Providing Systems and Solutions to help  Vermont Manufacturers  Innovate, Plan, Perform and Grow
____________________________________________

VMEC E-NEWS BRIEFS - ISSUE 25 - FEBRUARY 2017


INNOVATION, GROWTH and  TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATION 

Innovation Engineering Quick Start Course A New, 3-Day Immersion into Innovation Engineering fundamentals, presented by Doug Hall, 
Founder & CEO of Eureka!Ranch

Monday - Wednesday, February 27 - March 1, 2017
8:00 am - 5:00 pm each day
GlobalFoundries, Essex Junction, VT

New Innovation Engineering Quick Start Course!  Space is still available in this 3-day immersion course.  The instructor is innovation expert, author and founder of Eureka!Ranch, Doug Hall.  Participants will learn how to create, pitch, test and implement new ideas for products, services and systems. And, more importantly, they will apply the learning to start working smarter on current projects during the course.  

Visit the event page here or contact Patricia  Giavara, VMEC Assistant Director and Innovation Engineering Black Belt, at  (802) 279-6103/ [email protected]  or Lisa Henderson, VMEC Director of Client Services and Innovation Engineering Black Belt, at  (802) 299-1456/  [email protected] . 

Check out this short IE Quick Start Overview video 
created by Eureka! Ranch. 

Here's what some Vermont company leaders are saying about IE:

"Why has the team at Whitney Blake Company invested time and energy into obtaining Innovation Engineering Management training and multiple Black, Blue and Green Belt certifications? Because this process identifies solutions more efficiently and saves our customers time, resources and money."
   Sheldon Scott, President and CEO, Whitney Blake Company of Vermont

"Innovation Engineering is a perfect example of where VMEC is helping Vermont manufacturers lead and compete on a global scale." 
   Dan Kiniry, Director of Marketing, Rhino Foods Inc.  


OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE and CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT 

Google SSL Certification Did you know a dding an SSL to your website not only secures it, but also allows you  to avoid being branded as unsafe by Google? 

Small Business Administration (SBA) offers Executive Training program available to VT entrepreneurs Emerging Leaders is a free executive-level training program for established business owners poised for growth. Over the course of seven months, each participating entrepreneur will learn immediate ways to improve their business and will create a three-year strategic growth plan to build a sustainable business of size and scale.  For more information, visit SBA Emerging Leaders, 
e-mail [email protected] or call (802) 828-4422 ext. 203.

So What is "Lean" Anyway?  Ask these four questions to determine if your company is on a Lean Transformation or just doing a Lean project.  

Technology Investments for Improved Business Success  Read how to focus on technology investment ratios to drive success through wise business investments.
WORKFORCE STRATEGIES and TALENT DEVELOPMENT 

Upcoming Training - highlights include: 
  • Lean Measures and Decision Making (aka Accounting for Lean)  March 28 and 29, 2017, Colchester. This workshop is designed for manufacturing leaders AND their financial counterparts to encourage a greater level of alignment between Lean operations and accounting. 
  • ISO 9001:2015 Implementation Collaborative  March 20 - August 14, 2017, Colchester. This program provides group training sessions, structured implementation assignments, and company-specific on-site consulting days to help companies develop ISO 9001 compliant quality management systems at an affordable cost. If you are considering or planning to implement ISO 9001 in 2017, contact Patricia Giavara, VMEC Assistant Director, at [email protected] or (802) 279-6103 for more information on this unique program designed for small and medium-sized companies.  Partial grant funding towards registration fee may be available to eligible Vermont companies.  

RESOURCES for VERMONT MANUFACTURERS 

Diversification Assistance for Vermont's Defense-related companies  Informational meetings about Vermont's Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) grant will be held   Friday, February 17  in Montpelier and  Tuesday, February 21  in Williston. The meetings will cover possible opportunities for the grant funds as well as provide participants with the ability to undertake a business assessment - provided by VMEC - using CoreValue's Discover tool. 
Click on dates for further information and this  link  to
connect to the one-page grant benefits overview. 

DoD Northeast Regional Council Training & Matchmaking - March 22 and 23, 2017, Warwick, Rhode Island  Join over 300 small businesses, government agencies and prime contractors!  This event is being co-hosted by the DoD Northeast Regional Council. The mission of the event is to connect small businesses with government agencies and prime contractors so that the agencies and primes can fulfill their procurement goals and the businesses can capitalize on immediate procurement opportunities.

High Performing Manufacturers: Where they play and how they win Becoming  a high performer requires a keen focus on acquiring needed capabilities, which not only change with time but also vary based on where a company chooses to play.