It's Judgement Time

It is once again time to gauge our strengths, count our assets, list our virtues and line up with our peers. It's time to reflect on those who are gone and to recognize those rising to meet new challenges.

In our case—simply measuring one company against another, arguing about which types of revenue should count and how much of a company's business is distributor-related—doesn't seem quite so important this year in the context of world events.

Nonetheless it does remain important to take a cold hard look at the numbers generated by our industry: this month for manufacturers and next month for distributors. If nothing else, it is reassuring to see that overall revenue continues to climb and that more people are employed at more locations than last year.

Why is the independent forms industry still going strong long after its projected demise? One reason is flexibility. On the distributor side, salespeople have the ability to tap into hundreds of factories to find the right product at the right price for their customers. The manufacturing side has also become more flexible. Judging by the list of products featured in our charts, in most cases, manufacturers do not depend on a single product for their livlihood.

Another reason is that independent manufacturers do not insulate employees with layers of management. Skilled workers know their worth in determining the success of their companies. It is an importance of place keenly unique to countries like ours where individuals know they are more than a cog in someone else's wheel.

There is a pervasive feeling of ownership and responsibility here, whether it is in one's company , community or government, that makes us resourceful and productive.

Bill Drennan

Editorial Director