Following a 35-month winning streak, U.S. manufacturing activity contracted for the first time since 2016. The latest report from the ISM adds to a number of indicators that point to a manufacturing contraction and companies that do business with U.S. manufacturers are bound to be impacted.



Today we're going to take a look at the ISM's report and bring you some key takeaways about the slowdown, the challenges manufacturers are currently facing, and what the future might hold for those doing business with them.

Medical equipment manufacturers provide much more than just scalpels and stethoscopes. These companies offer a vast array of devices and tools utilized by the health care industry. The following are four things you should know about this sector.

Looking to do business with U.S. plastics manufacturers? Last week we took a closer look at the industry, providing some useful facts for B2B marketing and sales executives when it comes to doing business with this unique market.



Today we're taking a look at some of the top manufacturers in the industry to give you a complete picture of where the industry stands.

Researching your market is one of the most important steps you can take as a sales and marketing professional. Today we're bringing you the latest data on Wisconsin's manufacturing sector and sharing some essential insights provided to us by the state's industrial companies.



Here are five things to know about Wisconsin's manufacturing sector right now:

Sales and marketing is a little bit like a job interview. Ideally in both situations, all involved parties get something valuable. But if you walk into a job interview without knowing anything about the company you are applying for, chances are it will be an uncomfortable experience.



The same holds true for sales and marketing professionals. Although it can be quite daunting to initiate a sales relationship with a new company, researching and understanding a prospective client's business before that first sales call is an essential process, especially in the manufacturing industry.

The plastics-manufacturing industry is experiencing strong growth across the United States and globally, but the factors contributing to that growth are varied and nuanced.



There are four aspects of the industry in 2019 and beyond, and knowing them will help you understand the market better.

All marketers have experienced the frustration of having a great list of prospects they can't contact because of an email provider's opt-in requirements. In your quest for an Email Service Provider (ESP), you will quickly discover that most ESPs prohibit you from importing a 3rd party list. But there are a few services out there that will.

IndustrySelect numbers show that 2.1% of U.S. metal fabricators reported a growth in employment, in line with sales growth, which clocked in at 2.3%.



To help salespeople navigate that constantly changing market, here are the nine largest and the fastest-growing metal fabricators in the U.S., by number of on-site employees.

Trucks are the backbone of our nation. At some point, nearly all products and materials travel by a truck of some type. And, as the overall economy grows, so does the market for those vehicles.



According to the Federal Highway Administration, there were more than 151 million registered trucks as of 2017. Of those, 2.7 million were tractor trailers.

It's no secret that the business world can be cut-throat, seemingly more now than ever before. As the digital age revolutionized investing and startups, every industry became crowded by competitors, any one of whom would be more than happy to take the spot your business occupies on the totem pole.



Here's how breaking down your list of potential customers into certain categories can help your business stay ahead of the competition and accelerate profits, customer experience and efficiency for your organization. It's called segmentation.

Doing business with manufacturers is straightforward with IndustrySelect. With a database of over 400,000 manufacturers, a subscriber receives access to company information, key personnel and industry profiles.



While we recommend using IndustrySelect if you're looking to connect with specific companies, if you would like to further expand your manufacturing knowledge and explore different perspectives, we suggest perusing these 7 industry blogs.

The truck and trailer industry in the United States has been steadily growing in recent years, with the revenues of the 14,483 truck dealers forecast to be $100 billion in 2018, topping off a five-year growth rate of 4.4%.



That growth was encouraged largely by macroeconomic trends that made downstream markets for trucks and trailers in the U.S. increasingly viable.



What's the outlook for the truck and trailer manufacturing industry in 2019?



Let's take a look, along with examining the largest and fastest-growing companies in the industry.

For this three-part series on B2B email campaigns, we've gone through the steps of building a surefire email list and crafting a message that converts.



So now that you've got your campaign ready to go, how, exactly do you best execute it? In the third and final part of this series, we are going to show you how to do just that.

A well-crafted email should create more leads, increase conversion rates, increase the number of subscribers, and ultimately lead to more sales. In Part Two of this three-part series, we are going to show you how to craft a message that will do just this.

Email marketing has been around a long time, and social media has grabbed the eyes of the world. Many companies use the latter quite successfully to market their products and services to consumers.



But what about business-to-business marketing? When it comes to marketing to manufacturers, the older choice is also the more effective one.



This three-part series is designed to help you reach out to your business customers through a successful email marketing campaign.

Looking to do business with U.S. metal stamping companies? Yesterday, we took a closer look at the industry, providing some useful facts for B2B marketing and sales executives when it comes to working with the metal stamping industry.



Today we're taking a look at some of the largest and fastest-growing companies to give you a complete picture of where the industry stands today.

