While Lean was certainly a high-profile topic at the ECOAT 2008 conference held in May in Indianapolis, my takeaway was that many attendees aren’t practicing this manufacturing philosophy.

Success breeds success. That’s why Finishing Today is in the midst of a website redesign. Nearly two years ago we revamped and repositioned our magazine to meet the information needs of coatings professionals, and now we’re updating our website to achieve the same purpose.

No, the headline isn’t a reference to a bestselling tale set in a foreign country and involving an espionage ring. Instead, it has to do with two important, if not intriguing, innovations that will impact readers of Finishing Today.

Having spent 11 years covering the appliance market as editor of Appliance Manufacturer (now Appliance Design), I’m familiar with the challenges posed by offshore competition, pricing pressures and environmental regulations. And I think they’re great. Why? Because without these drivers, companies wouldn’t be nearly as motivated to innovate as they are today.