Manufacturing Month
advantage Advantage Magazine is a publication of CONNSTEP, Inc.
Welcome to manufacturing month in our state! It is a great feeling to have such dedicated support for our local industry, giving merit to the importance of the role which it plays in the Connecticut economy. They say that good things come to those who wait - certainly the manufacturing sector has learned how to be patient, endure, and “hang on” during the years where financial gain has become less and the challenges to compete have become greater. But we are not alone. This past year, I had the pleasure of participating in the Making the Future Policy Academy of the National Governors Association. Eight states participated, assembling teams to engage in and identify areas to improve innovation in the manufacturing sector. And to no surprise, there were many common threads... opportunities for improvement in areas such as networking, the need for talent, stronger research and development, and improving the overall business climate in the states in which we work.
For the small to medium size business that wants to remain competitive and grow in local and global markets, CONNSTEP provides technical and business solutions proven to have both immediate and sustainable long-term impact. Unlike other professional consultants that focus only on a single component of your business, CONNSTEP’s multidisciplinary team uses a deliberate holistic approach, providing innovative results-driven top line growth solutions that impact the entire organization. Since 1994, nine out of ten CONNSTEP clients have reported increased profitability. In 2011 alone, data provided by an independent survey credited CONNSTEP with impacts of more than $160 million dollars, including new and retained sales, and the creation and retention of nearly 1,600 jobs. Our experience and network of local, state and federal resources, make us not only unique but unequaled in our field and in our state.
Publisher Bonnie Del Conte, President & CEO CONNSTEP
In this special issue of advantage, we celebrate the work of our Connecticut
Editor
manufacturers, touching on topics including the need for a skilled workforce, the need
Rebecca Mead, Manager, Marketing & Communications CONNSTEP
for collaboration, and our current and future states as an industry. And although we know we have a long road ahead, the forward momentum has begun. Learn how Metallurgical Processing, Inc., has employed Lean strategy in a service-based business. Discover the opportunities through the new Made in CT Program, where the innovative products and services, made right here in Connecticut, are showcased. Follow the Industrial Tourism map, engage in our proud manufacturing heritage, and pay homage to those who built the foundation on which our industry stands.
Contributing Writers Ken Cook, Peer to Peer Advisors Caren R. Dickman, CRD & Associates Bill Greider, P4 Executive Lean Strategy Matin Karbassioon, CONNSTEP Michael Perrelli, CONNSTEP Susie Zimmermann, Channel Z Marketing
Contacts To subscribe: info@connstep.org
I would also like to thank the organizations who supported this issue. Please read their profiles and learn about what they are doing to keep our manufacturing sector alive and well, serving as great resources to many of the industry’s needs. But most of all, enjoy manufacturing month! Check out the calendar of events -
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dedicated to an industry that, with no doubt, still makes up the backbone of our great state.
CONNSTEP Advantage Magazine is printed three times a year by CONNSTEP, Inc., 1090 Elm Street, Suite 202, Rocky Hill, CT 06067. 800.266.6672
May your reading be satisfying...
Bonnie
Bonnie Del Conte is the president & CEO of CONNSTEP. She can be reached at info@connstep.org.
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Vol. 2, No. 3
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