Wisconsin manufacturers looking to improve performance, stimulate growth and respond to new challenges as the economy recovers from the recession are able to leverage Next Generation Manufacturing grants offered through the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP).
The grants range from $5,000 to $6,500 and are targeted at small and midsize manufacturers with less than 500 employees. Companies are able to use the funds to pay for lean transformation or business growth services delivered by WMEP.
“Unfortunately it won’t be back to business as usual for Wisconsin manufacturers,” said Mike Klonsinski, WMEP’s executive director. “The changes that were occurring before the recession – high volatility, spikes in demand and hyper-competition – are accelerating in the post-recession economy. To win new customers and market share in this global environment, manufacturers must have the best possible systems and processes in place to be highly innovative, lean and agile.”
WMEP’s lean transformation process includes a comprehensive assessment of a company’s operations, identification of key competitive priorities and an action plan to achieve them. Its business growth process helps manufacturers implement Eureka! Winning Ways, a nationally recognized system for rapidly generating and testing new product ideas.
Funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested manufacturers should contact Dale Raab of WMEP at (414) 588-1350 or raab@wmep.org.
“Wisconsin manufacturers who adopt Next Generation Manufacturing principles can improve their competitiveness, win a greater share of global markets, and react quickly to market opportunities,” said Wisconsin Department of Commerce Secretary Richard J. Leinenkugel.
