At its annual meeting in December, IMC bid farewell to three board members.
Pictured l-r: Dan Manetta, IMC Executive Director/CEO; Terri Fry; Vince Matteo; Keith Atherholt, IMC Board Chairman & President, Lewis Lumber Products, Inc.
Thank you for your dedicated service to IMC and the manufacturers of Central PA.
Governor Tom Wolf announced the approval of Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) tax credits for 255 early-stage technology companies to encourage entrepreneurship in and around Pennsylvania’s colleges and universities.
“Every day, Pennsylvania’s tech sector is growing stronger,” Governor Wolf said. “Our role at the state level is to help foster that growth. By supporting our tech entrepreneurs, we’re creating jobs, enabling business growth, and making Pennsylvania a national and global leader in innovation.”
The KIZ program provides young Pennsylvania companies with vital working capital to meet critical needs, including covering capital expenditures, workforce expansion, operational expenses, and making companies more attractive to venture investment.
The program provides tax credits for companies that have been in operation for less than eight years, whose gross revenues have increased over the previous year, are located in a Keystone Innovation Zone, and are operating within a targeted industry sector such as information technology or advanced manufacturing/diversified materials. When combined with other tools for entrepreneurs like Governor Wolf’s PA Business One-Stop Shop and the Ben Franklin Technology Partners, KIZs are one component of a broad spectrum of resources available for small and emerging technology companies.
An example of a company that has benefitted from the KIZ program is Soltech Solutions, a producer of the world’s first LED grow light made for interior design. The KIZ program enabled the founders of the company to purchase crucial equipment, speed up their operations, and form strong partnerships with local colleges and universities.
A full list of approved Keystone Innovation Zone companies totaling just under $15 million in tax credits, as well as more information about the Keystone Innovation Zone Program, a map of the zones, and highlights of past awardees’ success stories, can be found on the DCED website.
MEDIA CONTACT: J.J. Abbott, Governor’s Office, 717.783.1116
Michael Gerber, DCED, 717.214.5325 or mgerber@pa.gov
This is a good, short article ultimately about sales and marketing. Easily transferrable in terms of segmenting customers and identifying the kinds of touches that drive interactions and opportunities.
The True Origin of Value Creation
by Dan Blacharski
Thanks to Rob Bargo and Videon Central for hosting IMC and Congressman Tom Marino for Manufacturing Day 2018. Videon, located in State College, PA, develops software and designs hardware for AV products worldwide. Through relationships with companies like Intel, Sony, Samsung and Lufthansa Technik, Videon works with a broad range of industries, from aviation and broadcast to sports and consumer electronics. MFGDay18
Curry Rail Services has been in operation for eight decades with three generations of owners, with the company evolving into a multi-company operation. Their state-of-the-art coating and paint facility opened in September 2015. Located in the heart of Central PA in a community with roots dug deep into the railroad industry, CRS and their 75 employees respect and take pride in supplying products and services to the railroad industry every day.
With a multi-company operation, CRS identified the need to have employees trained to the ISO 9001:2015 Standard, which requires companies to conduct internal audits of their management system. IMC contracted The Bonney Ziegler Group to provide Internal Auditor Training, which is designed to train personnel to become qualified and confident to conduct internal audits in a positive, constructive approach consistent with the objectives of a companies’ management system. The company received two days of teaching in the fundamentals of the audit process, which included a number of case studies to facilitate the learning process.
At the conclusion of the training, the company participants received a certification of ISO 9001:2015 Internal Auditor Training completion. This is a requirement for a success external audit. The client also received follow-up services to create a plan of action for certification.
Testimonial:
“As we continue to grow our businesses we battle how to properly train our managers for the challenges ahead. As with allot of companies, we struggle to get our managers to see the forest and not just the trees. IMC was willing to listen to our needs and then tailor the training to what was really needed. Everyone expressed their gratitude towards IMC and walked away with an understanding of what it takes to be a a better manager. We look forward to working with IMC in the future on other areas of training necessary to continue our path of success.”
Mark Ritchey, President, Curry Rail Services
Overhead Door Corporation in Williamsport, PA is a manufacturer of metal garage doors employing approximately 150 individuals.
