Community Push Saves Bucyrus Jobs

We’ve talked before about the need for manufacturers and the larger business community to band together and fight for the future of manufacturing.

Well, here’s a great example of companies in our region doing just that.

The back story is a little complicated and involves a decision by a government lending agency that threatened as many as 1,000 jobs at mining equipment maker Bucyrus International Inc.

The decision came just last weekend. But quickly, loudly, business and political leaders came forward to push the U.S. Export-Import Bank to reconsider.

n The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce led the charge, taking out a full-page ad in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – a compelling, direct, but respectful piece signed by numerous suppliers and other companies.

n Both Republicans and Democrats spoke out on the issue.

n A major PR push and some well-prepared research bolstered the case.

Then, with President Obama rolling into Racine yesterday, officials reversed the decision to deny funding.

It was an impressive, effective display of community cooperation. Now let’s continue in this spirit, applying it toward more proactive efforts to boost the region’s vital manufacturing base.

Can Pork Producers Win Their ‘H1N1’ vs. ‘Swine Flu’ Crisis Communications Quest?

Let’s take a quick break from all our hand washing and cough covering to note the crisis communications case study in action that is the swine flu outbreak.

Excuse me, I mean the “H1N1 virus,” as industry groups for the other white meat would greatly prefer we call it. In one of the most interesting aspects of this saga from a marketing perspective, pork producers are struggling to save their products from panic and misinformation.

No, pork producers didn’t cause this crisis. But they certainly risk taking a sales hit due to the fast-spreading bug’s potentially misleading common name. So the National Pork Board is wise to be tackling the problem aggressively.

We’ll go ahead and call it H1N1 here, but the odds may be against them winning this name game (although the Obama administration appears to be on board). Today, the chatter about the outbreak is spreading incredibly fast through social media, Internet searches and 3G phones. The virtual masses are guiding that conversation, and ultimately, they’ll call it what they call it. Swine flu.

It’s just another cautionary tale demonstrating why crisis communications planning is more important and more complicated than ever.

And since we have a client that makes some of the finest swine products in the world, we want to help the pork people out. To set the record straight, you can’t get H1N1 from eating pork. In fact, I just enjoyed a hot dog for lunch. Then, because President Obama and the CDC reminded me to do so, I washed my hands.

Don’t wait around for your own bailout

After a long slog of an election cycle, we at last have a new president-elect of the United States. The campaign is behind us, but one huge factor in the outcome will be with us for some time: the current gloomy economic climate.

Late last week, as Barack Obama met with economic advisors to consider the crisis, we got more bad news—this time about rising unemployment and the failing American auto industry.

So, not good, obviously. And it makes sense for Obama’s team to start tackling these issues right away. However, something we’ve said before on this blog bears repeating right now: Don’t leave your company’s future to actions or assistance from Washington.

Rather, survival and success depend on your company’s will, vision and ability to compete. There’s never been a more critical time to carefully examine what you do that customers value and how you can most efficiently provide it. Then, of course, do everything you can to convince people to buy your products and services. In other words, focus not only your operations, but also sales and marketing efforts.

Regardless of what the new national leadership does, it’s your leadership that will determine the future of your company.