The U.S. economy's service sector expanded in February but at a slightly slower pace than the previous month and employment in the sector declined for the first time in two years, according to an industry report released on Thursday.

The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said its index of non-manufacturing activity fell to 53.4 from 53.5 the month before. The reading was just above expectations of 53.2 from a Reuters poll of 81 economists.

The annual MFG Conference, sponsored by the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT), was held this year in Palm Desert, Calif., which was the perfect setting for a warm and sunny economic forecast from economist Alan Beaulieu, president of ITR Economics. Beaulieu, a regular speaker on the economic pressures facing manufacturing, told more than 200 manufacturing executives that growth in manufacturing will accelerate throughout the rest of 2016 as oil prices stabilize.

The AGMA Training School for Gear Manufacturing will enable participants to become more knowledgeable and productive, teaching students to set up machines for maximum efficiency, to inspect gears accurately, and to understand basic gearing.

German manufacturing orders had a weak start to the year, as rebounding eurozone demand failed to compensate for weak domestic orders, data released Monday showed.

While the monthly Purchasing Manufacturers' Index (PMI) from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) remained in contraction for the fifth consecutive month in February, there were small signs that the decline in the manufacturing sector may be easing.

This conference is for sales and marketing teams. Registration is limited to individuals who work for AGMA member companies. Join us for a special presentation, 3 Keys to Sales Success, from Randy Disharoon, VP Global Strategic Accounts at Rexnord. And receive the latest information on the Gear Market Report from our Global Insight. Register today – space is limited.

This new initiative is expected to create a total of 400,000 square feet of new or renovated industrial real estate workspace throughout the city — ultimately creating up to 1,200 jobs by 2020.

"Manufacturing isn’t just our past, it’s our future," Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "Clean, modern, hi-tech manufacturing is creating thousands of good jobs across this city. And we’re putting real resources in play to jumpstart this sector and spur more opportunity for our people."

While you wouldn’t know it from the price action in markets of recent days, activity levels across the global manufacturing sector all but stalled last month. The latest Markit-JP Morgan global manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) fell to 50 in February, hitting a fresh 39-month low in the process.

This year’s Geneva Motor Show was spectacular, featuring some of the fastest and most outrageous new cars ever produced. New models from Bugatti, Koenigsegg and Lamborghini all debuted here. Let’s talk about them.

Emerging technology is no stranger to the civil aviation industry — airline operators and manufacturers are constantly looking at new technologies to reduce costs, improve efficiency and help them keep up with rising passenger numbers. However, new and emerging technologies have the potential to completely disrupt the industry, especially if they threaten to undermine airworthiness and safety standards. Here are three technologies that will make a big impact on the civil aviation industry in 2016.

Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, CEO at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, offers a first-hand look at the luxury automaker's Black Badge models and discusses markets where they see sales growth and the prospects of an electric car and SUV in the company’s future. 

Video outlines three new technologies: ‘Superman’ crystals to store data for billions of years; 3D printed, robotic, fully automatic dart gun; and Metal muscles could revolutionize cars. Running time 5:24 minutes.

Backed by a string of profitable years, many West Michigan manufacturers are investing in labor-saving technology and providing themselves a hedge against future softening in the market. That’s translated into brisk business for automation equipment manufacturers and technology consultants, who say they’ve been flooded with orders as clients seek out ways to lean their operations and add flexibility to their shop floors. 

The Internet of Things (IoT) is changing business models, increasing output, and automating processes across a number of industries. But no other sector has been more impacted by this technological revolution than manufacturing.

New orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods in January rose by the most in 10 months as demand picked up broadly, offering a ray of hope for the downtrodden manufacturing sector. While other data on Thursday showed new applications for unemployment benefits increased last week, they remained below levels associated with a tightening labor market. The reports should help calm fears of a recession that have spooked investors on the stock market.

A new initiative, the Energy Materials Network, will accelerate innovation around clean-energy manufacturing industry’s most pressing materials challenges.

Former President of the National Association of Manufacturers outlines the success of President Obama’s National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI).

With the new year beginning, I’ve read a number of articles about predictions for different industries heading into 2016. Not surprisingly, big data is usually somewhere on the list. Companies of all kinds have jumped on the data bandwagon. More information and more insights lead to smarter, more efficient businesses. For manufacturers, there are a number of questions that need to be answered in regard to processes and business relationships. 

The Manufacturers’ Center for Legal Action (MCLA) is launching a new program—the Manufacturers’ Compliance Institute (MCI) Global—to provide legal advice on export controls, sanctions, customs and other market-entry fundamentals.