BizTimes Milwaukee

We all attach various traditions to the ushering in of a new calendar year. They may be grand or trivial. They may be quite public or kept secret in our hearts.

It’s that time of year. The 2007 budgets are in place, business plans have been reviewed, and there’s excitement and consternation in the air. The economy remains a growing concern due to fourth-quarter expectations and results. It seems that with respect to the last three years, nothing can be taken for granted or assumed with any degree of confidence in terms of business growth and profit expectations.

Question: During a recent negotiation with a co-worker, Iunintentionally said something that offended him. The comment came out...

Company Address: 600 Northshore Drive, Hartland, WI 53029 Web site: www.cdmfg.com, www.spincards.com Industry: ...

In architecture, I’m told, form follows function. In sales, methodology follows mindset – or at least it should.

For the Milwaukee-area commercial real estate industry, 2007 could be the year of the hotel. There are at least 11 hotel developments that are being planned in or near downtown Milwaukee. In the suburbs, at least 11 hotel projects are in various stages of development. Plus, several existing hotels in southeastern Wisconsin have already completed, or are planning, renovations to keep up with the new competition.

Employers will soon face dramatic changes in how they hire and manage their workforce in China. After 11 years, the Chinese government and people felt that the People’s Republic of China’s current labor contract law did not provide the necessary protections and stability for its employees and employers, especially under China’s reformed economic system.

The declining value of the U.S. dollar is providing a needed boost to many Wisconsin manufacturers. Manufacturers that sell to Europe, China, India and other emerging markets are benefiting from the weak dollar because it makes the U.S.-made products less expensive for foreign buyers. However, for Wisconsin manufacturers that rely on foreign markets for outsourced production and machinery, a weak dollar has the opposite effect – it raises their costs.

Brady Corp. acquires Italian manufacturer Milwaukee-based Brady Corp. announced it has acquired wire-identification manufacturer Modernotecnica SpA of Milan, Italy....

Most of Milwaukee’s merger and acquisitions and investment banking firms had record years in 2006, and they anticipate similar levels of activity for 2007. Relatively low interest rates, the willingness of banks and other lending institutions to fund acquisitions and the appetites of both strategic and private equity buyers have fueled the robust market, industry insiders say.