Editor's Message: Everything’s Changing & We Need Your Help!

The world is constantly evolving, yet certain events prompt rapid change over short intervals. Through the lens of the component manufacturing industry, the Great Recession of 2008 forced component manufacturers (CMs) to evolve quickly into much more cost- and labor-efficient operations in a matter of months, or they didn’t survive. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic forced another rapid response, as every CM adjusted how they manage their workforce in the plant, facilitate remote employees, and navigate sudden marketplace changes based on unexpected government action in the form of “stay at home” orders.

The pandemic also forced SBCA to evolve quickly. SBCA initially focused on sharing information and best practices to address the biggest challenges CMs faced with regard to HR issues, policies, and federal assistance. As it became clear that business travel would not resume in the short term, SBCA changed how it facilitated peer-to-peer interactions. Physical meetings were cancelled and SBCA hosted a virtual Open Quarterly Meeting (OQM) and several online Strike Force meetings. Eventually, it became clear that even our industry’s largest event, BCMC, could not happen this year.

The loss of BCMC 2020 has pushed the industry’s suppliers to find other avenues to reach CMs with news about their new product offerings and solutions for improving their businesses. As SBCA president Mike Ruede points out in his message (p. 6), the missed opportunity for the many peer-to-peer conversations that typically occur at BCMC must be pursued in different ways.

It is also clear that people gather and process information differently than they did just a few years ago. Communication tools and strategies are changing rapidly to accommodate that shift. SBC Magazine started by adding weekly SBC Industry News to provide timely information of interest to CMs in a digital format. SBCA next added regular, industry-specific webinars to supplement the educational sessions that used to occur only at events like BCMC. Last summer, SBCA added podcasts to allow CMs to digest information and ideas from virtually anywhere.

Going forward, SBCA wants to enhance further how it communicates with members and facilitates the exchange of information and best practices between its members. To do that effectively, we need your help! Please take a few minutes after you finish reading the magazine and complete our reader survey. We want to know more about what information you find most valuable, both for your business and for your own professional development. We also want to know how and when you prefer to digest information. Your input will help us tailor SBCA communications to be as effective and valuable as possible in the future.