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The Brockville area manufacturing sector is participating in a pilot project that will allow local small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to engage in more productive manufacturing practices. This project, the Brockville Lean Hybrid Consortium, is the result of a partnership between the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) and the Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC).

The Brockville Lean Hybrid Consortium aims to enhance the expertise and knowledge base of local manufacturers, building their competitiveness, leading to economic growth. The Lean Consortia Model, which provides a foundation for this innovative project, will allow manufacturers to identify opportunities and training requirements, improve learning opportunities, and develop a plan for stabilizing employment and continuing sustainability in the area. 

To achieve this, the project will provide Brockville manufacturers with accelerated lean training, coaching and mentoring programs. SMEs will benefit from stimulating peer-to-peer relationships, focused on solving common problems and accessing solutions. Recently, Value Stream Performance Assessments were completed at all the Brockville Hybrid Lean Consortium members’ facilities and the first in a series of private, in-house Kaizen events, concentrating on 5S and developing Pull Systems, was held.

NRC-IRAP is proud to be collaborating with non-profit organizations such as EMC that have the appropriate expertise, experience and networks. Together, these organizations can build innovation capacity within specific communities. Ideally, this partnership will demonstrate the success of a new model for enhancing productivity of small groups of manufacturers; a model which could eventually be adapted to other regions and industries.

This project demonstrates NRC-IRAP’s commitment to working with SMEs while they realize their full potential, turning knowledge and innovation into strategic opportunities, jobs and prosperity for all Canadians. NRC-IRAP provides a range of both technical and business-oriented advisory services along with necessary financial support to qualified, innovative SMEs in Canada.

For more information, please visit the NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program’s website www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/ibp/irap.html