{"341071":{"#nid":"341071","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Statewide Support: Georgia Tech Helps Georgia Businesses Compete","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWritten by Rick Robinson\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gamep.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(GaMEP) was chartered in its original form in 1960 to help the state\u2019s industry and began its existence as the Industrial Extension Service of the Engineering Experiment Station, which is now the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI).\u0026nbsp; Building on that foundation, Georgia Tech now serves a broad range of companies with a goal of helping them compete better in world markets.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWhen Super Lawn Technologies Inc. of Fort Valley, Ga., needed assistance with manufacturing issues, Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2) personnel applied lean manufacturing principles and design engineering expertise to help the fast-growing company develop a lighter, stronger and more efficient hydraulic ramp system for the specialized trucks it builds for landscaping companies.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EStruggling in a down economy, Sustainable Resources Group of Savannah turned to the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) to learn about winning government contracts. Today, the six-employee construction business is thriving financially and planning to add more workers.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESeeking to make its laboratory processes more efficient via process improvement principles, Athens Regional Medical Center in Athens, Ga., worked with the Healthcare Performance Group at EI2 to decrease fluid-processing times by 66 percent, saving thousands of dollars.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWhen Georgia food industry companies wanted to reduce product loss due to processing variations, engineers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) developed a camera-based system to ensure proper meat cooking, reducing waste and promoting food safety.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe have a brick tower here at Georgia Tech, not an ivory tower,\u201d said Stephen Fleming, Georgia Tech vice president and executive director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnterprise Innovation Institute\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cWe use Georgia Tech\u2019s expertise in science, technology and innovation to support Georgia businesses around the state.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Half-Century of Outreach\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) in EI2 was chartered in its original form in 1960 to help the state\u2019s industry. It began its existence as the Industrial Extension Service of the Engineering Experiment Station, which is now the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe GaMEP provides a broad set of services for improving the competitiveness of Georgia manufacturing companies. It offers direct technical and engineering assistance, as well as continuing education courses and networking opportunities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGaMEP\u2019s staff of 30 engineers and other professionals work from nine Georgia Tech regional offices throughout the state. They offer broad expertise to client companies, and can also tap the extensive resources and expertise at the main campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn fiscal 2009, EI2\u2019s Manufacturing Extension team helped manufacturing companies reduce operating costs by $67 million, increase sales by $143 million, and create or save 1,150 jobs,\u201d said Chris Downing, P.E., a mechanical engineer who directs of EI2\u2019s Industry Services unit.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn addition to providing direct expertise, we take advantage of academic and research units such as the Georgia Tech Research Institute and the Manufacturing Research Center,\u201d Downing added. \u201cThat helps us improve Georgia companies\u2019 competitiveness through innovative solutions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELean and Green\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELean enterprise techniques can help Georgia companies achieve major savings, said Larry Alford, director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gtlean.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Lean Consortium\u003C\/a\u003E, a service of the GaMEP.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA lean enterprise focuses on eliminating waste throughout the business \u2013 waste that costs time and money but adds no value for your customers,\u201d Alford said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBuilding flexible, predictable and capable processes increases the resources that can be redirected into growth and innovation strategies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen you\u2019re sure of your ability to meet customers\u2019 needs, it\u2019s amazing how much time you have to be creative,\u201d he added.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERotary Corp., a Glennville, Ga., manufacturer, employs 450 people and recently turned out its 150 millionth lawnmower blade. Working with Robert Wray of EI2, the company participated in an initiative to identify new ideas and approaches to help the company grow.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERotary was able to evolve new product ideas and improve its ordering system. Ed Nelson, Rotary\u2019s president, credits the process with substantial benefits including $1.5 million in increased sales, $2 million in retained sales and 50 retained jobs. He adds that the company avoided $262,000 in unnecessary investments as a result of Georgia Tech\u2019s assistance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECollaboration between Georgia companies is an important new direction that can translate into waste-eliminating process improvements, Alford said. He points to Kason Industries Inc. of Newnan, which is working with other Georgia enterprises through the Lean Consortium.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKason is participating in reciprocal meetings and plant tours with two other Newnan-area companies, E.G.O. North America Inc. and Bonnell Aluminum Inc. Currently, 34 organizations across the state are advancing their knowledge and use of lean principles through shared training and peer-to-peer relationships.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn going through different factories and facilities, we\u2019re able to learn new ideas and then try to expand on them within our own facilities,\u201d said Skipper Schofield, continuous improvement manager for Kason.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEnergy and environmental management are also areas where companies can readily cut waste and become leaner. The Bostik plant in Calhoun, Ga., a facility belonging to a large adhesive and sealant maker, recently worked with EI2 energy specialist Jessica Brown to reduce its energy consumption.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to production manager Dan Conetta, Brown\u2019s help allowed Bostik to reduce its energy consumption by some 56 percent, saving $40,000 annually.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe needed to move to a more sustainable mode of operation,\u201d Conetta said. \u201cThe level of expertise and the availability make the Enterprise Innovation Institute a valuable resource.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn fiscal year 2009, EI2 helped more than a dozen Georgia hospitals adopt process improvement techniques that reduce costs and improve service. With funding from Healthcare Georgia Foundation, EI2 is helping Peach Regional Medical Center in Fort Valley improve service quality and reduce costs with process-improvement techniques adapted from manufacturing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPeach Regional\u2019s emergency department has already noted a 20 percent decrease in patients\u2019 average length of stay, said Nancy Peed, the hospital\u2019s CEO.