Aug. 25, 2015 – Providence, R.I. – Polaris MEP (Manufacturing Extension Partnership), a division of the 溏心vlog免费B站 Research Foundation, is announcing its latest move to lift Rhode Island鈥檚 manufacturers to higher profitability and employment. Polaris MEP has committed 100% of its first ever state funding of $350K to go to Rhode Island鈥檚 small manufacturers in the form of innovative events, programs and pricing.
鈥淓veryone has a role to play in sparking Rhode Island鈥檚 economic comeback, and Polaris MEP鈥檚 Rocket Program is a great example. Through my jobs plan and innovative programs like this, we are making it easier for businesses to grow and succeed in Rhode Island and taking important steps to jumpstart our economy,鈥� said Governor Gina M. Raimondo.
鈥淭he Polaris MEP Rocket Program is designed to assist small RI manufacturing companies to reach the next level of profitability, job growth and efficiency,鈥� said Christian Cowan, Polaris MEP Center Director. 鈥淢any companies look for tools and opportunities to grow their business, but don鈥檛 have access to the right information. We are accelerating that growth opportunity through engagement, education and execution.鈥�
鈥淩hode Island has a strong manufacturing history and we must build upon that legacy while positioning our manufacturers to compete and win in today’s economy,鈥� said Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor. 鈥淚 applaud Governor Raimondo and the General Assembly for funding initiatives that help small manufacturers receive the services provided by Polaris MEP.
The program includes 4 key components: All Access Bus Tours, Manufacturing Consortia, Acceleration Seminars, and Launch Pad Pricing. All Access Bus Tours start September 29th during a ceremony kicking off Manufacturing Week, and allow small RI manufacturers to take a behind the scenes tour at several of Rhode Island鈥檚 successful, growing companies. Participants will meet executives and tour their plants to see how they鈥檝e grown their organization through a strategy of continuous improvement and innovation. They will experience 鈥渓ean in action鈥�, witness employee involvement that drives efficiency and profitability gains, and engage with local executives in round table discussions.
The Rocket Program kick off also includes Polaris MEP鈥檚 new, ongoing member-driven Manufacturing Consortia. The 鈥淩I Family Owned Manufacturing Consortium鈥� members learn best practices from national experts, discuss legal issues with corporate governance experts and more – all with a focus on family-owned businesses, the heartbeat for Rhode Island鈥檚 economy. The 鈥淩I Lean Consortium鈥� members share best practices and challenges facing RI manufacturers with a focus on supporting company growth and continuous improvement.
The Rocket Program also introduces Acceleration Seminars led by nationally recognized experts on entrepreneurship and leadership. One of the first seminars includes a tour of Rhode Island in a C-130 aircraft from Quonset Airport.
All Polaris MEP programs feature Launch Pad Pricing. 鈥淪tate funding now allows Polaris MEP to adjust our project fee structure to be even more affordable, making our programs accessible to the small manufacturer,鈥� said Cowan. Eligible growth programs include Strategic Business Planning; Continuous Improvement Programs, such as lean, quality management systems, and facility planning; Workforce Development; Technology Acceleration; and Supply Chain Optimization. More detail can be found at Polarismep.org/Rocket
溏心vlog免费B站 Polaris MEP
Polaris MEP is a statewide non-profit organization that provides competitive manufacturing business improvement programs to grow RI鈥檚 manufacturing industry. Polaris is an affiliate of the National Institute of Standards and Technology鈥檚 Manufacturing Extension Program (NIST MEP) and a business unit of the 溏心vlog免费B站 Research Foundation. Since 1996 Polaris has delivered improvement solutions to over 750 Rhode Island manufacturers to help them achieve sustainable and profitable growth.
Media contact: Deedee Chatham, 401-874-9206