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IfM Services
Contact DetailsJo Riches Tel: +44 (0)7854 210837 NOTE: if copying this email you will need to re-insert the '@' symbol |
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IfM News - 2010 archiveEntrepreneur full of praise for i-TeamsDecember 21st 2010
One of the UK’s most successful digital entrepreneurs has praised a programme which aims to help turn scientific breakthroughs into business success stories. Dr Robert Brady, founder of financial software firm Brady Plc, was one of the guests at the Cambridge i-Teams end of term presentations. I-Teams provide students with real-life experience of turning ideas into business opportunities. Set up in Cambridge in 2006 by Amy Mokady, a local entrepreneur and business angel, the scheme is a collaboration between the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) and the Cambridge University Technology and Enterprise Club. The teams presented ideas for innovative new products before an audience of business experts at the Institute for Manufacturing. Also among the invited guests were Jon Bradford, founder of Springboard business incubator, local business experts and representatives of Cambridge Enterprise. Dr Brady said he was impressed with the endeavour of the teams: “The quality of the presentations just keeps getting better and better.” “It is always a pleasure to meet students who are enthusiastic about commercialising technology, and who are clearly getting a lot out of the experience. “From a personal point of view, the presentations are also an opportunity to meet like minded mentors and sponsors, and they give a great insight into some of the early stage ideas coming out of the university.” To find out more about i-Teams contact Amy Mokady am678@cam.ac.uk or visit the website
Expanded support programme will boost growth in Eastern regionDecember 20th 2010
A new enterprise and innovation programme will enable businesses and jobs to be created across the Eastern region, it has been announced. The four-year ideaSpace Enterprise Accelerator (iEA) programme will support the identification and accelerated development of high potential business ventures arising from research conducted across the region. The University’s IfM Education Consultancy Services Limited (IfM-ECS) has been chosen by East of England Development Agency (EEDA) to lead the initiative. Under the agreement, iEA will assist the region’s enterprise communities to start and grow new research- and innovation-led businesses, as well as providing strategic direction for the region’s technology enterprise and entrepreneurship activities. Early-stage and start-up firms will gain support and training to help them grow and create new jobs. Based in the Hauser Forum on the West Cambridge campus, the programme will develop the existing University of Cambridge ideaSpace initiative. iEA will build on the results already achieved in ideaSpace’s first 18 months of operation. In that short time it has enabled over 1,000 training opportunities and is currently supporting 55 members, running 34 ventures from its offices in the Hauser Forum. Dr Paul May, EEDA’s Executive director of Innovation, said the new expanded programme was good news for the region’s economy. “We have been seeking a strong partner to help guide the iEA programme’s development going forward. “We believe that IfM ECS’ experience of delivering business support programmes, and its understanding of SMEs and early-stage and start-up firms, makes it is the best organisation to do this.”
Dr Bill O'Neill elected as Fellow of the Laser Institute of AmericaDecember 8th 2010
The Laser Institute of America has elected the IfM's Dr Bill O'Neill as Fellow. The grade of Fellow is the highest level of membership in the LIA. It is awarded to recognise members of the institute who have attained unusual professional distinction in the LIA mission areas of laser science and technology, laser applications, and provided outstanding service to their field. To be eligible for the prestigious award nominees must have practiced the profession of laser science and engineering in academia, medicine, industry or government for at least 10 years. Dr O'Neill is head of the IfM's Centre for Industrial Photonics. He was presented with his award at the 29th International Congress on Applications of Lasers and Electro-optics held in California, USA.
Report helps businesses select perfect innovation aideDecember 1st 2010
Companies hoping to collaborate with other firms to create new innovative business opportunities will benefit from a new report by the IfM. The approach, known as Open Innovation (OI), is a way of developing new products or accessing new technologies by working with external business partners. Through collaboration firms gain access to new ideas or skills they need to compete in evolving markets and meet rapidly-changing customer demand, or to find additional opportunities to exploit internal innovation. The publication of the report “Getting help with open innovation” has seen researchers investigate how companies select the most effective source of help with open innovation. The report, the result of a year-long study, describes a structured approach to selecting the most appropriate intermediary for a particular company’s needs. The study, which builds on CTM's previous innovation research, including last year’s report “How to implement Open Innovation”, also includes a directory of more than 100 innovation intermediaries.
More information/download a copy of the report
IfM visiting researcher awarded Stafford Beer MedalDecember 1st 2010
IfM stages international workshop on asset managementNovember 24th 2010
The latest developments in asset management research have been showcased at a major international event at the IfM. The Institute’s Distributed Information and Automation Laboratory (DIAL) held the 4th annual International Workshop on Asset Management. The workshop was supported by the Cambridge Service Alliance, the Institute for Asset Management (IAM) and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). It brought together thought-leaders from asset management organisations and leading academic researchers to discuss new advances in asset management research and practice. Asset management is an exciting area of academic research which studies how organisations can extract maximum value from their physical assets, everything from hospital equipment to aircraft. The research aims to develop novel decision-making techniques to help organisations understand the operational behaviour of these assets and make effective decisions regarding investment in, maintenance of, and eventual replacement of critical assets.
It also helps with asset tracking, using the latest technologies to tag critical assets so they can be followed throughout the supply chain anywhere in the world, thereby providing accurate, real-time information to support manufacturing, distribution, stock control and service operations.
Dr Ajith Parlikad, who leads asset management research at the IfM, said: “The workshop was designed to disseminate the latest research to the end user, to present them with our findings and to show how the research could help their organisations. “Importantly from the point of view of the academic community, it also allowed us to understand the issues which concern industry. From this we can discover new research questions which can help address these concerns.” • To find about more about DIAL’s research in asset management click here
Caterpillar's global production network: case studyNovember 19th 2010
The IfM's Centre for International Manufacturing has just published its latest briefing, based on a long-term project with Caterpillar. The US-based firm is the largest
maker of construction and mining
equipment, diesel and natural
gas engines and industrial gas It requires a global production network that can serve ever-changing market dynamics, while maintaining world-beating standards of cost, quality, service and flexibility. In the briefing Rod Skewes, Caterpillar’s Manager of Global Production Network Planning, describes the key challenges faced by the company and how the approach developed with the IfM helped them to work towards long-term goals. The briefing is available for free download here For further information on the work the IfM does in this area click here. A detailed report 'Making the right things in the right places' is also available for free download. To find out about the latest research projects for the Centre for International Manufacturing click here
DIAL quarterly newsletter publishedOctober 21st 2010
The IfM's Distributed Information and Automation Laboratory has just published its first quarterly electronic newsletter. The issue features news on a project which could see components scheduling their own maintenance, the latest academic publications and information on a series of upcoming events, including next month's 4th International Workshop on Asset Management. To download a copy of the newsletter or to subscribe to future editions please click here.
