One who is well-versed in managing quality in a manufacturing environment knows the importance of reducing deviation and identifying the reasons behind it.

Industrial manufacturing forecasts are optimistic according to PwC’s Q3 2013 Manufacturing Barometer, which surveys U.S. based executives in large multinational industrial businesses. Industries are hiring in a myriad of quality sectors including aerospace, automotive, defense, energy, green manufacturing and technology.

From humble beginnings in 1974 and operating out of a 19th century barn, Hubbardton Forge is now the oldest and largest commercial forge in the United States, generating more than $20 million in annual sales. Located in Castleton, VT, the company produces thousands of high-end, hand-forged lighting products—“Art that Lights up”—marketed through residential lighting and home furnishings retailers, as well as contract distributors.

Ramcel Engineering Company is located in Northbrook, IL, northeast of Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. The company was founded in 1950 with the mission of providing precision, custom metal stamping and contract mechanical assembly services, as well as robotic MIG & TIG welding services.

“In the future, quality will be a measure to understand which product is more comfortable to human, society, and earth. Quality of human life will be focused on.”

Feuds, politics and turf wars waste effort and distract personnel from serving customers and generating revenue. An organization should multiply individuals’ efforts. Personnel create goods and services, and customers transform them into revenues by purchasing them. Viewed as a supply chain, departments within an organization are consumers of other departments’ products.

If you’ve ever wondered how your company’s spending patterns compare to others, we here at Quality Magazine aim to help.

How good are our product designs? Are they better than past versions? How do they compare with those from other companies?