ucts, and people. In order to improve the
competitiveness of Virginia industries, VPMEP assists these companies
to:
• Adopt modern manufacturing
techniques and processes that improve quality, increase
productivity, and decrease costs;
• Develop and implement strategies to
systematically transform the firm into a high performance
operation;
• Facilitate improvements in
workforce performance by providing access to technology
workshops in order to increase the benefits of new
manufacturing and business practices;
• Develop upgrades to current
products or processes;
• Pursue new technologies, products,
or markets; and
• Better utilize strategic
partnerships with other firms and resources.
Our project managers are experienced,
trained, and certified, assuring the highest quality of
service. Their process technology implementations are focused
under the Enterprise PlusSM list of service offerings that
include Lean Six SigmaSM, Lean Enterprise, Strategy, Quality
Systems, Supply Chain, and Project Management.*
ACCOUNTABILITY
Our performance is measured annually by
stakeholder sponsored client surveys. After project completion,
clients are surveyed about the impact of work delivered through
VPMEP. The latest impact estimates speak for themselves. Since
2000, client impact results as reported in the independent
survey conducted by Synovate, a subsidiary of Aegis Group PLC,
for the US Department of Commerce reflect:
• $168 million sales increased or
retained;
• $144 million bottom line impact;
• $87 million investments made to
operations; and
• 2,040 jobs created or retained.
INITIATIVES
An ongoing collaboration with Virginia
Tech will be entering its third year beginning in 2006. The
scope of the collaborative agreement creates a framework by
which VPMEP and Virginia Tech (primarily through its college of
engineering)
promote technical assistance, research,
and outreach to improve the competitiveness of industries
across the Commonwealth. Earlier this year Applied Felts, Inc.
of Martinsville became the first contract for the Advanced and
Applied Polymer Processing Institute (AAPPI) involving commercially
sponsored, university research for a private company. AAPPI is
one of five research centers located within the Institute for
Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) in Danville. The
collaborative project involved VPMEP along with Virginia
Tech’s Research Associate Professor and AAPPI Director
Ron Moffitt working in conjunction with Applied Felts. The
VPMEP and the AAPPI provided the necessary engineering and
technical expertise to provide Applied Felts with the ability
to determine, evaluate, develop, and design suitable new
bonding processes for felt to felt and outer layer bonding
construction. “This project was an exciting example of
technology transfer to industry,” said Jeff Kohler,
Executive Director for VPMEP. “Progressive clients like
Applied Felts greatly benefit from advanced research and
expertise. This was made possible through our expanding
collaboration with Virginia Tech and the Institute for Advanced
Learning and Research to bridge the gap between current industrial
capabilities and future innovation required to compete
globally.”
In a December 2004 press release, former
Governor Mark R. Warner announced Virginia Works—a new
approach to economic development in rural Virginia. The idea
for the initiative stemmed from the former Governor’s
belief that rural areas of Virginia should be as economically
competitive as other regions. As part of the Virginia Works
economic development program for Advanced