Enabling economic growth: new reportOctober 20th 2010
With the Government today unveiling the details of its comprehensive spending review, a new report has been published highlighting how small and medium sized manufacturing companies (SMEs) can help the UK's economic revival. The new report Enabling economic growth: effective support for smaller manufacturing businesses suggests new ways of directing support to manufacturing SMEs with growth potential and describes how this can be delivered. The report builds on the paper Stimulating growth and employment in the UK economy, which was published in the summer and advocated changing the emphasis of business support, away from increasing productivity towards priortitising high-growth, high potential SMEs. The new report features a number of case studies which detail how both revenues and employment levels increased following company engagement with the new approach.
Links: Report: Enabling economic growth: effective support for smaller manufacturing businesses Report: August 11th Stimulating growth and employment in the UK economy News story: August 11th SMEs could hold one of the keys to the UK’s economic revival
£17m Innovation and Knowledge Centre announcedOctober 19th 2010
Funding has been announced for a major new research centre based at the Department of Engineering. The 'Innovation and Knowledge Centre' (IKC) on Smart Infrastructure and Construction will combine business knowledge with the most up-to-date research to harness the full potential of emerging technologies - ensuring the UK is first to develop this cutting-edge research. The centre is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Technology Strategy Board, and by industry. The Cambridge IKC on Smart Infrastructure and Construction will be led by Professor Robert Mair and Professor Kenichi Soga of the departments Civil Engineering Division. The IfM’s Professor Duncan McFarlane will also play a leading role while IfM colleague Dr Paul Heffernan will be the full-time IKC Director. The IKC will bring together four leading research groups in the Cambridge Engineering Department and the Computer Laboratory, along with staff in the Judge Business School and the Department of Architecture. The Cambridge IKC will combine research in sensor and data management with innovative manufacturing processes to provide radical changes to the construction and management of infrastructure. The IKC will complement the Laing O'Rourke Centre for Construction Engineering and Technology at Cambridge, a new multi-disciplinary academic centre of excellence to advance the engineering profession and leverage innovative thinking to benefit the construction industry. Innovation and Knowledge Centres (IKCs) are centres of excellence with five years' funding to accelerate and promote business exploitation of an emerging research and technology field. Funding for the Cambridge IKC will be £10million from EPSRC and the Technology Strategy Board, with an additional £7million from a number of industry organisations.
Royal visit to the IfMOctober 19th 2010
His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Bahrain recently paid a visit to the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM). The Crown Prince, an alumnus of the University, is visiting Cambridge to strengthen further the ties between the University and the Kingdom of Bahrain. Professor Mike Gregory, Head of the IfM, welcomed the royal guest before giving him an overview of the IfM’s research, education and practice activities. His Royal Highness was welcomed on behalf of the University of Cambridge by Dr Jennifer Barnes; the University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor for International Strategy. His Royal Highness was also received by Peter Templeton, Chief Executive, IfM Education and Consultancy Services Ltd, and Mohamed Khater, Director, Programme for Management, Policy, and Innovation in the Middle East. Professor Mike Gregory said: “We were greatly honoured by His Royal Highness’ visit; we found discussions very beneficial and educative”. The sentiments were echoed by Peter Templeton: “We were delighted that his Royal Highness visited us in Cambridge and found the meeting to be very illuminating.” Mohamed Khater said: “We were extremely grateful that his Highness decided to visit us and found his comments and advice very insightful”. As follow up to HRH’s visit Shaikh Mohammed Bin Essa Al-Khalifa the chief executive of the economic development board of Bahrain, accompanied by Mr Kamal Ahmed, chief operating officer, and Mr. Stephen Harrison, international advisor to the chief executive, paid a visit to the IFM. The EDB team was introduced to the activities of the IFM, and common interests were discussed
Open Innovation Forum gets Paris launchOctober 5th 2010
The IfM has launched a new Open Innovation initiative aimed at firms involved in the Food & Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) Value Streams. The new forum builds on the success of the Cambridge OI Network which resulted in the report 'How to Implement Open Innovation'. Open Innovation is increasingly being used by businesses as a way of improving the capability to create and capture value, by improving the rate and quality of innovation. Rather than relying on internal resources firms share knowledge and technologies with other companies in a bid to create new commercial opportunities. The Forum is aimed at Food and FMCG manufacturers but also extends the length of the value chain, from raw materials and packaging suppliers to equipment manufacturers and through to include logistics organisations and retailers. The group is about to stage its inaugural meeting in Paris. The launch event is to be hosted by global leader in protective presentation and food packaging Sealed Air at its Pack Forum facility in the French capital on October 13th. For more details contact Dominic Oughton on +44 (0)7778 873512 email do251@cam.ac.uk. Find out more about our Open Innovation research Open Innovation Forum web page
IfM publishes first comprehensive roadmapping textbookOctober 5th 2010
Looking into the future may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but a Cambridge academic has produced a new textbook which could help organisations to take on this challenge. Rob Phaal, a senior researcher at the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), has written the first comprehensive roadmapping textbook, “Roadmapping for strategy and innovation: aligning technology and markets in a dynamic world”. First pioneered by the telecommunications firm Motorola in the 1970s, roadmapping was designed to improve alignment between technology and product development. The method provides a visual framework to look at the future in order to make better strategic decisions, taking into consideration all key technical and commercial considerations. Since then the approach has been adopted widely by many organisations in different sectors around the world, at company, sector and national levels. Over the last ten years the IfM, part of the University’s Department of Engineering, has developed the approach and has facilitated over 200 roadmapping projects in a wide range of different areas from the Australian Automotive industry to social care policy making. The book is available to buy direct from Amazon
New global alliance to research challenges of complex service systemsSeptember 23rd 2010
BAE Systems and IBM have joined forces with the University of Cambridge to launch a new research initiative designed to equip business with the skills needed to deal with complex service systems. The multinational firms are founding members of the Cambridge Service Alliance – a global partnership between business and academia. The Alliance is designed to develop new understanding of ‘servitisation’, a trend which has seen businesses from a wide range of sectors develop innovative services to meet the changing needs of customers. In particular the Alliance will examine complex service solutions which integrate technology, processes, organisations and information in an environment where competition and pressure on public finances ensures the need for ever-increasing effectiveness. These solutions are already being utilised by major organisations such as the British armed forces. Andy Neely, Director of the Cambridge Service Alliance, said the purpose of the new body would be to investigate how the transition to service can be improved and how it can benefit business. As well as undertaking research into the design and delivery of service excellence, it will develop education programmes and supporting tools and techniques. The Cambridge Service Alliance builds upon the success of BAE Systems and IBM’s previous partnership with the University of Cambridge that investigated new service-related business models. Business-led, the Alliance brings together the Institute for Manufacturing's expertise in the servitisation of high value manufacturing and the Judge Business School's experience improving business models in a range of industries.
