VERMONT MANUFACTURING EXTENSION CENTER

Providing Systems and Solutions to help
Vermont Manufacturers Innovate, Plan, Perform and Grow
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VMEC E-NEWS BRIEFS - ISSUE 12 - DECEMBER 2014
Season's Greetings! 

Thank you for your interest in VMEC E-News Briefs.  These periodic e-newsletters cover a range of topics for manufacturers and other enterprises that desire to learn and implement systems and solutions to accelerate sustainable and profitable growth marked by performance excellence.  To submit feedback, comments or suggest future content, e-mail vmec@vmec.org. Thank you!
VMEC and VERMONT CELEBRATE A SUCCESSFUL
2014 MANUFACTURING DAY and MONTH

Manufacturers around the state opened their doors and / or spoke publicly during the month of October, hosting events in their facilities that highlight the importance of manufacturing to the state and nation's economy, while drawing attention to the many rewarding high-skill, good paying jobs and career opportunities in Vermont manufacturing. We would like to thank the following Vermont businesses who made this annual event the big success that it was - American Precision Museum, Andrew Pearce Bowls, Chroma Technologies, CMF Innovations, DR Power Equipment, Franklin County Industrial Development Corporation, GW Plastics, Husky Injection Molding Systems, Mack Molding (check out their blog posting here under "Cultivating NextGen Talent"), Maple Landmark Woodcraft, North Country Career Center and Northeastern Vermont Development Association, North Hartland Tool Corporation, NSA Industries, Simon Pearce, The River Valley WIB/ Vermed and Twincraft Skincare. 

BUSINESS OWNER / CEO CORNER 

Future of Work (GE White Paper) How well prepared is Vermont to embrace and enable the explosive changes in manufacturing already underway?  Read about how deep, far reaching transformations are moving forward in all industries.

Ready for the wave of commercial opportunity emerging through Additive Manufacturing? Read "Plotting the Future of 3D Printing".   (Source: NIST MEP Manufacturing Innovation Blog)

Thinking About Selling your Business? Read "8 Do's and Don'ts of Selling Your Business" by Chuck Richards, CEO of CoreValue in Norwich, VT  (Source: BusinessNewsDaily.com)

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

German innovation, source of so many  elegant upgrades to that original yet rigid version of the auto plant, is now a force behind a new concept in vehicle production.

Reversing the Vector of Accountability Read how the idea of the leader is now accountable to the team - and it works. 

Webinar: Systematic Layout Planning, January 15 Sponsored by the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME), this one hour session will focus on relationships between activity areas, space needed in activity areas (grow or shrink) and personnel relationships. AME membership is required to participate. 

INNOVATION, GROWTH and TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATION

Reclaiming Innovation for Small- and Mid-sized Manufacturers What comes to mind when your hear the word, "innovation?" Quick - grab a pen and paper and jot down the first five things that you think about. Many decades ago, I thought of technology, inventions and the future when someone talked about innovation...(Source: NIST MEP Manufacturing Innovation Blog) 

WORKFORCE STRATEGIES AND TALENT DEVELOPMENT  

2015 Training Opportunities Check out our training opportunities for the first few months of the soon-to-be new year.  And if there is a training not listed, feel free to visit our training survey and let us know how we can help you.  Many Lean opportunities are listed as well as a couple of special trainings such as Shingo Prize winning author Jerry Solomon featuring a two-day session in April on Measuring, Understanding and Improving the Lean Enterprise and our third session of ExporTech, this time in Chittenden County.  


From Irene's Waters to Triumph: WallGoldfinger Persevered VMEC wishes to thank WallGoldfinger for hosting our 3rd quarter 2014 Manufacturers Forum; it was a huge success with several company leaders in attendance, learning the company's comeback story from the flood waters of Hurricane Irene in August 2011. (Source: Randolph Herald, 11/20/14)



Millennials? Many have said that with the current and upcoming workforce skills shortage, the future of manufacturing hinges on this generation born roughly between 1980 and 2000.  Read "How to Attract Millennials and Preserve The Future of Manufacturing" (Source: NIST MEP Manufacturing Innovation Blog) 


ASK THE EXPERTS 
 
Is Your Company's Data Secure?  Can steps be taken to reduce your risk of experiencing a sensitive data loss?  Read what Brad Bauman, P.E., ASQ-CQA, VMEC Professional Manufacturing and Business Growth Advisor, says about ISO 27001. 
AND FINALLY...
SEASON'S GREETINGS!!
Wishing you health and happiness 
this Holiday Season and
prosperity in the New Year!
* The VMEC Team *
Anne, Becky, Brad, Brian, Bob, Dan, Dick, Don, Ken, Lisa, Patricia and Robynn 
ABOUT VMEC - Click here to learn more about us. 
 
The VMEC Team  
Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center  
 
email: vmec@vmec.org * phone: (802) 728-1432 * web:www.vmec.org

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