ATS Forecasts Growth During Economic Downturn as Manufacturers Say Outsourcing Factory Maintenance Will Keep Their Plants Viable.New survey underscores urgent need to care for factory assets PEORIA, Ill. -- Manufacturers are looking to outsource the maintenance of their factory assets to bolster their plant operations against recession; according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the results of a new report by Advanced Technology Services, Inc. (ATS) conducted with Nielsen Research. That trend is an indicator of growth for ATS, which pioneered the factory asset service business two decades ago, and today is the leading company providing managed services An umbrella term for third-party monitoring and maintaining of computers, networks and software. The actual equipment may be inhouse or at the third-party's facilities, but the "managed" implies an ongoing effort; for example, making sure the equipment is running at a certain quality for production equipment maintenance and industrial parts repair for manufacturers. Last year ATS had record sales, and with the current industrial climate seeking more initiatives for cost efficiencies, forecasts call for another record in 2008. In the ATS survey of 100 U.S. senior manufacturing executives, with titles of CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. , CIO CIO: see American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations. (Chief Information Officer) The executive officer in charge of information processing in an organization. , Vice President and Plant Manager, a majority of those surveyed - approximately two-thirds - say they would outsource maintenance as a hedge against a down turn in the economy. Bellwether Bellwether A leading indicator of trends. Notes: A bellwether stock is a stock that is used to gauge the performance of the market in general. General Motors was an example of a bellwether stock, hence the saying "What's good for GM is good for America. manufacturers like Caterpillar, Eaton, Honeywell and others have already adopted this recession-hedging strategy in many plants. While staying focused on their core competencies A core competency is something that a firm can do well and that meets the following three conditions specified by Hamel and Prahalad (1990):
According to ATS President Jeffrey Owens, "when the nation faces an economic slowdown, manufacturers seek strategies to improve productivity and profitability and turn to outsourcing non-core functions to care for their most valuable assets. That's where we add value and help contribute to our customers' bottom line." The company, started as a spin-off from Caterpillar Inc. in 1985, created a niche as the firm that large manufacturers such as Johnson & Johnson, Honda and Fortune Brands turn to for outsourcing the care and maintenance of factory assets. ATS is also expanding its territory, having established operations in Mexico and the United Kingdom, and is making plans to enter China. About ATS: ATS makes factories run better. Advanced Technology Services, Inc. (ATS) improves productivity and profitability for many of the world's most respected manufacturers through the managed services of production equipment maintenance, information technology and spare parts Spare parts, also referred to as Service Parts is a term used to indicate extra parts available and in proximity to the mechanical item, such as a automobile, boat, engine, for which they might be used. Spare parts are also called “spares. repair. Founded in 1985, ATS employs over 2,200 people across the US and is a member of the National Association of Manufacturers. ATS is headquartered in Peoria, IL with offices and services centers located in Greenville, SC, Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI, Monterrey, Mexico and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit the ATS Web site at www.AdvancedTech.com. |
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