Organizational Adaptability – Remarkable associations learn from and respond to change; although they’re willing to change, they also know what not to change. Focusing on continuous improvement while staying true to their mission, remarkable associations keep aware of signals and changes impacting the organization and its members. Since the NFFS Board and staff clearly understand the organization’s core purpose and goals, the Society is always poised to assess and act quickly to address challenges as they emerge.

At each meeting, the NFFS Board takes time on its agenda discussing current issues that things that present the greatest challenges to member foundries and that are causing foundry owners and managers the most heartburn and sleepless nights. The focus of the discussions is never to just talk about the issues, but rather to try and determine what the Society can and should do to help.

In the 2001 member satisfaction survey that matched the responses of NFFS members against those of nine other trade associations, NFFS ranked at the top in responding to members’ issues and priorities and developing effective programs that help. But we’re not just resting on our past. Many of our most valuable membership ROI programs have been created since then.

Alliance Building – Associations that are secure and confident in their own right seek partners and projects that compliment their mission and purpose.

No matter how remarkable they may be, there are some issues that are simply too big for one association to handle alone. When those come up, remarkable associations partner with others who feel the same way, whose members are equally affected, and whose goals are mutually achievable. Working together, they spread the work (and the cost) to present a more unified effort and achieve a more effective result.

Comparatively speaking, NFFS is a small association. We don’t have the strength – or resources – to tackle issues like ergonomics, EPA air quality MACT rules, lead in plumbing brass, or controlling health care costs alone. In each of those cases, by partnering with other like-minded associations, manufacturers (and yes even some labor unions) in forming effective coalitions, we’ve been able to benefit from the collective effort.

But what’s been remarkable (at least to me) is how many times those coalitions have actually looked to NFFS to provide direct leadership on the issue. The most recent example of this comes with regard to the health insurance program we featured in our last issue. Since then (and even before) NFFS has been coordinating an effort by a coalition of metalworking associations to pool their memberships under a common health insurance program. On March 12th, NFFS and four other associations formed the Metalworking Manufacturing Coalition (MMC) Trust and signed an agreement with Trustmark that will now pool more than 1,600 employers in the casting, forging, metal stamping, spring and industrial fastener industries into a common fund.

Making the pool against which claims are drawn broader and deeper will allow the MMC Trust to spread each association’s claims experience among the entire group. As a result, we will all be better able to control future premium increases for our members on down the road.

From June 12 – 16, 2007, the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany will again host GIFA, 11th International Foundry Trade Fair with WFO Technical Forum. Exhibit categories at the leading international trade fair for this industry will include foundry machinery and plant construction, casting machinery and equipment, melting processes as well as molding and core making. Special presentations and a forum will complement the exhibits. Approximately 700 exhibitors and 50,000 visitors from around the world are expected to take part in GIFA 2007.

Since 1947, the Foundry Educational Foundation, (FEF) has been building bridges between leaders in the metal casting industry and engineering programs on college and university campuses in order to attract top level management replacements.

After WWII, during an economic boom period, the need for metal casting engineers increased dramatically. Companies and colleges were hardpressed to meet the demands of the new burgeoning post-war economy. FEF was established to develop cooperative educational programs between companies and technical education programs in metal casting. In collaboration with industry leaders, societies and schools for higher learning, all helped launch FEF as a means to meet the industry manpower needs.

One sure sign of a tightening labor market is employers’ willingness to sweeten the pot to aid recruitment and bolster retention of qualified workers. According to a recent employer survey this trend is exactly what happened over the first two-thirds of 2006.

The study, released in August by JobKite.com, indicated that 56 percent of respondents report having made “significant” benefits enhancements during this period. Some benefits changes are fairly typical. For example, 88 percent of respondents supplemented medical benefits and 69 percent enhanced compensation in a variety of areas including increased stock vesting, 401(k) funds, salary relative to market averages, sign-on bonuses, quarterly bonus plans, and/or relocation packages.