There's more red ink this week as manufacturers report slow sales and there are further accounts of lay-offs and production rationalisation. Luckily, most of the major players still have some buffer after a few solid growth years, and there's no doubt that some restructuring was probably necessary. In boom times, any business decision seems to be a good one, but it takes adversity to bring about real change. The challenge now will be to ensure that businesses are recovery-ready - and able to turn on the taps when demand picks up. It's a balance between short-term pain and long-term gain.