Cambridge Service Alliance website
IfM takes part in Open Cambridge for first timeSeptember 22nd 2010
Dozens of people had a look behind the scenes of the IfM as it took part in the University’s third annual Open Cambridge weekend. On Friday 10th September, the IfM threw open its doors to members of the public, providing tours of the building and giving them an insight into some of the research activities in the Alan Reece Building. More than 5,000 people took part in the Open Cambridge weekend event as a whole. Also taking part in the event for the first time this year were the Ascension Burial Ground, Abbey House, the Festival Theatre, Cambridge American Cemetery, the Museum of Technology, John Lewis and the Fire and Police Stations. Open Cambridge was supported by RG Carter, John Lewis, Cambridge University Press, English Heritage, Cambridge City Council, Mills & Reeve, MillCam and RMJM.
Report outlines future scenarios for food industrySeptember 10th 2010
A new report by the IfM's Centre for Industry and Government on possible future scenarios for the food and drink sector is due to be debated in Westminster. Senior industry leaders and key stakeholders are meeting to discuss the future development of the UK's biggest manufacturing industry. The debate – hosted by Nick Bunker, President UK & Ireland, Kraft Foods and Chairman of FDF's Competitiveness Steering Group – marks the launch of the new report. Professor Mike Gregory, head of the IfM, will also speak at the event. Future Scenarios For the UK Food and Drink Industry builds on an earlier report about the value to the UK economy of its biggest manufacturing sector. The report highlights the challenges facing the industry as it looks to maintain the nation's food security against the combined effects of climate change, higher global demand for agricultural products and increasing pressure on finite resources. It also identifies how industry and Government should work together to ensure the continued growth of the economically-important food and drink manufacturing sector. Nick Bunker will call for more leadership from Government and the creation of genuine partnerships with the food sector in order to allow it to continue to grow. The report was commissioned by the Food and Drink Federation. Click here to download the report Read the full text of Nick Bunker's speech
Top prize means Camilla completes unusual recordSeptember 8th 2010
Manufacturing Engineering student Camilla Winfield is celebrating after winning a top engineering prize from her college - securing an unusual record at the same time. Camilla, who graduated this summer with a first, was awarded the best engineering student prize by her college Trinity Hall. "I was very pleased and surprised, in fact I now have the rather illustrious distinction of obtaining every single grade possible through my career at Cambridge.You could say I peaked at the right time!" Camilla joined the IfM to study manufacturing engineering, a subject close to her heart. "I love manufacturing, it's been part of my family. My grandpa started a manufacturing business which my grandmother now runs. I did my long project there." Now Camilla is preparing to embark on her new career at Rolls Royce, having won a place on the prestigious Manufacturing Leadership Programme.
Report outlines new approach for business supportAugust 11th 2010
Small and medium size manufacturing companies could hold one of the keys to the UK’s economic revival, says a new report. The document, Stimulating growth and employment in the UK economy, contends that much can be achieved by simply changing the emphasis of business support. Published by the IfM's industry-engagement arm, IfM Education and Consultancy Services (IfM-ECS), it draws on engagements with more than 500 small and medium sized businesses. For the last decade government-funded business support has been channelled towards ‘productivity’, focusing on efficiency improvements and increased competiveness, but resulting in fewer jobs. While productivity remains important it is no longer sufficient. By changing the focus to ‘growth’, businesses can achieve an increase in financial value, which contributes to GDP. It also contributes to the growth of sustainable employment. Peter Templeton, CEO of IfM-ECS, explained: “For the last eight years we’ve worked with hundreds of SMEs in a range of industries across the UK and abroad and we have learned a number of valuable lessons. “Put simply, by giving SMEs appropriate tools to help them develop a coherent strategy, with a clear basis of competition, by helping them to prioritise where to focus scarce resources, and by developing capabilities we can boost their chances of swift growth.” Click here to read the full press release Click here to download the report
Children from Chernobyl and Chelmsford at IfMAugust 9th 2010
The IfM has played host to two sets of children from very different backgrounds. A group of children from the charity Friends of Chernobyl's Children came to the IfM to learn all about lasers as part of a visit to Cambridge. The IfM also welcomed children from Chelmer Valley High School in Chelmsford. The students from the specialist engineering college took part in a special rocket building workshop, learned about manufacturing sustainability and took part in a fun session designed to teach just-in-time manufacturing processes.
IfM Industrial Fellow publishes bookJuly 20th 2010
A Principal Industrial Fellow with the IfM has published a book designed to help companies across the world achieve strategic goals. Paul Christodoulou’s book, entitled ‘Strategy Workshop Toolkit: How to 'Herd Wild Cats' and Create Breakthrough Strategies’, illustrates the skills needed to plot successful business strategy. The book contains a series of useful techniques to help people run practical workshops and aims to aid and motivate companies to generate and produce benefits for the business. He said: “This is a light-hearted guide for managers who lead strategy workshops in large business organisations. It is simply a bottling of experiences collected during 20 years of working in industry”. The book, which has received praise from several companies, is available to buy from the IfM website.
