A Blog for the Industrial Cutting Tool Professional

Finding good employees has become one of the biggest challenges facing manufacturers today. Ask almost any plant manager or business owner what keeps them up at night, and you’ll likely hear the same concerns: Skilled workers are difficult to find. Labor costs continue to rise. Experienced employees are retiring. Existing teams are being asked to…

Every machine shop wants more spindle time, higher throughput, and a lower cost per part. Yet when capacity becomes tight, many manufacturers immediately start looking at new machines, additional labor, or upgraded tooling. What if the real bottleneck isn’t your machine? What if it’s the way you’re holding the part? At S&D Industrial Tool Supply,…

When one of our customers came to S&D with a manufacturing challenge, they were frustrated with a back spot facing process that was slow, labor-intensive, and causing unnecessary downtime. The application required multiple holes to be back spotfaced using a traditional bayonet-style back spotface tool. While the process worked, it required constant operator involvement and…

There’s something special about living in a place where family-owned businesses still thrive. From local hardware stores to cozy restaurants, bakeries, and specialty shops, these are the places I choose whenever I can. It’s not just about what they sell, it’s about how they make you feel. Walking in and hearing, “Jim! Good to see…

Every day on your shop floor, time matters. Deadlines loom. Machines run. Customers are counting on you. But behind the scenes, small inefficiencies quietly drain your productivity – a missing tool, an empty bin, an employee walking back and forth to the toolcrib instead of doing the job they were hired to do. Manufacturing has…

Does anyone really want to talk to the automated receptionist? Press 1 for this or press 2 for Customer Service.  At S&D we believe you deserve better.  When you call our office a real person is going to answer and greet you. There’s no need to be transferred, our capable team is ready and able…

In this episode of the Critical Mass Business Talk Show, host Ric Franzi sits down with two key leaders from S&D Industrial Tool Supply-Chandan Shiroy, Vice President of Sales and Operations, and Darren Dives, Vice President of Sales. With decades of combined experience in manufacturing, engineering, and sales, Chandan and Darren share valuable insights into…

Over my 48 years in the machining industry, I’ve witnessed incredible advancements that have redefined how we manufacture products, from everyday items to cutting-edge technologies. It’s easy to overlook the impact of innovations that have become standard practice. Here are a few key products introduced during my career that truly changed the game: Indexable Carbide…

Finding skilled professionals in the tooling industry is becoming increasingly challenging-whether in machine shops, factory representatives, or as in our case, distributor sales teams. To some extent, we have ourselves to blame. The number of programs in schools and companies that promote careers in manufacturing has dwindled, which is unfortunate because manufacturing plays a vital…