Strengthening American Manufacturing The Role of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership: Summary of a Symposium (2013) / Chapter Skim
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Panel I: Introduction to the Manufacturing Extension Partnership: System Development and Strategic Orientation
Panel I: Introduction to the Manufacturing Extension Partnership: System Development and Strategic Orientation
Pages 45-56
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From page 45... ...
The MEP's own budget is modest compared with the "giants," such as DOD, but it "provides the critical function of translating the pre-commercial research that the government invests in, and taking it to the marketplace."
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From page 46... ...
This raises the question," she said, "of what type of assistance the MEP can and should provide to companies." She described her recent visit to China, where she witnessed evidence of "its stunning economic growth," increased GDP, and rising per capita income. She said she saw an "explosion" of universities and "unabashed government investment in R&D." After touring some SMM facilities, she said that "clearly China is on a march to become a global giant in the manufacturing sector.
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From page 47... ...
The MEP was created in 1988 specifically to make useful technologies more easily available SMMs.15 He noted a gap between the needs of these SMMs and the perceptions of those who invent or develop technology. For example, the kinds of technologies he had worked with at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
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From page 48... ...
The MEP centers themselves may function as an advisor, consultant, and/or matchmaker, helping small manufacturers address their short-term needs in the context of a long-term business strategy. The center helps companies set priorities and make the incremental changes that a small manufacturer can afford in terms of both cost and time.
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From page 49... ...
Other changes included the greater attention to supply chains, technology innovation, and new ideas coming from outside manufacturing. Innovation is a principal driver of manufacturing change and a key to profitability, he said, and MEP responds by helping small manufacturers to develop product/process and business model innovations.
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From page 50... ...
If the firm reaches that point and the answer is yes, how can I connect them with resources to do the development and commercialization, get it into production, and move out into the market? " Some cutting-edge elements for success, he said, are access to modeling and simulation tools; a CEO of the company who leads and drives the process; continuous innovation to keep a pipeline flowing with ideas; and consistent incremental improvement, especially for the smaller firms.
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From page 51... ...
"MEP is the partner that tries to help develop those tools and innovative approaches that keep that process alive and moving." REPOSITIONING THE MEP SYSTEM TO MEET THE GLOBAL MANUFACTURING CHALLENGE Mark Rice Maritime Applied Physics Corporation and MEP Advisory Board Mr. Rice began by describing the MEP advisory board, of which he is the chair.
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From page 52... ...
While about 99 percent of all manufacturing firms today have fewer than 500 employees, only 40 percent of manufacturing employees work for those small firms. The balance of trade of goods and services has also deteriorated, with the balance shifting away from trade in goods and toward trade in services.19 This trade deficit has been associated with a loss of about $7 trillion dollars from 1992 to 2010.
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From page 53... ...
Much chastened, he returned home and decided to meet with his local MEP center, the local export assistance center, and the Small Business Association. Out of that meeting came not only financial assistance, but also further discussions with the MEP center, which realized that many small firms trying to begin exporting would have similar problems.
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From page 54... ...
Our company took the course, piloted it, and introduced it through the MEP centers." The Public-private Partnership Model as the Future of MEP By now, Mr. Rice said, about 400 CEOs have taken the course, written their own business plans -- with federal help -- and are engaging in trade missions and exporting around the world.
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From page 55... ...
This is difficult to do at a time of tight state budgets, "but state involvement in this is absolutely critical to the success of this program. The state brings a perspective that neither the federal government nor the local company can bring." Technology Transfer is ‘Where We're Falling Down' The program needs to improve its ability to facilitate technology transfer, he said, which is "where we're falling down." One model of effective technology transfer is the German version, but suggested that the Korean programs "may turn out to be closer to our business model than the German one." What the Koreans have done is to link manufacturing to innovation, using science to support rather than drive the process.
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From page 56... ...
The beauty of the American system is the diversity we bring to these problems. Let's embrace that and figure out how to make it work on a local, state, and federal scale." DISCUSSION Diane Palmintera of Innovation Associates said that when she talks to MEP directors around the country, they say that while they applaud the effort of MEP to move toward innovation and technology, their staffs are not always prepared to coach firms on tech transfer and innovative technologies.
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