New report on value of food & drink sectorJuly 5th 2010
An ongoing demonstrable commitment to innovation and high-value production are key reasons why the UK’s food and drink industry has emerged from recession in better shape than many other manufacturing sectors, according to a new report from the IfM. From May 2008 to May 2009, the production index for food and drink fell by only 1.9 compared to 13.1 for manufacturing overall – a clear indication of the industry’s resilience The report was commissioned by the Food and Drink Federation. Report author Finbarr Livesey, head of the IfM's Centre for Industry and Government, said: "The food and drink industry has weathered the recession best of all manufacturing sectors and appears to have continuing strength in R&D. However, a widening trade deficit and few UK brand name producers are causes for concern. The sector will be a bellweather for changes to come, as the industry addresses environmental and health issues, two areas intimately related to food production.” Among the reports findings were that the sector spends £1.1bn on R&D and nearly 40% of UK food and drink manufacturers plan to increase investment in production and research and design over 3-5 years. Responding, Melanie Leech, FDF Director General, said: “As Government builds the strategy for economic recovery, this report provides a timely reminder of the important financial, strategic and social contribution of the UK’s biggest manufacturing sector. " Click here to read the full press release Click here to download the report
Doctoral researcher commended for servicisation work29th June 2010
An IfM doctoral researcher has been highly commended for groundbreaking work on the servicisation of manufacturing. Guang-Jie Ren received the coveted accolade from the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD). The awards, sponsored by academic publisher Emerald Group Publishing Ltd, are presented each year to researchers who have excelled in the field of management research. Guang-Jie spent three years at the IfM researching his thesis "Service business development in manufacturing companies: classification, characteristics and implications". The work, which was highly praised by the award judges, looked at the consequences for manufacturing of introducing service elements to their business. Service is playing an increasingly important role in manufacturing, helping to establish fresh revenue streams and increasing the commercial longevity of products. Guang-Jie said his research acted as a warning to manufacturers: “With increased global competition it has become harder for manufacturers in developed countries to compete on cost with companies in emerging nations like China, Brazil and India. They have begun to look at competing on the services they can offer, such as maintenance and service contracts. Rather than sell a product, they will supply the ability to do something. “Service growth in manufacturing has become evident in the past decade and there are now more than 10,000 manufacturers with a service element in their offerings and some companies have even moved to a service-only business model. But my research found that this was not a panacea to manufacturing problems, and there were a number of risks they had to consider before adopting a service model.” Professor Mike Gregory, head of the IfM, said: “I was delighted to hear of Guang-Jie’s achievement. This work provides practical applications for the many companies seeking to include service as part of their offering to customers.” You can access some of Guang-Jie’s research here
Leading business figure visits IfM22nd June 2010 One of the world’s leading business figures has paid a visit to the IfM as part of a short tour of the University’s Engineering Department. Ratan Tata, head of the Tata conglomerate, was in Cambridge to receive an honorary degree from the University. Professor Mike Gregory welcomed Mr Tata to the IfM, before giving him an overview of the IfM’s activities and current research projects. Ratan Tata is chairman of Tata Industries, the biggest manufacturing company in India. The company’s interests include Corus, Tetley and Jaguar Land Rover. Mr Tata and the Tata family trusts are famous for their philanthropic work and their guiding principle is what comes from the society must go back to the society. Mr Tata was conferred with an honorary degree of Doctor of Law by The Chancellor at a ceremony at the Senate House yesterday.
Students aim to patent life-saving design15th June 2010
Three students have come up with a new design for a syringe which may have the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives in the developing world. The trio of third year MET students, Adrian Wallis, Harry Simpson and Luke Jesson, are now planning to apply for a patent for their design. The syringe is one of nine new product ideas developed as part of the Manufacturing Engineering course. They were on display at the IFM's annual Design Show, supported by Shearline Engineering. The annual showcase is a chance for students to show off their ideas to local inventors, industrialists and designers. The syringe design, named SharpSure by the students, aims to tackle the risk of infection faced by millions of people in the developing world caused by inadequate disposal of syringes. “The reuse of syringes causes an estimated 1.3 million early deaths worldwide each year,” explained team member Adrian. “Mechanisms have recently been invented to prevent syringes from being used more than once – but no-one has found a way to ensure the syringes are then disposed of safely. “Our solution involves separating the ‘sharps’ or needles from the less dangerous plastic syringe body at the point of use – making it much easier to ensure they are safely disposed of. We have re-designed the syringe itself to make the separation action as cheap, simple and safe as possible.” The three students are now in conversation with Cambridge Enterprise – the University-owned company which supports the commercialisation of ideas generated within the university – about patenting their invention. Details of all the projects at this year's show, including photographs, can be found at: http://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/met/design/2010/ Click here to download the full press release IfM wins top awards at EurOMA Conference11th June 2010
Researchers at the IfM won both major paper awards on offer at the 17th Annual EurOMA (European Operations and Management Association) Conference in Porto, Portugal. Andreas Feldmann and his co-authors Jan Olhager, Don Fleet, and Yongjiang Shi won the Chris Voss Award for best paper at the event. The paper 'Linking networks and plant roles: the impact of changing a plant role' took the prize thanks to its contribution towards the advancement of theory and practice of Operations Management. Also successful was Gate Pichawadee and her co-authors Yongjiang Shi and Mike Gregory who took the Harry Broer Best Student Award for her paper entitled ' Food Supply Chain in Manufacturing Companies – An Exploratory Study on Product & Configuration'. The winners received a money prize and a framed certificate.
i-Teams scores university hat-trick as scheme expands9th June 2010 A scheme which provides budding entrepreneurs with a real-life experience of turning ideas into business opportunities is expanding to other universities.
i-Teams just completed its first ever inter-university course. The latest taster course was a joint presentation between the University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University and marked the first time i-Teams was delivered at another institution. As well as students from the University of Cambridge the course also attracted participants from Anglia Ruskin University and the University of East Anglia. They joined forces to help analyse the commercial potential of emerging, breakthrough technologies. Amy Mokady, i-Teams Director said the collaboration was a breakthrough for the business programme: “It is very rare for students from different universities to work together on the same projects in this way, so for us to attract students from two other universities demonstrates how i-Teams is growing." “Earlier this year we had our first non-Cambridge project and now we are beginning to attract business-minded students from beyond our traditional base. “The other exciting development was the number of non-science based students. We had participants with a wide range of backgrounds including film studies, management, computing and publishing. It really emphasised the multi-disciplinary nature of the scheme. “We’ve come a long way in just four years, but it highlights the power of the programme.” Click here to download the full press release
Research into organisational creativity wins award9 June 2010
Dr James Moultrie's paper 'Exploratory Study of Organisational Creativity in Creative Organisations',
published in Creativity and Innovation Management Journal last year, has been awarded the Tudor Rickards Award for the best paper published in the journal during 2009, as voted for by the editorial panel. The research was originally conducted by one of James' MPhil students as part of his dissertation project on the MPhil in Industrial Systems, Manufacture and Management course. It was later submitted to the 2008 Creativity and Innovation Management community workshop in Buffalo where it was selected for publication in the journal. Many researchers have aimed to understand what it is that makes an organisation creative. The results of these studies indicate that organisations adopt a number of strategies to enhance their creativity. Research suggests that there are nearly 30 of these strategies, including; making time for creativity, providing staff with freedom from bureaucracy, providing an open and trusting culture, and encouraging playfulness. But, this research has been conducted mostly in firms where creativity is not necessarily central to the success of the organisation. In contrast, this study sought to explore whether the same strategies apply in firms which are inherently creative. A simple assessment tool was developed, based on the outputs of previous research, and used to explore the creative climate in firms that by their very nature are creative: design agencies. The study specifically sought to compare two dominant models used to explain organisational creativity. The results suggest that the existing models used to understand creativity are independently effective, but when combined provide a more effective set of strategies. Some of the strategies are less relevant in creative firms, including the availability of materials to enhance creativity (e.g. model making materials), training (to enable creativity), structured management systems and the avoidance of conflict. This represents an important contribution, suggesting that there is no ‘one size fits all’ set of strategies, but that they need to be tailored to the specific context. In addition, the assessment tool developed for this research provides a practical contribution, to enable organisations to easily and simply assess their creative climate.
