Harvard Corporation taps WMEP to filter out waste, ramp up efforts to gain new customers
Company is positioned to grow through exporting and serving customers with sustainability goals
Founded in 1973, Harvard Corporation is a privately- owned manufacturer of filters and filtration systems based in Evansville.
Its proprietary state-of-the-art filters are designed to clean fluids, such as the lubricants used in the transportation, power generation, and mining and construction industries.
Otto Knottnerus purchased the company in 2007 after working as one of the firm's distributors for several years. "I always thought that we were just scratching the surface of the market potential for this unique filter," said Knottnerus.
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MOTY Award Nominations
Is your company a leading Wisconsin manufacturer? If so, nominations for Manufacturer of the Year Awards are open until December 1st.
Click here to get more information and the nomination forms.
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Manufacturing Matters! Call for Presenters
The Manufacturing Matters! Conference is Wisconsin's premier manufacturing conference, held next year on Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at the Frontier Airlines Center in Milwaukee.
We are seeking highly interactive workshops that teach valuable skills, stimulate innovative thinking, model best practices, and encourage the exchange of ideas and solutions. (Non-lecture style presentations only)
Click here to learn more and to submit your application.
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Greetings!
Manufacturers are leading the way in the economic recovery, according to the latest ISM report. How are manufacturers doing it? One reason is that manufacturers are driving innovation, both in the development of new products and services and in the processes involved in manufacturing new products. Manufacturers are accustomed to operating in difficult environments and succeeding, and this newsletter focuses on factors that are essential for success - leadership development, innovation and profitable sustainability. |
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Profitable sustainability yields big savings
A growing number of Wisconsin manufacturers are using sustainability to reduce costs - and grow profits.
"Every manufacturer has the potential to achieve immediate and recurring savings by using resources more efficiently and effectively," said Randy Bertram of WMEP, speaking to a group of more than 20 Madison-area manufacturers at a recent Profitable Sustainability forum. "If this isn't on your radar right now, it should be." Companies that embrace profitable sustainability in their products, processes and plant operations are well-positioned to gain competitive advantage and capture new markets and customers. Fueling the move to sustainability is a perfect storm of consumer demand, environmental concerns and regulatory requirements. Initial results from the Wisconsin Profitable Sustainability Initiative (PSI) underscore the potential for significant savings. Forty-five manufacturers are participating in PSI, developed by WMEP and its partners to help manufacturers integrate sustainable practices into their operations. Read more, including highlights from the PSI's initial results |
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Innovators lead the way
National Science Foundation study shows manufacturers are leading innovators
Wisconsin manufacturers know that innovation is the key to growth. The National Science Foundation has just released preliminary data from a major study that underscores the manufacturing sector's leadership in innovation. Survey results from an estimated 1.5 million public and private for-profit companies show that nearly one in four manufacturers surveyed were engaged in product and process innovation, outpacing the innovation rates found in other industries.
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Leadership development crucial to success
Manufacturers cite three drivers of business success in study
Today's manufacturing leaders face a myriad of challenges. Customers, competitors and markets are changing faster than ever. Sustainability is moving from a social movement to a business imperative. For many firms, going global is no longer an option - it's essential for long-term growth and profitability. But this rapidly-evolving global economy also brings opportunity - millions of new global consumers, emerging markets for manufactured goods and growth opportunities in promising new industries such as bio-tech, energy and overseas infrastructure development. Capitalizing on these opportunities requires manufacturers to develop new leadership capabilities from the production floor to the executive suite. Leadership development, employee training, and talent acquisition are crucial elements of success. Read more |
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New ExporTech sessions scheduled for 2011
The popular program offers a spring and fall opportunity
ExporTech Frequently Asked Questions:How many companies can join the session?
- Ten non-competing companies with up to three people from each organization.
What specific problem(s) does ExporTech help resolve?
- Where to focus the export strategy
- How to accelerate the pace of international sales
- How to develop and implement an export growth plan
Who are the "coaches" in between sessions?
- WMEP's joint venture partner, the Wisconsin Department of Commerce's Bureau of Export Development, has four Export Development Managers who will be assigned to your company to provide up to 7 hours of coaching between sessions. They will provide resources, tear down roadblocks, and assist and manage the assignments in between the meeting months.
We're now taking registrations for the 2011 ExporTech sessions: Spring Session: Tuesday, February 15, 2011 Tuesday, March 15, 2011 Wednesday, April 13, 2011 Fall Session:Thursday, October 20, 2011 Thursday, November 17, 2011 Thursday, December 15, 2011 E-mail Roxanne Baumann, WMEP Director of Alliances and Partnerships for more information or to register. The University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) will provide a $200 scholarship to the first 5 companies who sign up for the Spring Session by January 1, 2011, or the Fall Session by September 1, 2011.Download the 2011 ExporTech brochure
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