Looking back at 15 years in the die and mould industry
The die and mould sector has progressed by leaps and bounds since the turn of the millennium. The factors behind the advances are diverse, but their effects have changed shops around the world, from the biggest OEMs to the smallest family companies.
What change has had the most profound impact on the die and mould industry over the past 15 years? It’s hard to pick a favourite since technological, political, economic and social shifts have all played a role, according to a number of major industry suppliers polled by ETMM for this 15th Anniversary Issue. Their insight provides an idea about how the industry has developed, and where it may be headed.
A smaller world is bringing competition to the doorstep
Thanks to economic and political pressure, international trade has been rising since we first started writing about the industry, but the trend has been both helpful and hurtful to the industry. According to machine tool supplier Makino, the opening of the global marketplace over the past 15 years has heaped the pressure on shops throughout Europe. “One of the most significant changes impacting the European tool- and mould-making industry in this period has been the shift from regional to global competition. However large a toolmaker may be, major customers now demand a global presence.”
Read more : http://www.etmm-online.com/anniversary/articles/448077/