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Plant News | December 2009
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By Submitted News, December, 2009
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EXPORT SERVICES CAN ASSIST MANUFACTURERS
By Mike Klonsinski, Wisconsin Manufacturing Exrtension Partnership
Globalization, economic recovery and rising international demand for manufactured goods are radically restructuring the old world order. For today’s manufacturers, more opportunities for business growth are found outside the United States, where markets are projected to outpace domestic growth. Roughly three quarters of world purchasing power is outside America’s borders. In this new economic landscape, a global strategy is not only essential for success, but for survival.
To respond to these critical needs, the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP) and the Wisconsin Department of Commerce recently announced a joint venture to ramp up the number of state manufacturers that export their goods and services. Under the plan, WMEP and Commerce are combining their resources and expertise to accelerate the delivery of export services to state manufacturers. Services include:
Business counseling and education: Export development managers can help manufacturers evaluate their export potential, provide guidance on the export process and offer strategies for new and expanding markets.
Market research: Trade experts provide market intelligence, contacts and knowledge of business cultures around the world. International offices in Brazil, Canada, China and Mexico offer in-country evaluations of a product’s export potential and analysis of market conditions, including market size, competition, government regulations, tariffs and other issues.
International promotions and market development: Counselors help manufacturers access trade show grants and participate in trade missions and buyer delegations.
Many Wisconsin manufacturers are already in the game. Wisconsin, the 18th largest exporting state in the nation, has a strong export track record. Over the past five years, state exports rose 62 percent, from $12.7 billion in 2004 to $20.6 billion in 2008.
Still, a large number remain on the sidelines. The 2008 Wisconsin Next Generation Manufacturing Study revealed that 60 percent of more than 500 manufacturers surveyed said they were making “little or no progress” toward becoming a world-class global player. 58 percent of respondents indicated they had no staff located here or overseas responsible for global business activities.
Many state manufacturers could be at risk of isolation in a global economy that is becoming more tightly connected every day. Manufacturers, especially smaller ones, often lack the internal resources and expertise to develop an export program. Some manufacturers mistakenly believe they are too small to export or that it is too risky or complicated, when the real threat today is not having a global strategy.
Exports represent a vital economic growth engine for Wisconsin manufacturers and the state’s economy. As economies around the world recover from the recession, demand for manufactured goods is creating new – and in some cases unprecedented – opportunities for state manufacturers. The time to act on those opportunities is now.
Mike Klonsinski is executive director of the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership which helps small and mid-size manufacturers grow and succeed. For more information, contact WMEP at (920) 737-3631 or results@wmep.org.
NEXT GEN MANUFACTURING GRANTS
Next Generation Manufacturing grants, offered by the Department of Commerce, are targeted at small and midsize manufacturers with fewer than 500 employees. Grants of $5,000 to $6,500 are available to pay up to 50 percent of project costs for services delivered by WMEP. The remaining project costs are paid by the company. Eligible projects are:
Lean Transformation: Up to $5,000 per company is available for Enterprise Business Transformation projects that include a comprehensive assessment of a company’s operations, identification of key competitive priorities and an action plan to achieve them. This lean transformation approach improves performance across all facets of the business enterprise and generates significant financial results.
Business Growth: Up to $6,500 per company is available to help small and midsize manufacturers implement Eureka! Winning Ways, a nationally recognized system for rapidly generating and testing new product ideas.
Grants are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Project completion deadline is Dec. 31, 2010.
For more information, contact Don McDonald of WMEP at (920) 737-3631 or mcdonald@wmep.org.
NEW NORTH FIRMS GET ENERGY FUNDS
Three New North Companies – Kohler Company of Kohler, Thilmany Paper of Kaukauna, and Renewegy of Oshkosh – received a combined $3.3 million in energy funding through state and federal programs.
Kohler received approximately $1.7 million and Thilmany Paper $1.1 million for energy efficiency projects under the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Kohler will replace more than 800 light fixtures with energy efficient ones and two steam powered hot water systems with more efficient natural gas equipment. Thilmany Paper will install air to air heat exchangers to improve mill efficiency, a move that will reduce the use of fossil fuels and decrease CO2 emissions by 8,600 tons per year at the mill.
Renewegy will receive $525,000 in State Energy Program ARRA funds to purchase new manufacturing equipment. The company, founded in 2008, manufactures light commercial wind and high efficiency propulsion products.
NEW NORTH GETS WIND GRANT
The New North, Inc. will receive a $100,000 regional marketing grant from the Wisconsin Department of Commerce to promote Northeast Wisconsin’s wind energy industry. New North helped establish Wisconsin Wind Works, a consortium of 200-plus manufacturers representing the wind manufacturing supply chain within Wisconsin.
FAITH HITS SAFETY MILESTONE
Faith Technologies says it has achieved 2 million hours without a lost-time accident since Dec. 29, 2008. In 2008, the company was awarded the second place Associated General Contractors of America Willis Construction Safety Excellence Award.
MANUFACTURERS HONORED BY GREEN BAY, FOX CITIES CHAMBERS
Great Lakes Custom Tool of Peshtigo, MCL Industries of Pulaski, Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry of Manitowoc, Hudson Sharp of Green Bay, Lindquist Machine Corp. of Ashwaubenon, and WS Packaging of Green Bay and Algoma earned Manufacturing Awards of Distinction from the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce recently.
The Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and Industry presented its Manufacturer of the Year Awards to Fox Valley Spring and Eggers Industries. Kim Bassett-Heitzmann, president and COO of Bassett Mechanical in Kaukauna received the Athena Award.
STUDENT INVENTORS HELP ARIENS LAUNCH NEW PRODUCT LINE
Brillion-based Ariens Company recently introduced a new product invented by two middle school students. The MeltBuddy ice melt spreader attaches to Ariens’ Sno-Thro units, allowing operators to clear snow and spread ice melt in a single pass.
In 2007, two young Iowa middle school inventors, Matt Moran and Sam Hipple, needed an invention for a school project. They developed the idea of attaching a salt spreader to a snow thrower to help people save time clearing driveways.
The concept made it to the state level of the Invent Iowa program and Ariens President Dan Ariens contacted the boys about their invention. To ensure the boys received compensation for their idea, Ariens Company helped them file a U.S. patent application.
Says Ariens, “It’s an idea you look at and say, ‘why didn’t we think of that?’”
CONGER NAMED AICHI DEALER
Toyota Material Handling U.S.A. has selected Conger Toyotalift to offer the company’s line of Aichi aerial work platforms, including scissor lifts, crawler and wheeled-boom lifts. Conger has offices in Green Bay, Neenah and Wausau.
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