Overhead Door wanted to have an employee trained on Lean Level One and Continuous Improvement concepts. This individual participated in a 64 hours of Lean Manufacturing training where he learned Lean tools and concepts as follows:
A3 Thinking and Value Stream Mapping – Learned and applied A3 Tools and Thinking along with the Edwards Deming Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) approach using a problem identified at Overhead Door. Learned the fundamental tool of Value Steam Mapping and built a VSM from customer order to shipping.
Effective Communication – Learned about social styles within the framework of working Lean/CI with teams of people from different functions and levels of the organization.
Root Cause Analysis & Standard Work – Learned problem solving tools, methods and Standard Work including tools for identifying root causes (SIPOC, 5 Why, Fishbone) and for taking corrective and preventative actions (Benefit-Effort Matrix, Design of Experiment, Poka-Yoke,). Standard Work was presented as the foundation of CI and key to all other improvement activities.
Change Management & Visual Workplace – This section of the training provided an understanding of change, how people view and respond to change and how to better facilitate change in an organization. It also introduced the visual plant. Ideas and examples included a detailed review of the 5S Workplace Organization System (Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain).
Total Predictive Maintenance (TPM) – TPM methods and examples for reducing downtime were presented and discussed.
Teams & Single Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED) – This session was an exercise on Team Building that provided answers to the challenges of developing teams for successful problem solving and continuous improvement activities. It utilized a NASCAR changeover simulation and teaching of SMED principles for achieving significant reductions in changeover times.
Principles of Kata – This session focused on applying what the participant learned from the previous sessions to reinforce learning. Included a team-based production simulation reinforcing a number of key ways reduction and productivity increasing tools and methods, such as inventory reduction, error-proofing, continuous flow, Kanban, etc.
At the end of the training, the participant showed that they did a “waste” walk within Overhead Door and exhibited their learning by presenting a Process Map and improvements that have been made within their organization using the problem identified at the beginning of the training.
As a result of this training, the participant is equipped with the tools to continuously improve their organization such as being able to:
· Reduce waste (excess inventories, errors and rework, inefficient processes)
· Maximize productivity (quick changeovers, single piece flow, reduced variation)
· Increase responsiveness to ever-increasing marketplace changes
· Engage your employees in Continuous Improvement of your business
Then EQUIP YOUR PEOPLE WITH THE TOOLS TO CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE with the Lean Manufacturing Level One Certification Program.
Impact Reported by Company:
· Retained Sales – $1,00,000
· Employee Creation/Retained – 20
· Cost Savings – $100,000
· Company Investments – $2,500,000
Testimonial:
“IMC Lean Certification has been an excellent development tool for our up and coming Leaders. It gives them the knowledge and practical experience to improve our process.”
Eric Vitunac, Plant Manager, Overhead Door Corporation
“Employees with specific and limited job scopes can easily come to see that they are just a cog in the wheel whose work may not be that important. The Lean Training Certification program at IMC allows both the organization and individual employee to develop and accelerate their net worth to an organization.”
Stephen Smink, Materials Manager, Overhead Door Corporation.
Data Papers, Inc. began in 1969 and can provide virtually any product or service imaginable to communicate with your clients, employees, stockholders, or vendors. They are a manufacturer of various print materials such as business forms, catalogues, manuals, digital plotting files, etc. with headquarters in Muncy, PA.
SITUATION
Data Papers (DPI) realized many of their traditional products and services had become commoditized and as a result DPI had lost pricing leverage and profitability was suffering. Consistent with those realities, the industry was going through cost-cutting and consolidations. The highly experienced DPI Leadership Team recognized that if DPI was going to rise above these industry trends, they needed to develop new products and services that are both meaningful enough to customers to generate interest and unique enough to demand a healthy profit. As a result, they began working with IMC on a systematic “innovation how-to” from strategy to idea generation, to idea development and delivery that would leverage DPI’s strengths by focusing a portion of the organization’s time and energy specifically on innovation.
SOLUTION
IMC utilized Innovation Engineering (IE) tools and techniques that guided DPI through a series of steps with the aim of identifying strategic directions for innovation focus; generating ideas that support these strategic directions, educating and training a core group of DPI employees on IE tools, concepts, roles, responsibilities and how-to’s; and assisting DPI on initial creation of their own “DPI Innovation System”. Under IMC coaching, the team identified two projects to move through a development phase.
