Paper to the VII SMESME Conference, Stimulating Manufacturing Excellence in Small and Medium Enterprises, Strathclyde University, Glasgow, 12th-15th June 2005.

S F Bush and C Doidge

To see the paper, please click on the link “Techno-Economic Model” which will take you to the Britain Watch website.

Presentation to Conference on Opportunities and Support for SMEs, Bolton

S F Bush

Objective

To promote UMIST as the UK University centre for the integration of the science and practice of manufacture:

• Lively Department focussed on the application of science and economics to the manufacturing industry.
• Around 15 full-time staff plus temporary undergraduate and post graduate researchers.
• Based in the UMIST Main Building in a modern purpose build office suite.
• Work with an emphasis on application of theory.

Competitivity & Productivity Projects

• The Centre for Manufacture (CfM) has been working with SMEs in the North West to assist them with the design of business improvements.
• Funded by the ERDF.
• Work includes:
  • Product design
  • Product improvement
  • Process improvement
• Project Engineer often placed within a company for 8 weeks to analyse working practices.
• 62 projects performed since 1999.
• 15 detailed company improvements.

Paper to 5th SMESME International Conference, 15th May 2002, “Stimulating Manufacturing Excellence in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises”

S F Bush

Abstract

NEPPCO Ltd is a non-profit-distributing company limited by guarantee of its around 65 member companies, which includes the Centre for Manufacture (CfM). NEPPCO has evolved from the North of England Plastics Processing Consortium founded in 1990, but its business now covers all the process and allied industries, including food and drink, effect chemicals, textiles, synthetic fibres, distribution systems and healthcare.

The NEPPCO SME Process Manufacture Centre (PMC) sits within the Centre for Manufacture. The PMC carries out techno-economic assessments of proposals to both design new products and processes and to improve existing products and processes. For projects passing the techno-economic tests, the PMC provides the research and process design required; other NEPPCO members provide product design, prototype manufacture, tooling, pilot and full-scale production and marketing. The PMC also provides the project management. Besides NEPPCO a second, more informal network – IMCO (Innovative Manufacturers Consortium) is being established for companies outside the process field.

From among 190 proposals, 12 new products, 3 new processes and 20 improved processes have been commercialised in the last 6 years. The paper assesses the results in terms of lifetime added value per unit of R&D resource used to develop the product or process up to and including the pilot stage.

Judged by this measure, the paper shows that the results achieved compare favourably with the average of British companies. Where failures have occurred the paper examines the reasons for this and advances remedies.

Paper based on a speech given to the North of England Plastic Processors’ Consortium on 31st October 1997, to explain the importance of engineering and manufacture to the economy.

S F Bush

To read the text please click on The Engineer as Decision Maker which will take you to the paper on the Britain Watch website.