The monthly roundup from Editor-in-Chief Susan Sutton.
The
French philosopher and scholar Ernest Renan once said, “The simplest schoolboy
is now familiar with truths for which Archimedes would have sacrificed his
life.” This quote is particularly striking given the fact that Renan lived and
worked in the 19th century. Here we are in the 21st century, and mankind’s
technological achievements continue to advance by leaps and
bounds.
This issue of
CI is dedicated to modern manufacturing, and
no discussion of today’s industrial processes can be complete without taking
sustainability into account. Wal-Mart recently announced the development of a
sustainable product index, which the retail giant is initiating to help its
customers track the sustainability (or lack thereof) of the products they buy.
At this point, it remains to be seen what ramifications this index might hold.
However, whether your company has focused on green for years or you’re just
getting started, it’s vital to recognize that consumers are looking further up
the supply chain to ensure the sustainability of their
purchases.
We’ve included a number of green-focused articles
in this issue that highlight potential opportunities and provide information to
help you educate your customers on the sustainability of some of the products
offered by our industry. Other articles focus on modern manufacturing
techniques that can help improve your products and
processes.
I’m also excited to announce that
Ceramic
Industry is embracing new technologies as well. Beginning with this
issue, a digital version of each issue will be available on our website at
www.ceramicindustry.com.
In addition, subscribers can receive the digital issues via e-mail each month
instead of getting the print issues through the regular
mail.
The technology that powers these digital issues is
impressive. Readers can choose to view issues online, print them or download
them. In addition, each issue is searchable. If you want to find all mentions
of “alumina” in a given issue, for example, you need simply enter “alumina” in
the search function. The program pulls up a thumbnail image of each page where
the word appears, as well as a blurb of the text where it appears. Plus, the
blurb includes hotlinks; when you click on the word “alumina,” the software
takes you directly to that page (where the word is also
highlighted).
Subscribers who provided their e-mail address
with their new subscription or renewal will automatically receive the digital
editions. You can opt out of digital delivery by visiting
www.submag.com/sub/JZ?&pk=9DIGSW and
updating your preference to continue receiving print
issues.
Another benefit of this digital technology is our
capability to reach potentially thousands of new readers. For people who never
quite got around to subscribing, or perhaps have been on a waiting list, digital
editions provide the opportunity to access each issue in its entirety. I’m
excited to welcome these new readers to
Ceramic Industry
and look forward to hearing from them.
As always,
CI is dedicated to pushing the technology envelope in
order to deliver the information you need to succeed. Please don’t hesitate to
contact me at (330) 336-4098 or
suttons@bnpmedia.com with
any comments, suggestions or questions.
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