Editor’s note: This column first ran May 10, 2011, more than five years before Donald Trump was elected president of the United States. We think it's worth reading now not so much for political reasons but rather to emphasize the enduring usefulness of quality management tools.

How safe is our food? It is a question asked all over the world on a daily basis as food-scare stories fill the media and governments act to calm consumer fears.

If you're reading this article, especially in the United Kingdom, it’s possible that you are a member of the Chartered Quality Institute (CQI).

(The Conference Board: New York) -- When it comes to recessions, the U.S. economy doesn’t bounce back like it used to, The Conference Board reports in a recent analysis.

During the past 30 years I’ve had the opportunity to measure quite a few manufactured parts, machine tools, fabrications, and large vessels. I’ve also reviewed hundreds of metrology surveys done by technicians.

(Lean Frontiers: Fishers, IN) -- It was in a time of crisis that training within industry (TWI) proved its worth more than 60 years ago, and many companies are turning to TWI again.

(Mahr Federal: Providence, RI) -- Mahr Federal will be featuring the new option package for its well-known MarForm MMQ 200 Formtester at MD&M East, the medical design and manufacturing exposition held June 7–

(Jergens Inc.: Cleveland) -- Jergens Inc., a global leader in quick-change fixtures, introduces a new workholding system that dramatically reduces costly setup times on 3+2 multi-axis and five-axis machines.

(Minitab: State College, PA) -- Minitab, a leading provider of software for quality improvement, is offering a free webinar to highlight how its process improvement software can support lean Six Sigma projects. “Meet Quality Companion” will be held on May 19, 2011, at 11 a.m. EDT.

(Nikon Metrology: Brighton, MI) -- CAMIO7 is a major software release in many ways. This multisensor coordinate measuring machine (CMM) software now reflects the latest from Microsoft Windows, featuring the ribbon-style toolbar.