Entrepreneurship is the focus for Indiana University visitors1st June 2010
A delegation from Indiana University heard how enterprise and entrepreneurship is supported across Cambridge University on a visit to the IfM. Dr Michael McRobbie, President of Indiana University and Professor of Cognitive Science and Philosophy, was visiting Cambridge as part of a programme designed to expand the US university’s international links. He was given an overview of the work of the IfM by Dr Tim Minshall, Senior Lecturer in Technology Management, who went on to describe some of the groups and activities set up to support entrepreneurship within the university. Indiana University is a leading centre for entrepreneurship and is interested in exploring possible collaboration opportunities with other academic institutions. Dr McRobbie was accompanied by three colleagues from the university. The photograph shows from left to right: Shawn Reynolds, Tim Minshall, Laurie Burns McRobbie, Michael McRobbie and Patrick O'Meara.
Pakistani Vice-Chancellor visits IfM26th May 2010 Professor Syed Imtiaz Gilani, Vice-Chancellor of Pakistan's University of Engineering and Technology (UET) visited the IfM. The Vice-Chancellor was in Cambridge on a two-day tour of the unversity's Engineering department and the Department of Materials Science. He was using the visit to assess the potential for PhD placements under UET's scholarship scheme. After being welcomed by Professor Mike Gregory, the Vice-Chancellor toured the building and met with Dr Bill O'Neill in the photonics laboratory. The Vice-Chancellor's visit to the Engineering department also included a tour of the Centre for Advanced Photonics and Electronics (CAPE) also on the West Cambridge site.
IfM researchers hope to drum up interest in engineering 13th May 2010 Soren Maloney and Nigel Williams are working with schools in London to launch a unique pilot project which they hope will help address the problem. Soren explained: “My PhD research looked at the materials and manufacturing of Caribbean steelpan drums. We realised that the way people go about making these drums teaches some basic elements of engineering and science, acoustics, materials and manufacturing which could be a culturally relevant way of encouraging these kids into engineering.” Soren joined forces with fellow researcher Nigel Williams to think of how they could present the research as a project which would appeal to youngsters. Nigel said: “There are lots of summer programmes designed for underprivileged kids. They give them a taste of what engineering is all about. But for some students you need something grounded in their own experience, something that is culturally relevant. “What the programme will do is show them how this familiar instrument breaks down into different areas of technological and scientific knowledge. It’s about learning by doing.” The pair have just had a paper published in the London Journal of Tourism, Sport and the Creative Industries outlining the opportunities provided by the scheme. Nigel and Soren are currently applying for grant funding from the Higher Education Academy to develop their curriculum and launch the pilot project. Aimed at youngsters aged between 15-18, it will involve the children using different materials and processes to make the instruments and seeing the impact on the end result. Nigel and Soren’s paper – the Pedagogy of the Pan – can be downloaded here.
IfM welcomes Mexican delegation28th April 2010
Midlands manufacturers to get help from IfMApril 13th 2010 The IfM is joining forces with Business Link West Midlands and the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) to help support small businesses in the region. The IfM has been selected by Business Link WM the government-funded business advice and guidance service to offer business support to manufacturing firms. Under the contract it will work alongside the Manufacturing Advisory Service to deliver workshops and one-to-one support. The IfM’s Education and Consultancy Services will be working with 75 firms between now and September. The programme is completely free but firms need to register through Business Link West Midlands to ensure they are eligible. Called the Manufacturing Business Transformation Service (MBTS), it builds on the successful IfM programme which has been running in the East of England for almost a year. Peter Templeton, head of IfM ECS, said the programme would help West Midlands firms maintain their competitive edge: “The IfM’s methodologies and tools, which are based on ten years’ research and experience at the IfM, are designed specifically for small and medium-size manufacturers (SMEs) and address the key issues they face. “The programme is extensive and we will be working alongside Business Link West Midlands and another delivery partner, the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) to deliver a comprehensive package of business assistance.“ Lorraine Holmes, Chief Executive Business Link West Midlands, said of the new partnership “We are delighted to be working with Cambridge University and MAS to deliver this timely package of support tailored to the specific needs of manufacturing SMEs." Click here to download the full press release
Open Innovation experts set to share insightsMarch 31st 2010 The IfM has confirmed the programme for its two Open Innovation workshops next month. Open Innovation is becoming an increasingly popular method for firms to develop new products and services. Rather than relying on internal resources firms share knowledge and technologies with other companies in a bid to create new commercial opportunities. The IfM recently concluded a two year study of Open Innovation, and now it is staging a workshop illustrating how firms can explore the possibilities of collaborative innovation. Called “Implementing open innovation” the workshop looks at the skills, processes, culture and motivation needed for open innovation. The workshop will feature Gerard Bol, Game changer at oil giant Shell, Mark Wilson Director, Collaboration Management GSK, Roland Harwood Director of Open Innovation at NESTA and MD of 100% Open, and Dr Harry Barraza of Unilever. There is also a workshop designed especially for small and medium size businesses. Backed by IdeaSpace, Cambridge’s new centre for enterprise and innovation, and local law firm Taylor Vinter’s, the event will look at the challenges for small and start-up companies in forming productive collaborations with large companies. The workshops take place on April 20th and 21st and will draw upon research findings at the IfM's Centre for Technology Management (CTM), revealing ways in which companies collaborate and configure themselves to succeed in OI. For more details on the event check the website Download the full press release here
Doctoral researchers head to IfMMarch 25th 2010