Lead generation can be terrifying for newcomers and the experienced alike. We step out of our comfort zones and talk to people on a phone (gasp)! We don't hide behind chats, or texts, or spam emails. We pick up the phone and actively pursue business.



Some of us do this to sell a product or service, and some of us do this to secure an appointment for salespeople to secure business.



Whether you're in telemarketing or lead generation, I want to give you a few tips to help you succeed in building a highly successful sales funnel.

Those interested in selling to the metal stamping industry should be aware of the factors that are influencing purchase decisions at the moment. IndustrySelect collects comprehensive data on the U.S. manufacturing sector and today, we're taking a closer look at new developments in the metal stamping industry and the various challenges faced by their top decision-makers.



First, we'll provide a brief overview of what metal stamping is.

Regardless of the market, food products machinery manufacturers must work with downstream manufacturers of food and beverages, a relationship that influences machinery products.



Food-processing machinery is commonly used for beverages, meat and seafood, dairy, fruits and vegetables, bakery goods and more.



The industry is looking for methods to streamline design and production, an increase in contract manufacturers and optimizing operation and maintenance.



Industry figures provide some insight into the growth of the makers across the states.

It's no secret that businesses today face more competition than ever, regardless of their niche. Competition is particularly fierce in the manufacturing market. Innovations in Industry 4.0, such as the internet of things inspire manufacturers to overhaul their business strategies and increase the fidelity of their products and services.





If your brand is to grow and outmaneuver the competition in the coming years, you'll have to generate B2B leads flawlessly. The good news is that there are solutions that other businesses and experts have come up with, beginning with getting leads to new customers.

If you're doing business with manufacturers, it helps to be in-the-know about the emerging innovations, needs and challenges faced by business owners and manufacturing decision-makers.



Speaking the language of manufacturing and understanding some basic principles will go a long way when you have an executive on the phone or reading your email.



Having a working knowledge of certain concepts is also a powerful avenue to explore new markets and get a handle on demand for your products or services.



In this article, we will look at some of the top trends in manufacturing that you should be aware of.

The food products machinery industry counts $7.42 billion in current sales, according to data gathered by IndustrySelect, making it a key part of the overall world market.



Taking a closer look at the trends in the industry will help you better understand the factors affecting the industry and its needs.

Finding clients with freight to haul can be a challenging and complicated process. Freight brokers, trucking companies and logistics service providers are all subject to the same issues.



Let's take a closer look at some of these challenges and solutions that can help your business overcome freight related challenges.

Looking to do business with U.S. farm equipment manufacturers? Last week we took a closer look at the industry, providing some useful facts for B2B marketing and sales executives when it comes to dealing with the farm machinery industry. Today we're taking a look at some of the top manufacturers in the industry to give you a complete picture of industry strongholds

The industrial buying process is different from the generic consumer buying journey because it takes far more time and effort to get results. This presents a challenge to the industrial B2B marketer.



Marketing plays a significant role throughout the entire process.



Knowing the right steps to take can minimize the amount of time the process will take.

Some manufacturing companies are wary to make investments in technology because they don't have many employees, or they believe that it is too costly. Some don't have websites of their own or even social media accounts.



To reach these manufacturers, marketers need to mind the gap and find a way to utilize other means to connect to them.

The entire nation relies on the farm machinery industry for food. If that is not an indicator of how important it is, consider the fact that it accounts for over $109 billion in sales annually.



Farm machinery includes the types of equipment used in agriculture such as tractors, combines, cultivators, irrigation systems, livestock care and bailing machines.



Over 76,000 people are employed by this industry, with some of the largest companies including John Deere, Hunter Industries and Landoll Corporation. In this article, we will discuss three important things to know about this industry.

New Jersey may have the nickname "Garden State," but it's also a manufacturing stronghold. Various industries, such as medical, technology, automotive, electronics and chemical take advantage of the state's unique location.



With access to international shipping ports and airports, and a strong interstate system, New Jersey is ideally located for importing and exporting. Let's take a closer look at some of the fastest-growing companies in New Jersey and the reasons for their success.

Are you reaching your market where they're looking? A recent survey shows that 95 percent of engineers consider email to be a valuable resource for content.



Suffice to say, if you are not using email, a substantial amount of your target market is not going to know about what you can do for them.

The landscape of the manufacturing industry is constantly growing and changing - a statement that rings truer than ever in the wake of Industry 4.0. Currently, the U.S. construction industry is projected to reach $808 billion in 2019, only a 3% increase over the industry's 2018 value of $808 billion.



Whether or not this flatlining will be followed by deceleration or by a period of stability is yet to be seen, leaving various construction companies vying for success.