Manufacturers encouraged to participate in the 2011 Next Generation Manufacturing Study

July 6, 2011 - PRLog -- Cleveland, OH (July 6, 2011) — Two years ago the inaugural Next Generation Manufacturing Study found most U.S. manufacturers were falling behind in key strategies required to compete into the next decade, while only a few firms managed to maintain a world-class pace.

U.S. manufacturers will get a second chance this month to gauge their ability to compete, as the 2011 Next Generation Manufacturing (NGM) Study examines how much progress these firms have made in implementing Next Generation strategies. Have American manufacturers improved their competitiveness and achieved world-class status — or fallen further behind?

Every manufacturing firm is eligible to participate in the NGM Study:
1.   Go to http://www.NGMStudy.com
2.   Complete the questionnaire and submit by July 26.


Participation in the Study is free, confidential or anonymous, and takes just 20 minutes to complete.

As an added bonus, firms that participate confidentially receive a comprehensive NGM Performance Report showing how their organization compares to other manufacturers (all participants as well as groups of manufacturers similar to their organization).

The NGM Study explores six key strategies:

- Customer-focused innovation
- Superior processes/improvement focus
- Human-capital management
- Supply-chain management and collaboration
- Sustainability
- Global engagement

“In the first study, we found that companies focused on Next Generation Manufacturing strategies outperformed other manufacturers,” said John Brandt, CEO of the Manufacturing Performance Institute (MPI), the global research firm conducting the Study. “Two years later, we want to find out what’s changed for U.S. manufacturers in a post-recession economy — and what’s left to do.”

The national sponsor of the Study is the American Small Manufacturers Coalition (ASMC), an organization composed of all of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers in America. MPI Group, an internationally recognized research firm that specializes in manufacturing issues, is conducting the Study and compiling the Reports.

The Study results will provide a wealth of valuable data for manufacturers, business leaders and state and national policymakers. “Manufacturers can see how they rank against world-class performance benchmarks and target improvements where needed,” said Sandy Johnson, ASMC Board Chair. “In addition, policymakers can strengthen and improve programs and services supporting manufacturers knowing the critical needs.”  

For more information on the Next Generation Manufacturing Study, call MPI at 216-991-8390 (email info@mpi-group.net) or call ASMC at 785-218-8669 (email kelly.pearl@smallmanufacturers.org)

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The American Small Manufacturers Coalition (ASMC) is a trade association of manufacturing extension agents whom work to improve the innovation and productivity of America’s manufacturing community.