More than 50 doctoral students from around 20 of the UK's leading universities were at the IfM for the 17th annual Research Methodology Workshop. Organised and run by the IfM, the two day event aims to give new researchers an appreciation of research design, methods and tips on how to overcome potential challenges. The event, designed for students with an interest in technology, management or policy related disciplines. The programme includes sessions on systems thinking, action research, working with industry and survey design, and involves senior teaching staff from the IfM, Cambridge, Cranfield and De Montfort Universities. Find out more about the event here
Laser Fest - relive the photonic funMarch 23rd 2010 Photographs from the IfM's first ever Laser Fest event are now available online. Hundreds of people flocked to the photonic-themed fun day, part of the annual Cambridge Science Festival. On offer was a chance to see the high-powered lasers in action, race rockets using real laser guns (pictured) and see water being frozen in mid-air. Such were the numbers that Tim Minshall's talk, Making the Impossible Possible, had a second unscheduled showing to cope with demand. Photos of the event can be viewed here, also presentation slides and video clips
Forensic science spin out a first for i-TeamsMarch 23rd 2010 A new forensic science technique which could revolutionise the way police forces detect illegal drugs has been given a business boost. University of East Anglia spin out Intelligent Fingerprinting had developed a ground-breaking new technique which can use the sweat in fingerprints to identify a number of illegal drugs, but needed help in commercialising the innovation. The business turned to Cambridge University’s i-Teams programme for help in finding possible uses for this technique, and recommending which have the greatest commercial potential. The i-Teams programme was set up in Cambridge in 2006 by Amy Mokady, a local entrepreneur and business angel, and is a collaboration between the IfM and the Cambridge University Technology and Enterprise Club. The Norwich-based start-up was borne out of research carried out by the Professor David Russell of the UEA and Dr Sue Jickells of Kings College, London. David and Sue were joined in October 2009 by Dr. Jerry Walker as CEO. The ground-breaking new technique uses the sweat in fingerprints to identify a number of illegal drugs, prescription drugs and drug metabolites. Applications range from detecting drugs from fingerprints found at crime scenes, to screening machinery operators and prison inmates for drugs. Working with the i-Team, they were able to highlight its potential in institutional drug screening programmes, for example in the military, prisons and hospitals, and in homeland security applications, and gathered positive feedback from a range of industry experts. Amy Mokady , i-Teams Director was delighted with the outcome of the project: “This was a landmark project in a number of ways as it’s a technology with huge global potential. “It was also the first time we had ever worked with a technology developed outside of Cambridge University. It was very gratifying to see how the value of working with us had been recognised beyond the confines of Cambridge.” For more details on i-Teams see www.iteamsonline.org i-Teams is funded from a number of sources, including the Hauser Forum IdeaSpace, the EPSRC, the CIKC and Marks & Clerk. Download the full press release
Set phasers for fun - IfM hosts laser festMarch 17th 2010 Racing rockets, a close look at microscopic marvels and a chance to see how engineers are changing the world are just some of the activities on offer at the first ever Laser Fest. The photonic-themed fun takes place at the IfM and forms part of the annual Cambridge Science Festival. 2010 marks the 50th anniversary of the invention of the Laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) and a host of activities have been designed to highlight the power of state-of-the-art lasers. Visitors will see how high power lasers are used for micromachining with writing so small, the naked eye can’t see it. There’ll also be a chance to see a laser Leonardo da Vinci by using the hi-tech light to make three dimensional works of art. But the event won’t just be confined to blasting lasers. Dr Tim Minshall will be describing how engineers change the world in his talk Making the impossible possible. He’ll be looking at the role of engineering in creating humanity's greatest innovations, from putting a man on the moon to growing new body parts. The afternoon of interactive demos, lab tours and talks takes place between 1pm and 5pm and full details can be found here Download the full press release
IfM laser lab to feature in BBC documentaryMarch 12th 2010 A BBC film crew filmed a series of laser demonstrations today for a new documentary featuring Professor Robert Winston. The IfM's Centre for Industrial Photonics is providing close up views of lasers in action for the BBC One show Robert Winston's Top Ten Advances. The show sees Professor Winston take a look at his top 10 scientific advances of the last half century. The laser is currently celebrating it's 50th anniversary and will be one of the featured stories in the hour long show. The programme, currently due to be broadcast next month, will look at how these scientific innovations helped to change the world and potential future applications.
RFID award for IfM visiting researcherMarch 9th 2010 An IfM visiting researcher has been awarded the prestigious EHI Science Award as part of a team looking at the business value of RFID technology in the retail sector. Jasser Al-Kassab, is currently working with Andy Neely of the IfM on how Radio Frequency Identification technology can measure performance in busy trading environments. Mr Al-Kassab was part of the successful University of St Gallen (ITEM-HSG), Auto-ID lab team which won the €20,000 Science prize for Co-operation with major international retailer the Metro Group. The team’s co-operation project illustrated the potential RFID has for optimising and improving the layout of stores, managing inventory, improving category management, and provided new knowledge about customer behavior More details of the research can be found here
Groundbreaking ceremony at new Open Innovation centreMarch 8th 2010
A special ceremony has been held to mark the start of construction work on The Exchange - a new open innovation centre at Colworth Science Park. The development, by Unilever and leading research and business space provider Goodman, will see the IfM taking up space in the new centre. The ceremony, organised by global property group, Goodman, featured representatives from funding partners Unilever and the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), as well as the IfM's Dr Letizia Mortarta (pictured in red), leading figures from IFR Extra, Cranfield School of Management. Contractor Kier is carrying out the construction work and the development is expected to be completed in January 2011. The development will support economic growth in Bedfordshire and the UK by bringing together academia, SMEs and other life science companies to drive technology transfer. This has been made possible following the investment of £13.7 million from the Goodman:Unilever joint venture and the East of England Development Agency (EEDA).