As projects moved through the Development Stage, all facets of the business opportunity, including Customer, Problem, Promise, Proof and related Financials, Markets, Technologies, Skills and Knowledge risks and rewards were worked on and evaluated.
One of the projects was a new business that leveraged DPI’s considerable data management capabilities to be able to offer non-profits a suite of data management services that many non-profits currently do in-house. The realization was that DPI could perform these services much more efficiently and effectively and that in turn would allow DPI to provide improved print materials for the non-profit that could provide donors with more specific and more timely information about how their donations are being applied. That information is quite meaningful to donors and supports donor retention and additional donations. All of that made possible by more effective data management that is beyond the data management capabilities of the non-profit.
During the Innovation Engineering project DPI added a second customer for this service and using the IE tools and methods, DPI has turned this into a formal business offering. Per DPI’s objective, this business service offers higher value to customers (meaningful) and fewer companies can provide this service (unique). That higher value has provided significantly better pricing leverage and this service is providing margins well-above DPI’s traditional products and services.
RESULTS
The company is now applying IE practices to more purposefully take this service to the marketplace and add more customers. Reported specific impact results:
TESTIMONIAL
Jerry Wertz – President & CEO, Data Papers, Inc.
“IMC took our innovation team to places we never imagined we could go. Their deep knowledge of manufacturing and process development helped them to speak our language and guide us to simplify and improve.”
Below are a few ways local businesses can connect with Bucknell University students to work on your own internal projects.
Website Design Class
Bucknell students will make websites free of charge for local businesses and organizations this coming semester in Markets, Innovation, and Design 300. This web design project will provide a hands-on learning experience for the students while also benefiting local organizations. Application due August 29 at https://goo.gl/forms/e8otvvHXSIHDivvg1.
Computer Science Design Projects
Provide an opportunity for a realistic design experience where students can apply their software engineering knowledge, develop new engineering and design skills, and gain experience working independently with clients. Students will work with you to specify a solution to your real-world problem and deliver a working prototype by the end of the academic year.
Examples of previous projects: https://www.eg.bucknell.edu/~cs475/sp19/projects/
Application due August 15 at https://www.eg.bucknell.edu/~cs475/sp19/request-for-problems/.
Connect with Bucknell’s Freeman College of Management
As class projects are being planned for the Fall 2018 semester, local businesses are sought to work with management students and faculty on projects of mutual interest. Projects may range from extensive interaction with students throughout a 14-week project to as simple as providing data; or may develop into a collaboration with a faculty member with analysis expertise. Topics may involve operations management, supply chain, or data-driven projects in any area of your business such as pricing, human resources, finance, and more.
Contact Missy Gutkowski, Director of Experiential Programs at mmg019@bucknell.edu.
The Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation and Workplace Safety 2017 Annual Report is available now at the link below. “The report demonstrates our program’s commitment to workplace safety, superior customer service, innovation, and excellence in carrying out the provisions of the Workers’ Compensation Act.” PA Department of Labor & Industry
I recently met with Sam Sawyer, Employer Relations Specialist at UPMC Susquehanna to learn more about their Healthy Partners Program.
UPMC Susquehanna is the primary healthcare provider in the communities they serve. So they know it is in their best interest to provide wellness programs to raise awareness of the services they provide to improve the overall health of the community’s population by maximizing healthcare utilization.
As we all know, healthcare costs continue to rise and are a burden on many employers and employees. Wellness programs reduce these costs and present a unique opportunity for UPMC and local employers to work together to improve health and save money. The goal of Healthy Partners by UPMC Susquehanna is to be an extension of your company, to give you everything you need in implementing a wellness program, and to assist in improving your company’s employee and fiscal health.
The program takes an objective approach to helping your employees manage their health. Employees receive onsite screenings, personalized health reports and follow up educational opportunities. As an employer, you’ll receive a de-identified aggregate group health report and potential solutions to help manage the top health risks of your workforce. Together with UPMC, you’ll implement education and additional screenings to tackle those top needs that are relevant to your employees. For most employers, the entire program is performed at no charge!
To learn more about Healthy Partners by UPMC Susquehanna or to signup for our free monthly newsletter, contact Sam Sawyer at sawyersl@upmc.edu or 570-321-2289.