Our first SIG had Jen McGillis from Ergo Inc discuss the challenges of an aging workforce and Ergonomics.   She will present us with some information on the topic and also provide lots of time to answer questions and discuss challenges currently facing manufacturers.

Some things we discussed included:

• Getting employees to report when they have discomfort rather than when they require medical - the earlier you are aware of an issues the sooner you can adapt the work station
• Do you have a…

Important news for Canadian Export Manufacturers from the Government of Canada as seen here:

 

For immediate release
January 10, 2012

Vineland Station, Ontario - The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., Member of Parliament for Niagara Falls, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, accompanied by Dean Allison, Member of Parliament for Niagara West-Glanbrook, announced today that the Government of Canada will invest in helping manufacturers across southern Ontario improve…

Mistake 2: Not knowing the all-in cost of the "China price" 

There is a lot of additional work to do on top of sourcing the product. Here are the key costs that make up the all-in China price:

Investment into Tooling 
You more than likely will have to arrange for the factory to make tooling at your expense. This is especially common for customised products where a specific mould is needed to ensure the design, logo, etc.  Determine the life of a tool and amortize the cost into your piece…

The following appears here: http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/ibp/irap/digital-technology-adoption/dtapp-index.html Click through for more info. 

"As part of the Government of Canada's Digital Economy Strategy, NRC-IRAP has been selected to deliver the Digital Technology Adoption Pilot Program (DTAPP) from October 2011 to March 31, 2014.  DTAPP represents a significant investment into the Canadian economy in an effort to increase the productivity growth of small- and medium-sized enterprises…

Mistake 1: Poorly defined specs

Where "Design for Manufacturing" leads to "Design from Supplier".

You decide to go to the factory direct and give the supplier freedom to handle the product design, such as deciding on the materials packaging layout. This can lead to a final product that is substantially different from the original concept. Another subsequent problem here is that the supplier may think that their input into the design means that they own the Intellectual Property Rights to the…

Hua and I moved back to Guelph a few weeks ago after living in Shanghai for most of the year, actually since May 2010. It was a great experience as I ran many conferences in China and got to see what was really happening.

 I have always maintained that one can never learn about China from the 20^th floor of the Ritz Carlton in Shanghai. The same is true for keeping up with monitoring developments in China; you cannot do it effectively from a remote location.

 News from China on trends for the…

theRecord.com:

"November 24, 2011 

CAMBRIDGE - Com Dev International says it has been awarded two follow-up contracts for satellite equipment worth a total of more than $7 million. 

The Cambridge-based company said Thursday it will supply switches, multiplexers, filters and microwave components for a replacement commercial satellite that will be used for communications and broadcasting. 

Work on the contracts will be done in Com Dev's Cambridge plant and is expected to be completed by…

Tuition-Free Pre-Apprenticeship Training Programs - General Machinist and Commercial Vehicle & Equipment Technician!
 
Conestoga College is accepting applications for two new Pre-Apprenticeship Training Programs which will give participants insight and experience with regard to a skilled trades career and a head start on achieving apprenticeship certification. These tuition-free programs are funded by the Government of Ontario.
 
 
Starting in March 2012, the Pre-Apprenticeship General…