Talented trio scoops entrepreneurial prize4 March 2010 Three IfM students are celebrating after winning £1,000 in a prestigious business competition organised by Pembroke College. Chris Bryan, Emma Dabbs and Eesa Mohammed took the 2009-10 Parmee Prize for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise. All three are studying manufacturing engineering (MET) at the IfM and were the only undergraduate team to have entered the competition. Called MobileMS, the team had designed a walking aid for Multiple Sclerosis sufferers and team leader, Pembroke student Chris, explained: “We have been working on the design as part of our MET design project, so we already had down a lot of research and work on the potential market for the product. “The course really helped us. We were able to draw on the presentation, business planning and design skills from the course. I think it really gave us a big leg up over other competitors.” The Parmee Prize was the brainchild of Pembroke alumnus Richard Parmee who wanted to help promote entrepreneurship to the college’s students and alumni. Mr Parmee said "One of the great things about this competition is that the central point is the business idea. I have joined a number of University events related to enterprise and it is interesting that in many of them it is the idea of being an entrepreneur that is foremost. “Maybe that has something to do with the perception that entrepreneurs are wealthy and drive Aston Martins…but a true entrepreneur is driven by the passion of the idea. That is what keeps us working long hours, seven days a week. If you get lucky and the idea just happens to be successful - the Aston Martin follows from that!" The team now plan to spend the money on professional design advice for their device and in creating a fully functional prototype. The team’s design will be on display at the IfM’s annual Design Show in June. Enhanced manufacturing website for the East of England3 March 2010 To reflect the importance of the manufacturing sector to the East of England's economy, the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), in consultation with key partners, has expanded the manufacturing station on its Business Map, the online resource that helps companies find a wide range of business support and funding options. Manufacturing businesses make a significant contribution to the East of England's economy and there are a host of organisations providing invaluable insight and support but, as all those who work within the sector know, it can be difficult to navigate. The newly expanded manufacturing station on the East of England Development Agency's Business Map aims to address this. The content provides information dedicated to this dynamic sector and addresses the lack of clarity. It demonstrates the region's cluster strengths and its benefits in terms of infrastructure. It also helps brings together the wealth of support and advice available to those working at every stage of the manufacturing lifecycle, plus news, events and success stories. The site has been expanded with input from Business Link, MAS East, EEF, Hethel Engineering Centre, the Institute for Manufacturing and SEMTA and EEDA hopes that other partners will contribute news, events and case studies of relevance to help keep the site engaging. For answers to your questions about manufacturing in the East of England go to www.bizmapeast.co.uk/manufacturing
R&D Society hears from head of the IfM February 22nd 2010 Professor Mike Gregory has called for a new generation of industrial researchers to meet the needs of 21st century manufacturing. Professor Gregory, head of the IfM outlined his thoughts at a special lecture to the Research and Development Society. Traditionally manufacturing research has focused on individual elements of the activity such as production technology or operations research. Professor Gregory argues that a more integrated approach to research is needed. The event, held at The Royal Society, was told research activities needed to be reshaped to help grow the UK economy and industrial base. Professor Gregory said: "Research into manufacturing has traditionally been highly fragmented, and for good reason. But manufacturing is more than just physical production, the flows of materials and resources and more than organisational structure and performance. "Our knowledge of these domains is reasonably robust; it is the systems where we should now be focussing our interest, particularly global engineering, production and service systems. "It is the understanding of these systems that will allow companies and indeed countries to understand how to best deploy their resources to create and capture value. "The question is where we will obtain the people to do this work? We need a new generation of researchers, or ‘industrial systems architects", to help us lay the foundations for the future of industry and manufacturing. "We need disciplines to work in concert; we need institutions to come together in much the same way as the Lunar Society of Birmingham did in the 18th Century, heralding the industrial revolution. "I don"t think it"s too ambitious for us to seek to spark the next industrial revolution, tackling issues around sustainability and supporting new emerging industries with a similar approach. "A society of people coming together to share and progress common intellectual interests to help further develop the UK manufacturing and industrial base.”
Industrialists get close-up look at the IfM during Open EveningFebruary 22nd 2010 More than 100 invited guests attended the IfM's annual Open Evening held last Thursday. It was the first time the event had been held at the IfM's new home on the West Cambridge site. Guests, made up of industrialists and Cambridge academics, saw presentations and displays about the IfM's activities and toured the new automation and photonics laboratories.
Companies told going green is key to business success February 18th 2010 Manufacturers contemplating ‘going green" have been told that sustainability is the greatest business opportunity they will ever have. Swedish scientist Dr Karl-Henrik Robèrt told an audience at an evening seminar at the IfM that pursuing an environmental agenda was one of the most profitable exercises any company could undertake. Dr Robèrt is the founder and head of the world-renowned Natural Step, a non –governmental organisation which provides a framework for industry, policymakers and communities on steps towards sustainable development. "Sustainability can be a central part of a successful businesses strategy, it can be profitable regardless of whether your competitors get it or not. "The framework helps avoid unknown problems. It can be demonstrated with scientific rigour that your risk of being hit by resource costs will escalate as we grow more unsustainable. "The risk of being hit by tax increases, your risk of losing opportunities in future markets, all these things are higher for those who don"t understand the sustainability game.” A cancer specialist by training, Dr Robèrt formulated the framework 20 years-ago while treating children with cancer in his native Sweden. Dr Robèrt knew that while there might be debates about the specific treatment regimens for the disease, there was agreement that no single specialist could cure cancer on their own. He reasoned that issues of sustainability might also be tackled in a similar way – find consensus and work out a basic framework to identify what the core issues are. He wanted to develop a framework for sustainability that was as robust as the framework clinicians use to cure cancer, to understand the principle issues in order to help select the best ‘treatments" for the problem are. He achieved this through adopting scientific peer-review process to create a document detailing consensus about what is in principle needed to become sustainable. The framework has now been used by dozens of multinational companies, such as Nike, Panasonic and Ikea. Dr Robèrt, an advisor to the ifM"s Towards a Sustainable Industrial System report, was speaking at the IfM as part of a short visit to Cambridge. You can find out more about the Natural Step at www.naturalstep.org Download the full press release here
IfM signs MoU to Develop a Programme in Management, Policy and Innovation focused on the Middle East February 12th 2010 The University of Cambridge"s Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), part of the Department of Engineering, today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a programme in support of economic, industrial and social development in the Middle East through research into management, policy and innovation. The initiative has been developed in cooperation with Sheikh Dr Khalid Al Khalifa, President and Founder of the University College of Bahrain (UCB). UCB has also today signed an agreement with IfM Education and Consultancy Services (IfM ECS) to establish a programme of work, including consultancy, education and events, such as short courses, to assist firms and governments across the Middle East. The MoU was signed by Professor Dame Ann Dowling, Head of the University of Cambridge"s Department of Engineering, and Sheikh Dr Khalid Al Khalifia, President and Founder of UCB in the presence of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali Al Khalifa. Sheikh Dr Khalid Al Khalifia, President and Founder of UCB said "I am delighted to announce this collaboration with Cambridge University. The University is world renowned for its development of ideas and world-leading research and we are very pleased to be working with it.” Professor Dame Ann Dowling said: "The University of Cambridge is looking forward to a long and fruitful partnership with UCB. This illustrates the emphasis the university places on international collaboration.” Professor Mike Gregory, Head, Institute for Manufacturing, said "The initiatives represent an exciting opportunity to focus the IfM"s multi-disciplinary expertise in management, policy and technology research to support the growth and development of this very important region.” Peter Templeton, Chief Executive, IfM Education and Consultancy Services Ltd said "This endeavour draws upon our expertise in applying the IfM"s research and education outputs to work with governments and industry to support wealth generation in the region. I am certain this collaboration will create further exciting opportunities for us all in the years ahead.”
