Pillar Innovations is a provider of mining equipment for oil and gas industries. While the enterprise is headquartered in Maryland it seeks to expand it operations into the state of Indiana. This expansion will bring 15 new jobs to the city of Evansville through the investment of nearly 1 million dollars into the development of a new facility. The operational center will open in January of 2015.

Eric Guthrie is the Assistant Manager for Operations at Pillar Innovations. He spoke to the factors that led his company to choose the Hoosier state of the Terrapin state for their new investment.

"Pillar Innovations chose Evansville, Indiana for its expansion primarily because we have found an excellent workforce to build our team with, we believe Indiana's right-to-work, business-friendly environment will be key to our company's success." he said.

Economic development has been a major feat of the administration of Indiana Governor Mike Pence. His office's ability to work with local manufacturers has led to a resurgence of this industry within Indiana's economy. The effort of the Indiana Economic Development Corporate to offer conditional tax credits was another component that facilitated the out-of-state investment capital to be spent within the Hoosier state's borders.

The thriving state of Indiana's manufacturing economy encompasses multiple competitive enterprises. To succeed within this environment, business management software that implements an efficient ERP structure can mean the difference between failure and success.

Accent Software, Inc. provides Indiana-based manufacturing with manufacturing software that can enable their success. As a trusted Microsoft Business partner, the company offers high quality enterprise solutions. The localized expertise of the software provider makes them a valuable resource for out-of-state businesses that seek to benefit from expansion into Indiana's economic market.

Utilizing business friendly tax policies to cultivate an economy that can develop industry has been a cornerstone of Indiana's state legislature. In doing so, the Hoosier State has been able to attract businesses from competing international and domestic markets. Perhaps more importantly, these policies have enabled small businesses to thrive. That achievement enables homegrown companies like Carrera Manufacturing to improve their operations.

Since 1961, the custom injection and molding company has been based in Portland, Indiana. As its business grew, the manufacturer became a vital component of the city's community and economy. The long history of Indiana's manufacturing success has been revived in recent years as enterprises like Carrera Manufacturing have been able to grow. Evidence of that resurgence is apparent in Carrera's latest decision to invest $1.27 million to expand its current Portland-based facility. The initiative is expected to add 102 jobs to the state by 2018. The company is poised to add to its workforce which presently employs 82.

Jim Hiester, President of Carrera Manufacturing spoke to the impact the facilities expansion will have on operations.

"The typical cleanroom in the industry is a Class 10,000 or at best Class 1,000. But with demand for 'cleaner' cleanrooms, Carrera is investing in a state-of-the art Class 100 cleanroom. This will allow us to continue to grow and expand our finishing capabilities. Carrera will be one of the few injection molders with finishing and coating capabilities."

Over the last 50 years, Carrera Manufacturing has been able to sustain success in Indiana's thriving manufacturing economy. By utilizing business manufacturing software, small businesses can implement ERP that can enable them to have the success that other homegrown Indiana businesses have achieved. Accent Software, Inc. provides business software to businesses that seek to become a part of this vibrant industry.

Along with its regional reports, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) has released its monthly Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for the United States. The October PMI was placed at 59 on a scale out of 100, where values above 50 indicate growth. This is better than the September reading of 56.6 and the expectation, based on a Reuters poll, of 56.2. The PMI has rebounded to its August level after a September dip, and is at its highest since March 2011.

Of the 10 manufacturing areas that the PMI accounts for, only customers' inventories are decreasing, and their 48 score is up from 44.5 the previous month. The fastest growth is in new orders and production, at 65.8 and 64.8 respectively. The largest monthly variation was in backlog of orders, which jumped six points to 53, ending its contraction. New orders are up 5.8 points and supplier deliveries are up four.

On the flip side, prices fell by six points to 53.5. As Reuters notes, this is in large part due to the drop in the global price of crude oil. In the U.S., oil futures fell more than 11 percent in October, the largest single-month fall since early 2012. The only other decrease was a two-point dip in exports.

The national PMI has a direct correlation with the gross domestic product, which is up 3.5 percent over the past 12 months, according to the latest government data, released last week. Reuters suggests that the slowing of the construction industry prevented greater growth in October.

Manufacturing ERP software can help contribute to the industry's continued expansion by automating and streamlining every step of a manufacturer's business processes.

On Monday, the White House announced that President Barack Obama will sign several new executive actions to help the continued growth of the United States' manufacturing industry. The actions follow the latest recommendations of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), which were published this month under the title "Accelerating U.S. Advanced Manufacturing."

The announced package includes four actions: investing more than $300 million in emerging manufacturing technologies, expanding manufacturers' access to Department of Energy national laboratories, launching the $100 million American Apprenticeships grant competition and beginning a $130 million, five-year support program for innovative small manufacturers.

According to government data, the U.S. manufacturing sector has added more than 700,000 jobs since 2010 following years of contraction. The Administration is taking measures to spur this growth and keep the U.S. competitive as modern technology becomes a more important part of the manufacturing process.

The DoE has 17 national labs across the country and, together with NASA and the National Science Foundation, will allow greater access to the private sector and universities in an effort to encourage innovation.

The $300 million investment is focused on three emerging technologies: advanced materials, advanced sensors and digital manufacturing. The Manufacturing Extension Partnership, under the aegis of the Department of Commerce, will help small manufacturers adopt new technologies in their facilities. Although still in the pilot stage, officials hope to expand it nationwide.

Manufacturing software is a technological solution that is already available to small companies. The software helps them lower costs and streamline business by keeping track of every step of the manufacturing process, from inventory planning to distribution.

According to data from the Department of Labor, manufacturing wages are rising at an accelerated rate in states that are at the forefront of the industry. Overall, manufacturing salaries have grown over the last year at a 1.6 percent rate, significantly below the average of the nation's private sector, which is currently at an annual rate of 2.3 percent. But in five states that lead America's manufacturing, wages have spiked: Texas (6.3 percent), Washington (4.4), Oregon (4 percent), Indiana (3.1) and Michigan (2.5).

Analysts say this is a result of a shortage of skilled labor, and they expect the situation to expand to other states over the coming months and years. That labor shortage, which has been a common theme for the industry in recent times, was one of the main issues that the recent Manufacturing Day events sought to address. Besides the dozens of events that were held on October 3, nine more will take place throughout Indiana until the end of the month, many directed at high school students in an effort to attract new talent.

Business outsourcing firm ADP, LLC says that the current situation is making life difficult for manufacturing companies by encouraging skilled workers to move to new jobs where they can receive better pay. According to its data, workers who changed employers saw their hourly wages rise an average of 4.2 percent in the third quarter, up from 3.6 percent a year ago.

Manufacturing ERP software can help companies navigate the industry's changing landscape. While a shortage of skilled labor is out of businesses' control, an effective ERP system allows them to better adjust to those circumstances by keeping close track of inventory and production costs.