Oakville Beaver, 24 Sep 1993, p. 8

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Finding a hobby here is easy. It‘s choosing one that‘s tough. We have over 20,000 square feet of arts and crafts. You‘ll have to decide from rows of stitchâ€" ery, quilting and miniatures. Aisles of modelâ€" making kits and art supplies. Consider creating wearable art with our selection of fabric paints, sequins, Tâ€"shirts and sweatshirts. Ponder the possibility of floral design as you gaze at our enorâ€" We think everyone should have a hobby. We have a few thousand of them ourselves. Oakville Town Centre II Walker Place Upper Middle Rd. Walker‘s Line Burlington (416) 336â€"8576 Dorval North of QEW 842â€"1555 Over 20,000 Square Feet of Arts And Crafts. Starts Thursday, September 30th at 10:00 a.m. GRAND OPENING WEEK Global market place changing face of manufacturing in Canada "I think there‘ll be more change in the next six or seven years than we‘ve seen in the last 50," he said. Van Houten is in the thick of it. With Ken Harrigan, formerly chief executive officer of Ford of Canada, he is involved in an international committee dealing with the future direction of manufacturing. Along with Japan, Europe, the U.S. and Australia, Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (IMS), as the committee calls itself, is looking at changes in manufacturing. Van Houten expressed amazement at the possiâ€" bilities. For instance, he said a Japanese company is currently testing a sysâ€" tem that puts robots on automated guided vehicles than can move them around the factory floor in response to computer commands, thus autoâ€" matically altering the whole producâ€" tion system. Taking this a little farâ€" ther, it means that supplies and Continued from page 3 Our inâ€"store demonstrations will show you how to do just about anything. And our prices will inspire you. Choosing the hobby may be a little tough. But choosing Michaels is always easy. other systems can be changed in the same factory to produce different products. Furniture can be manufacâ€" tured one week, consumer appliâ€" ances the next and so on. Again, Van Houten pointed to another example of change. The Global Coffee Pot that can be bought at many stores in Canada is, indeed, a product of many counâ€" tries. A range of separate companies with operations in Canada, France, the U.S., Malaysia and others had a hand in the various steps in its proâ€" duction â€" among them financing, designing, assembling, marketing and distribution. "This may look like a convenâ€" tional joint venture, but what is unique and revolutionary about it is that it is designed to be temporary," said Van Houten. "When the coffee pot project is done, these companies will disentangle themselves and reâ€" form with other partners in other combinations to develop, build and sell new products." QEW Our huge choice of party and wedding supâ€" plies may distract you. But our store associates will leap to meet your every need with a smile. mous selection of artificial flowers and greenery. Brantview Place Fairview and Brant St. 639â€"8146 New partners and new markets, then, are highlighted in today‘s playing field. Even the language of manufacturing has changed. Today‘s managers talk about "cusâ€" tomer satisfaction, strategic alliances, flexible production and continuous improvement." It is the language of an industry that realizes it must rise to the chalâ€" lenge of world trade. To do it, Van Houten maintained Canada must concentrate on one aspect of manuâ€" facturing that will outshine all the rest. Of four factors â€" cheap, new, good and fast â€" he picked out the latter as worthy of focus because Canada is limited in the first three. "Fast" means high flexibility and rapid response to markets and cusâ€" tomer demands, factors Canada is already developing. By working creatively and with joint partners, he thought Canada could gain an enviable reputation and take its place as a leader in the world of manufacturing.

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