On February 1, 2011 we opened our Upstate South Carolina group in Greenville, SC and brought on-board John Frederick, our new BluePrints for Business Managing Director for South Carolina. Given the recent impact of the natural diaster in Japan and its impact on business and industry, and given John's experience in manufacturing and as a successful entrepreneur I asked him to take a few moments and share his thoughts on the broader topic of "Driving New Business". Thank you John for your blog entry. Here's John...

In manufacturing, we frequently talk about the need to be flexible and innovative when it comes to finding new customers. My years in the textile industry taught me that.

The factory I managed disappeared for all intents and purposes, and I bought a screenprinting business that did a lot of work with t-shirts, other garments and other items made of fabric. To my manufacturing knowledge, I added skills in marketing and contract negotiations, and I wound up selling my business for a nice profit.

I see a lot of new opportunities for small job shops and manufacturers serving the auto industry in the Southeast. To be sure, the auto industry is not disappearing; it’s thriving and growing as part of a global industry.

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan have really brought that home. We’ve seen several articles in trade and business journals about projected parts shortages for Japanese cars. Assembly plants in the Southeast have parts, and more are on the way because cargo ships were en route to the US at the time of the disaster.

But those inventories will be depleted, and jobs at assembly plants and dealerships will depend on having parts. Upstate South Carolina suppliers to automotive assembly plants can help fill the void that’s on the horizon. If you have a shop – or have a client or friend with a shop – that is ISO:9000 or ISO:9001 or ISO:1400 (environmental) certified, you can enter the qualification process for the Japanese automakers. They all have offices in the United States.

If you have high-tech equipment to machine and stamp parts qualify, you can get the necessary files electronically, load them into your production system and be up and running in a timely manner. If you have experience with automotive companies, it works to your advantage.

And if you get the work, you have access to a road network to connect to assembly plants in Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama and Mississippi. 

BluePrints for Business consultants can answer any questions you might have about this and other matters that affect the financial health of your business. We work closely with manufacturers and their trusted advisors, including bankers, attorneys, accountants and financial planners. Contact us to see how we can help you. When opportunity knocks, you need to be able to answer the door.

Please feel free to contact me with questions or for assistance at (843) 902-9670 or via e-mail at john.frederick@blueprintsforbiz.com.