The MMTC is a non-profit group, partially funded through federal dollars via the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Their mission is "to improve the global competitiveness of Michigan's small and mid-sized manufacturers through innovative training and consulting services." They have six regional offices around the state of Michigan.
At The MORE Program, we regularly speak with burgeoning and established entrepreneurs about their challenges as they seek assistance with a variety of business challenges. Many of these entrepreneurs are involved in the manufacturing industry or are trying to figure out how to have their product produced in large quantities. These discussions are fascinating and exciting, but there are too many instances where these individuals are not aware of the MMTC or the breadth of its services. Assistance from the MMTC could have been the difference between business success and failure.
Their courses cover the important topics of lean manufacturing, quality management, six sigma, and manufacturing environmental impact. This organization will also do an extensive on-site analysis of your manufacturing operations, prepare and present cost-saving recommendations, and perform on-site guidance and training to ensure these recommendations are correctly incorporated.
This just starts to touch on the capabilities and resources of the MMTC, but for a state so heavily reliant on manufacturing and creating new manufacturers from this expertise, every business with some reliance on manufacturing should be aware of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center.
To find more business support resources, use InsYght
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Supporting Michigan's Defense Industry
There are many activities going on around Michigan in support of our burgeoning defense industry. Many of these support activities are bolstered by the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC) in Warren. One such unique resource can be found at the Fire-Testing Facility at Lawrence Technological University. Lawrence Tech claims to be the only private university in the state of Michigan to have such a high-tech research facility set up with federal government funds.
At this facility, researchers can test things like armor, vehicles, vehicle components, and construction materials by subjecting them to simulated conditions of blast and fire on the battlefield. My basic understanding is that the test subject is first massively heated in their fire-testing furnace, and then structural components are tested and measured with the equipment available at this facility. This is not the kind of equipment you can tinker with in your garage.
Most educational institutions like Lawrence Tech are always looking for opportunities to interact with the business community through leveraging their facilities and know-how. If you have a product that you are developing and need to test it under these intense conditions for the defense (or other) industry, you should probably give Lawrence Tech a call to see if you can work with them.
To find more resources, check out InsYght
At this facility, researchers can test things like armor, vehicles, vehicle components, and construction materials by subjecting them to simulated conditions of blast and fire on the battlefield. My basic understanding is that the test subject is first massively heated in their fire-testing furnace, and then structural components are tested and measured with the equipment available at this facility. This is not the kind of equipment you can tinker with in your garage.
Most educational institutions like Lawrence Tech are always looking for opportunities to interact with the business community through leveraging their facilities and know-how. If you have a product that you are developing and need to test it under these intense conditions for the defense (or other) industry, you should probably give Lawrence Tech a call to see if you can work with them.
To find more resources, check out InsYght
Friday, October 14, 2011
Northern Lakes Economic Alliance
Because of the population concentration in southeast Michigan, there is a corresponding concentration of entrepreneurial support organizations in southeast Michigan. However, this does not mean there are not other groups performing outstanding economic development work throughout the entire state. Take, for example, The Northern Lakes Economic Alliance (NLEA).
The NLEA provides resources for communities and entrepreneurs to create and retain jobs in the northern Michigan counties of Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet. The NLEA provides business planning and counseling services through its partnership with the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center (MI-sbTdc). The NLEA also heads up a Business Resource Center Network in northern Michigan with ten locations throughout the aforementioned counties.
Dearborn was largely farm land before Henry Ford moved in. Kitty litter was invented by Ed Lowe - who grew up in Cassopolis, Michigan. We don't know where the next great idea is going to come from, and it is important that entrepreneurship be actively supported throughout the state. This is exactly the kind of work being done by organizations like the NLEA.
To find more business support resources, use InsYght
The NLEA provides resources for communities and entrepreneurs to create and retain jobs in the northern Michigan counties of Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet. The NLEA provides business planning and counseling services through its partnership with the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center (MI-sbTdc). The NLEA also heads up a Business Resource Center Network in northern Michigan with ten locations throughout the aforementioned counties.
Dearborn was largely farm land before Henry Ford moved in. Kitty litter was invented by Ed Lowe - who grew up in Cassopolis, Michigan. We don't know where the next great idea is going to come from, and it is important that entrepreneurship be actively supported throughout the state. This is exactly the kind of work being done by organizations like the NLEA.
To find more business support resources, use InsYght
Friday, October 7, 2011
Michigan Municipal League Convention
At The MORE Program, we partner with economic development groups throughout the state of Michigan to ensure that all their resources are known to the public. For our purposes, the phrase economic development groups includes municipalities (cities, villages) around the state because municipalities offer a great number of resources for entrepreneurs and businesses.
This week, several members of our team attended the Michigan Municipal League (MML) Annual convention in Grand Rapids. We spend our time there meeting with municipal leaders like mayors and city managers, and partnering with them to promote the resources their communities have to offer for business development. Until recently in my life, I have never spent more than a couple minutes ever thinking about my city's mayor or city manager, but now that I have had the opportunity to meet so many of these individuals, I am astounded at the hard work they do to support their municipality. In addition to simply keeping everything running, these individuals are working individually and together to identify mechanisms to strengthen and grow Michigan's economy. At conventions like this one, among other important items, they meet to discuss and learn about entrepreneurship and methods and approaches to support it.
The reason I mention all this is to highlight some of the different and sometimes obvious ways the state works to promote entrepreneurship. For example, the City of Novi offers a Business Assistance Team that can assist your business in Novi with marketing, operations, and finance and accounting. There is no cost to take advantage of this resource.
Mayors, city managers, and public officials are certainly working hard to keep your town running, but they are also working to make Michigan a better place for business.
To find more resources, check out InsYght
This week, several members of our team attended the Michigan Municipal League (MML) Annual convention in Grand Rapids. We spend our time there meeting with municipal leaders like mayors and city managers, and partnering with them to promote the resources their communities have to offer for business development. Until recently in my life, I have never spent more than a couple minutes ever thinking about my city's mayor or city manager, but now that I have had the opportunity to meet so many of these individuals, I am astounded at the hard work they do to support their municipality. In addition to simply keeping everything running, these individuals are working individually and together to identify mechanisms to strengthen and grow Michigan's economy. At conventions like this one, among other important items, they meet to discuss and learn about entrepreneurship and methods and approaches to support it.
The reason I mention all this is to highlight some of the different and sometimes obvious ways the state works to promote entrepreneurship. For example, the City of Novi offers a Business Assistance Team that can assist your business in Novi with marketing, operations, and finance and accounting. There is no cost to take advantage of this resource.
Mayors, city managers, and public officials are certainly working hard to keep your town running, but they are also working to make Michigan a better place for business.
To find more resources, check out InsYght
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