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Wisconsin Manufacturers Continue to See Growth with WMEP’s Assistance

Dépèche transmise le 15 mars 2012 par Business Wire

Wisconsin Manufacturers Continue to See Growth with WMEP’s Assistance

MADISON, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--State manufacturers assisted by the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP) continue to report growth and ongoing continuous improvement in their operations this past quarter, according to a recent independent survey.

“Every partner and speaker took extreme care to present strong value to the group and much needed solutions. The peer-to-peer success stories really helped us relate to their real-world experiences and gave us great ideas.”

Last quarter, WMEP‐assisted companies reported:

• 102 jobs retained with an additional 82 new jobs created
• $47 million in increased/retained sales
• $3 million in cost savings
• $6 million in increased investment towards plant/equipment, information systems, and workforce practices

The quarterly survey results show a steady increase in economic impact and jobs created by manufacturers for 2011.

“Wisconsin manufacturers are definitely leading the economic recovery,” notes Buckley Brinkman, executive director of WMEP. “The survey results clearly indicate that forward-looking Next Generation Manufacturing strategies drive profitability for Wisconsin manufacturers.”

WMEP enhances the success of the state’s small to midsize manufacturers by providing expert and accessible services in the areas of growth and innovation, continuous improvement, training, export assistance, supply chain management and profitable sustainability. Since 1996, WMEP has provided assistance to more than 4,000 small and midsize manufacturers to help them improve their productivity and profitability. Since 1998, WMEP has helped generate over $1.8 billion in economic impact and create or retain more than 13,000 state manufacturing jobs, according to results documented by customers.

Prolitec Inc., is a recent example of a manufacturer who reported increased growth while working with WMEP’s ExporTech™ program. Since their involvement in 2011, Prolitec has seen their year over year international sales increase by 90 percent and their export plan grow by 30 percent. Roger Bensinger, Prolitec’s executive vice president of marketing and business development, expressed his satisfaction with the program and noted that “Every partner and speaker took extreme care to present strong value to the group and much needed solutions. The peer-to-peer success stories really helped us relate to their real-world experiences and gave us great ideas.”

Survey results also show that manufacturers continue to face challenges in continuous improvement and cost reduction strategies. In response to these needs, WMEP’s upcoming annual conference will provide much-needed tools and tactics to deal with these challenges head-on. The Manufacturing Matters! Conference offers two channels this year – one focused on executives, and the other designed for operations staff, providing benefit for the entire manufacturing organization. Sessions focus on talent management, innovation, online marketing, business growth, profitable sustainability, and continuous improvement. Manufacturers will also learn about exporting to international markets, including focusing on the right markets and finding the right partners.

About WMEP: WMEP is a private, nonprofit organization committed to the growth and success of Wisconsin manufacturers. WMEP receives financial support from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and the NIST Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership. WMEP also partners with many public and private organizations to serve Wisconsin manufacturers. For more information, call 1-877-856-8588. To know more about Manufacturing Matters!, visit: www.manufacturingmatters.org.