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI think of Georgia Tech as the world-class university with the local focus,\u201d said Dene Sheheane, Georgia Tech\u2019s director of governmental relations. \u201cI love the fact that we are consciously reaching out to towns and businesses throughout the state and saying to them, \u2018We\u2019re here for you \u2013 how can we collaborate with you?\u2019\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOpening Doors for Business\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELearning to navigate the procurement processes of federal, state and local governments can be a challenge for small- and medium-size businesses. Smaller outfits can also have trouble keeping up with industry standards concerning manufacturing and business processes, as well as government health and safety regulations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gtpac.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(GTPAC), an EI2 unit, approaches the issue head-on. Working from nine locations throughout the state, GTPAC counselors provide classes and other services to Georgia businesses that address the ins and outs of becoming a government vendor.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGTPAC also maintains an online electronic bid-match service that collects contracting opportunities from more than 1,200 websites where government agencies post their needs. GTPAC e-mails clients with potential business opportunities daily.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESmaller Georgia manufacturers and businesses can be handicapped if they don\u2019t comply with worldwide industry standards such as ISO 9000 quality standards or with federal and state regulations governing workplace health and safety.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA lot of our work is helping smaller companies become certified in standards such as ISO 9000,\u201d said Alan Barfoot, an EI2 senior research engineer who supports businesses in central Georgia. \u201cIt isn\u2019t new technology, but it\u2019s often critical for these companies to become certified\u003Cbr \/\u003Eto get new customers and grow their businesses.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen Thermal Ceramics, an Augusta insulation manufacturer, needed to revamp its quality management system, EI2 professionals helped the company streamline procedures and become fully ISO certified. As a result, the company increased sales by $6 million while saving $2 million in costs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEI2 also works with the Occupational Health and Safety Program at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) to help hundreds of Georgia businesses comply with requirements of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt can be challenging for smaller businesses to deal with OSHA and state requirements, and we\u2019re here to help them comply fully and stay safe,\u201d said Daniel Ortiz, a GTRI principal research scientist who directs the OSHA programs at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, many regional manufacturers are facing intense competition from imported products. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/setaac.org\/\u0022\u003ESoutheastern Trade Adjustment Assistance Center\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(SETAAC), based at EI2 and funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce, supports turnaround strategies for such companies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn FY 2009, SETAAC helped 11 Georgia companies with 21 projects. The result was an increase in sales revenues of more than $1.7 million and the retention of 230 jobs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESETAAC\u2019s work has also resulted in gains in the seven other Southeast states that it serves. In the last three years, SETAAC\u2019s clients have increased sales by 26 percent and improved productivity by 28 percent.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen Thomaston, Ga.-based Criterion Technology, an injection molding company, was hit by intense import competition, Mark Hannah, a SETAAC project manager, helped the company prepare an application for the Department of Commerce. The resulting funding allowed Criterion to make research, training and equipment investments that helped company sales rebound.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen we perform a diagnostic review of the company, we are looking for areas that can help the company improve,\u201d Hannah said. \u201cWe develop a list of strategic projects that will have the biggest impact on the firm.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESupporting Small Businesses\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.georgiambec.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Minority Business Enterprise Center\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(GMBEC), another EI2 unit, concentrates on aiding minority-owned businesses. It places special emphasis on firms that have potential for rapid growth and high economic impact.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe GMBEC is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Commerce\u2019s Minority Business Development Agency. MBEC\u2019s project director, Donna Ennis, was recently named one of Atlanta\u2019s Top 100 Black Women of Influence by the Atlanta Business League.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMinority business enterprises are growing faster in our state than the general business community, and in the past seven years GMBEC has helped these companies garner more than $400 million in contracts, financing and sales while creating more than 3,200 jobs,\u201d Ennis said. \u201cWhile these businesses do have the challenges of raising capital and penetrating markets, they\u2019re making real progress \u2013 and we\u2019re here to help them deal with those challenges and grow their Georgia businesses.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn another effort, Georgia Tech has teamed with the University of Georgia (UGA) in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ga-esb.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Entrepreneur and Small Business Outreach Program\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(GESBO), funded by the OneGeorgia Authority to focus on smaller businesses outside metro Atlanta.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough GESBO, Georgia Tech provides technical and government procurement consultation to Georgia manufacturers and other businesses. UGA focuses on providing these companies with marketing support such as website development and e-commerce guidance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKaren Fite, who directs Georgia Tech\u2019s regional network and is based in Athens, Ga., also leads GESBO for Georgia Tech. Among the program\u2019s new directions, she said, is a series of CEO forums, which are formal mentoring events where company leaders meet in a confidential environment to discuss business issues.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDuring our first fiscal year of operation, we served approximately 1,000 companies in the smaller cities and rural areas of Georgia,\u201d Fite said. \u201cCompanies reported more than 440 new jobs, $42 million in new revenue, $11 million in new investments and $2 million in operational improvements.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThis article originally appeared in the Fall 2010 issue of Research Horizons, Georgia Tech\u2019s research magazine.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech now serves a broad range of companies with a goal of helping them compete better in world markets."}],"uid":"28152","created_gmt":"2014-11-04 17:12:37","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:17:26","author":"Claire Labanz","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-02-20T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-02-20T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"341011":{"id":"341011","type":"image","title":"Research Horizons - 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