I’m writing this column in the midst of a very busy week. Sometime between conference calls and podcast recordings, I realized how little time I now need to spend on tasks that—even just a few years ago—took up the majority of my day. Publishing has evolved to the point that we’re now able to focus on additional platforms and technologies that we can use to complement the traditional print magazine. This evolution helps our staff work more efficiently and effectively, while also enabling us to provide additional quality content to our readership community in the way(s) that works best for them.

The same can be said for many industries, including ceramic manufacturing. The grinding process is one facet of the ceramic industry that has evolved to help improve overall productivity and quality. Particularly for brittle materials such as advanced ceramics, manufacturers can improve their yield by keeping several important factors in mind. Read Grinding Brittle Materials to learn more. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Tom Shearer, the article’s author, who also shared some additional details regarding the importance of materials handling. Our conversation is available at www.ceramicindustry.com/pods.

The lean movement has provided multiple opportunities for ceramic and glass manufacturers to improve their processes. Corning’s Vincent Howell shares insights regarding Value Stream Mapping in this issue. He writes, “At a high level, a value stream map is a visualization tool for recording all of the processes that touch the product as it proceeds to the market or point of delivery.” 

 Think back through everything you’ve accomplished in the past few days, and image if those tasks would have been achievable even just five years ago. It’s exciting to pause and imagine what might be possible in the next five years. For now, though, I need to get back to work!