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Manufacturing Innovation for the Next Decade
How will the manufacturing sector sustain jobs and grow to be an ever-increasing portion of GDP? It is only through continuous innovation – of products, people, and processes, that growth will happen. From an initial group of member business owners who called themselves “learners” in 2002, to the MIND* collaborative groups of today, ideas are percolating and being implemented. Imagine a small, interactive group, with opportunities to tour each others’ plants and see best practices in operation.
Everything is open for discussion, including customer service, engineering, Lean practice, culture cultivation, and employment strategies. Through such self-study and sharing, the MIND II companies leapfrog other manufacturing companies to become the best-of-the-best in the region. Willingness to learn and openness to change are the primary requirements for joining with others of like-mind in this experience which is led by capable WIRE-Net staff.
*Manufacturing Innovation for the Next Decade |
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Mission Reminder The synergy of ideas is a powerful thing. And when clever, persistent business owners come together to learn from each other, and to implement best practices, amazing things happen. WIRE-Net is here to connect leaders of area companies in their search for improvement and excellence. |
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MIND (Manufacturing Innovation for the Next Decade)
MIND is a unique project aimed at helping leaders
of existing manufacturing businesses learn about and implement Total
Innovation: product, people and process improvement. The
need for manufacturing innovation is clear. The leaps
companies make through innovation improve profitability, fortify the
local economy, and energize future growth. MIND I began the
journey with an emphasis on product and market innovation.
Phase II of the exclusive MIND experience began in September 2005
with new topics and issues guided by members of the group. Key
elements include:
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Structure:
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Smaller, interactive, collaborative group(s),
with opportunities for plant tours, and regional best practice
expertise delivered on topics of interest.
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Topics Include:
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Culture Cultivation, Lean Product
Development, Knowledge Management, Service Innovation:
Best Practices in Customer Service, Engineering, Quotations,
Accounting, and more . . .
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Event:
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See Events Calendar for upcoming dates
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New:
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MIND II members have the option to create and
join in a practical experience inside the structure of a member
company with the goal of providing an innovation experience for
the group plus help to a ‘living’ company.
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The MIND experience began with a Learners Group
comprised of business leaders from seven manufacturing companies who
were committed to exploring aspects of manufacturing innovation in an
organized process facilitated by WIRE-Net. This group wanted to
explore key issues including identifying and understanding company
core competencies; the stage gate process; innovating with the
customer; and managing evolution. This process led to them to
incorporate into their company business practices many of the ideas
they learned in MIND. Typical results from their efforts have led
companies to develop and manufacture new products, create new
marketing and/or distribution channels, or a combination of all three.
Some of the new projects were a direct result of participation in the
MIND program; others were made possible through the on-going
reinforced discipline of consistently making time for innovation.
WIRE-Net estimates that the roughly 600 jobs at these 7 “early
adopter” companies reflect:
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Estimated Annual Payroll Impact: $23
million. As each payroll dollar turns over in the local
economy, an additional indirect economic impact of over $14
million is generated.
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Retail Impact: The 600 jobs among the
MIND pilot group support 44 retail establishments in the region
and $9 million in annual retail sales.
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Employment Impact: The MIND pilot firms
support 398 non-manufacturing jobs in wholesale, retail, finance,
construction and the public sector, for a total employment impact
of approximately 1,000 jobs in the region.
Interested? For details contact Ty Haines
about MIND V starting in Fall of 2009
Development of the MIND Program has been made
possible due to support from Charter One, Cleveland,
Gund, HCS, 1525, and
Generation foundations.
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