IfM aims to help companies ‘go green" February 10th 2010
Manufacturing firms will be given a helping hand to ‘go green" thanks to a series of events at the IfM. The IfM is looking at ways in which industry can become more sustainable by taking immediate steps using existing expertise and technologies to reduce waste and energy use. It follows the publication last year of the report Towards a Sustainable Industrial System, which advocated a systems-level view of sustainability in industry. One of the first events of this year will see the IfM"s Dr Claire Barlow showing companies how they can look at their resource usage in a new way. Dr Barlow, a materials engineering specialist, carries out research on the sustainability aspects of various resources. In a talk called 'Cut waste, boost revenue', part of the IfM"s Manufacturing Thursday series, she will tell firms they could save money by doing more to reduce energy usage and to avoid landfill waste. She will detail a number of real-life examples and look at how these could be implemented in other firms. The IfM is already working with industry at company, sector and national levels to drive forward the sustainability message. Researchers at the IfM are working with government agencies to help to deliver a green strategy for the UK food industry, the UK"s biggest manufacturing sector. It is also involved in a number of university collaborations such as working with the Chemical Engineering Department to help a major manufacturer with its sustainability initiatives and energy reduction programmes and pinch point analysis Dr Barlow"s talk will be followed by the visit of eminent scientist Professor Karl-Henrik Robèrt, founder of the internationally renowned NGO, The Natural Step. Professor Robèrt, who contributed to the IfM"s industrial system report will be delivering a lecture at the IfM on February 16th.
IfM lecturer delivers keynote address at cluster conference February 4th 2010
A Cambridge University lecturer has given the keynote address at a major conference aimed at encouraging hi-tech and enterprise clusters in Japan. The IfM's Dr Tim Minshall, was the only non-Japanese speaker at the recent 2010 Japan Cluster Conference in Tokyo. The conference was designed to help improve the country"s international competiveness and to look at how industry, government and education can work together to foster innovation. Dr Minshall"s talk, called 'Developing Internationally Competitive Clusters', looked at ways in which open innovation can support cluster development and visa versa. The talk drew on a number of international examples, such as Silicon Valley, Cambridge"s own ‘Silicon Fen", Manchester"s creative industries cluster, Philips Eindhoven Campus and Unilever"s Colworth Park. Structured around the resurgence of interest in clusters from policymakers, the talk also examined the role clusters can play in recovery from economic downturns, addressing global challenges, and the changing nature of innovation. Download the full press release here
Links forged with India in drive towards green industrial revolution February 2nd 2010
A seminar examining ways in which industry could go green could lead to high profile collaborations between Cambridge and India. The IfM led a high-level seminar in India looking issues surrounding industrial sustainability. The UK-India Industrial Sustainability Seminar took place in Mumbai and formed part of a ten-day visit to India by the University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alison Richard. More than 15 million people live and work in India"s largest city and it is home to some of the world"s biggest firms such as steel and automotive giant Tata Group, Industrial conglomerate Mahindra Group and Sun Pharmaceutical. The event brought together senior manufacturing and sustainability academics and industrialists to share experience, perspectives and challenges. The meeting also explored the potential for significant UK-India projects in this field. The report, Towards a Sustainable Industrial System, published last year by the IfM, part of the University"s Department of Engineering, provided the basis of the discussion. A group of leading manufacturing and environmental experts combined to produce the report which proposed a global effort to understand how essential elements of industrial systems – resources, processes and organisation – could be integrated to reduce environmental impacts while maintaining acceptable standards of living without damaging the planet. The report"s co-authors Professor Mike Gregory, head of the IfM, and Professor Steve Evans from Cranfield University took part in the event. Professor Mike Gregory, said "There is a long history of collaboration in manufacturing between India and the UK. "The University as a whole is working energetically in building working, practical relationships in India and we think this is a real opportunity to explore potential collaborations in the evolution of the next generation of sustainable industrial systems. "We hope that this will be part of an international effort to engage industrialists and academics to work with us on taking a system-level view of industrial sustainability.” Helping Product Design, Development and Introduction in the North EastJanuary 18th 2010
The IfM is providing tools and advice to help firms in the North East of England design and bring new products to market. The IfM’s Education and Consultancy Services is working with Design Network North (DNN) to offer firms in the area assistance in creating and launching new products The collaboration will assist manufacturing SME’s in overcoming some of the challenges they will face when designing and introducing new products. These can include being late to market, over-budget, high unit costs and disappointing sales. The IfM’s methodologies and tools, which are based on ten years’ research and experience at the IfM, are designed specifically for small and medium-size manufacturers (SMEs) and address the key issues they face. Dr James Moultrie from the IfM’s Design Management Group who led the research underpinning many of the tools said: “Managing new product development (NPD) is difficult. It is one of the few business issues that demands that the whole firm works collaboratively. In many cases, the future of the business might rely on the success of the project. Download the full press release here
IfM to stage Manufacturing Transformation WorkshopsJanuary 14th 2010
A series of workshops to help small and medium sized manufacturing businesses are to be held throughout the Eastern Region. The events, organised by the IfM, focus on four key business themes, Delivery Performance, Quality, Supply Chain and Unique Value and Innovation. The workshops are heavily subsidised by the Higher Education Funding Council for England and cost just £30 to attend. Events are taking place in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire and will run between January and April. They will be run by Dr Alan Cousens, an industrial practioner at the IfM. Dr Cousens held a number of senior management roles in a hi-tech manufacturing companies, most recently as Managing Director For more information on the workshops, or to complete a booking form, please download the leaflet. These workshops form part of the IfM's Manufacturing Transformation Programme.
Hi-tech firm praises business support programmeJanuary 11th 2010
A firm which makes hi-tech monitoring equipment has saved thousands of pounds and seen a long-running business problem solved – thanks to a free business support scheme developed by the IfM. Radio-Tech Ltd makes wireless electronic devices for everything from spotting the build-up of legionella, the bacteria which causes the potentially life-threatening Legionnaires " disease – to electronic smart meters. The Harlow-based company has just taken part in the Manufacturing Transformation Programme (MTP), promoted as the the Essex Manufacturing Innovation and Growth programme by our partners Essex County Council. It is designed to help small and medium-sized manufacturing companies deliver long-term improvements through an achievable action plan, while being mentored by an experienced practitioner. Ade Asefeso, the firm"s Operations Director, said taking part in the scheme had saved his firm thousands of pounds and had a significant impact on the business. "I think we are a fairly typical SME, it"s not that we don"t know what"s wrong with us, or how to fix it, but we don"t have the time to fix it.” The firm"s mentor, IfM practitioner John McManus, suggested Radio-Tech might benefit from additional resource and introduced them to a well-qualified graduate with the specific remit of implementing the MTP action plan. The 12-week subsidised placement was easily arranged under a Graduate Internship Scheme run by Anglia Ruskin University. "What really excited me was through the project we were able to bring in a Cambridge graduate to an SME of this size; normally it would cost you thousands and he was able to focus on a particular business issue... "I was quite surprised that within three days he came back with a solution, not only that he thought of how to protect the device but with physical instructions of how to do it. Basically I think the graduate scheme is the best thing since sliced bread". Download the full press release
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