and don’t hesitate when it comes to change. This could be anything from adding new services to designing new products. 6. Always be pushing customer service.

Like a lot of people, Ive done very little travelling in the last few months. Thats what happens when something like the coronavirus crashes into a globalized society: it forces us into a new normal. You build new habits. You adapt. My lawn has never looked so good. My garage has never been so clean. Im even making my own lunch! Businesses are also being forced to adapt, although those changes are much more profound than the thrill of the sight of a weed. Here are seven trends Ive been noticing and the broader implications theyre going to have moving forward. These are pandemical changes.

Is it worth remachining older saw guides? There are three steps to the process and it's important to understand what's involved or you could just end up with melted saw guides you just have to throw away, or worse, an inaccurate guide.

Did you watch The Last Dance, the documentary about Michael Jordan? Remember the instant they won their fifth championship, the medias narrative immediately was: "Can they do it a sixth time?" Management looked at a winning team that had a 72-10 record that season and said, "Theyre past their prime, its time for a rebuild." They bought into the narrative. They gave their winning team one last season (in which they won their sixth championship) and broke up the team. The Bu...lls havent won a championship since. Management was afraid to ride on the laurels of their dynasty too long. That they would miss the offramp. Become losers. So they chose to jump ship. And became losers. You will always find fault somewhere. Stop asking, "Can this winning team keep winning?" Focus on the positives; then youll have a clear mind on how to improve on them. Heres how: https://buff.ly/2BfTT6U

I still think about this story from a few years ago. I was at a trade show in Portland and, as I watched a competitors rep walk away, I felt like I had to sit down. Not because my feet were sore (they were), but because of the sad words he left me with: "I wish we would do that." Those words had far-reaching consequences that still floor me to this day. Read the story: https://buff.ly/2YDMhmZ

Like a lot of people, I've done very little travelling in the last few months. That’s what happens when something like the coronavirus crashes into a globalized society: it forces us into a new normal. You build new habits. You adapt. My lawn has never looked so good. My garage has never been so clean. I’m even making my own lunch! Businesses are also being forced to adapt, although those changes are much more profound than the thrill of the sight of a weed. Here are seven trends I've been noticing and the broader implications they're going to have moving forward. These are pandemical changes.

If you know a part youve made is defective, dont ship it out and see if the customer will notice. When something like this happens, our lizard brains kick in. Were worried itll make us look bad. But sending out a part thats not built right has far worse consequences. Trust me: the right customer will appreciate your integrity and attention to detail. #therightway

We always see failure as a sign of weakness. Its not. Failure means youve tried. Refusing to learn from your failure, thats the weakness. Not letting failure fuel you, drive you, push you harder to get where you want to be, thats the weakness. If youre able to learn from your mistakes, then you wont be afraid to fail. So risk boldly and dont ignore the lessons when you fall short. #learntofail

Trying to Solve the Skills Gap! https://www.canadianmetalworking.com//who-will-save-canada

Happy Independence Day to all our American customers and vendors! Stay safe and have an awesome #4thofJuly!

Happy Canada Day to all our Canadian customers, vendors and staff! It might look different this year but its time to celebrate! #happycanadaday

"What I wanted to do was to bring like-minded people together so that we could address the skills gap. I was frustrated by the current state of the metal industry and I want to leave this place a better place than when I found it. Read Udos interview here! https://buff.ly/2RhPhlS"

Covid and How it is Changing our Lives! https://www.moderneng.com//7-ways-coronavirus-forcing-bus/

Did you know that WorkSafeBC estimates that there will be approximately 50,101 manufacturing industry job openings between 2018 and 2028? #machining #moderneng

An Article in Modern Machine Shop! https://www.mmsonline.com//p/machining-trade-or-technology

"Whats the Modern difference? Besides our sense of humour, wed could say its our precision machining and investment in technology. But really, its our dedication to doing more than what were known for--its for getting out there, talking to students and teachers, and spreading awareness about metal manufacturing. https://buff.ly/2RhPhlS"

A project that I have a lot of passion for. Cooking and Barbecue. Getting very excited!!!

What should you do when business is slow? Well, dont just sit there. We have some tips. #buildyourbusiness #businessgrowth #businesstips https://buff.ly/36F7FMf

Luck has nothing to do with winning or succeeding. The people who take risks and win are people who commit to a vision of success. They futurize their business, their company, or themselves.

"Looking for something to read today? Take a look at this: https://buff.ly/2zySPu4"

After more than 70 years in CNC machining, you could say weve seen our share of ups and downs. Our advice? During the down times, do what you can to make your business competitive in the future. Invest in machinery, look at your operation, become more efficient. Try to find an opportunity.

What are you doing right now? Whether youre working or not, there is always something you can do to give yourself an edge in the months to come. Online training? Do it. Build connections? Do it. Read our blog? Well, wed like you to, but get your hands on anything that will help you in the long run. #learnsomething #CNCmachining #ModernEng

Our Company assisted with making a video to encourage people especially young people into the machining field. BCIT - British Columbia Institute of Technology is a fantastic place to go to become a machinist!!! Please enjoy the video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klpU6oXU1Vs&feature=youtu.be

Ultimately, our purchasing behavior and mindset during times of uncertainty needs to change. The fear of making a wrong, expensive decision at a potential crossroads is always on everyones mind, but making a fearful decision is the reason so many companies go under when hard economic times hit. What choices can you make now that will set your business up for success down the road?

All of these news stories real and not real plant a toxic seed in businesspeople that takes root and results in poor, panicked decisions. More often than not, these decisions break a business. You need to be smart and not react out of fear. You need to act on the facts.

Dont get caught up in the fear-mongering. Look at the hard data and make fact-based descisions.

Great article by the Construction Foundation of BC! We came together and we all said, Weve got this skills shortagewhat can we do to fix it? Thats how it started, said Udo. We wanted to create something that would give young people a career path.

"There is fear around every corner right now, on every news channel, and in every conversation we have. We cant think of a better time to bring back this message than now: fear kills more CNC machining businesses than recessions ever will. https://buff.ly/394b3Rd"

Good read! "Top 11 Myths of CNC Machining" https://buff.ly/2HeUcio

Old, inexpensive equipment is just not as productive as the costlier pieces, and when hard times do come, your productivity is king. #cncmachining #modern

When selecting new capital equipment to buy, business owners will look for the cheapest (can I get this for free?) piece of equipment they can find. Price is the only thing they consider. They do not consider productivity, downtime potential, output or anything logical. You might be scratching your head and asking yourself, Why would someone buy like that? But I see it all the time, and so do you. Read more here: https://buff.ly/394b3Rd

The fear of making a wrong, expensive decision at a potential crossroads is always on everyones mind. #cncmachining #entrepreneurs

Any person in business knows this: Fear is your constant companion. Its a weight you carry and one every business owner, leader and entrepreneur feels at some point or another. There are years in which you wake up with it, carry it around and sleep with it if youre lucky enough to sleep at all... read more here: https://buff.ly/394b3Rd

In case you missed it...Udo was featured in Modern Machine Shop magazine! Here is it: https://buff.ly/394b3Rd

Why are you buying cheap crap for your company? Its time to reassess. #productivity #businessmodels

"""You dont have to be Charles Darwin to see the evolution that is taking place in the metalworking industry.""