Please note: this is an old article
It was published in July 2018, so the information may be out-of-date.
If your manufacturing business is located in regional Victoria and is looking to improve productivity and competitiveness, increase innovation, enhance workplace skills and / or become export ready, then the Regional Manufacturing Clusters (RMC) initiative may help you.
The RMC is a Victorian Government funded initiative, delivered by Ai Group, to assist manufacturing businesses to grow and develop profitably. Shepparton has been announced as one of 10 locations for a cluster. Places on the program are limited and applications are now open for interested businesses.
There are two main elements: The Collaborative Business Improvement (CBI) program and the Innovation Culture (IC) program.
The key benefits of CBI are:
- Improve your manufacturing processes (reduce lead times, waste and rework) through Lean.
- Systematize your innovation and product development through the ‘Matrix Thinking’ system.
- Improve workforce skills through collaborative upskilling.
- Explore new market opportunities.
The key benefits of IC are:
- Through workshops and team building events, develop the knowledge and skills to create a sustained innovation culture.
- Coaching of business leaders and supervisors.
- Encouragement to foster new ideas across the organization.
- Learn from successful advanced manufacturers.
Who can apply?
- For CBI, small and medium manufacturing businesses with from 15 to 70 employees.
- For IC, medium to large manufacturing businesses with 55 or more employees.
Contribution
- For CBI program participants, $2,500* per business per year for two years, a total of $5,000*.
- For IC program participants, a one-off $5,000*.
- For further information, contact Matthew Beasley, the Ai Group RMC Regional Manager for Shepparton on 0408 327 018 or matthew.beasley@aigroup.com.au.