SAVING AMERICAN MANUFACTURING is the book that reveals the secrets of some of the most progressive and successful small manufacturing, companies in America and how they did it. Mike Collins knows all of these companies very well but, more importantly, he knows why they have been successful while other American manufacturers are struggling. All of these progressive manufacturers have many factors in common. But, the most important factors appear to be that they have an uncanny ability to 1) Monitor their customers and know what they want in the future, 2) find and exploit new market niches, 3) consistently develop new products and services and 4) provide the best after sales service in their markets. Collins continues to travel the United States as a Johnny Appleseed of Manufacturing. He wants to find more of the new breed of manufacturers and offer their examples to other manufacturers that think they cannot compete. . His message is that there are emerging opportunities in the new economy and we can compete- but not as we competed in the past. He is now on a mission to share his message with SMMs from coast to coast. Michael Collins is a leading spokesman for small and midsize manufacturers (SMMS), but is a maverick in terms of traditional manufacturing philosophy. He doesn t believe that optimizing internal operations and continuing to lower costs will be enough to halt the decline of American Manufacturing or compete. From his own experience in turning around manufacturing companies and what he has learned from successful manufacturers, he feels it will be necessary to change the company to a Prospector organization that is designed to find and exploit new markets and emerging opportunities.