Coming up with that great idea: 6-Sessions to help advanced manufacturing kick-start innovation

Jan. 4, 2012 - PRLog -- Mississauga, January 4, 2012: Advanced manufacturing faces a competitive environment in Ontario today. Too many good companies are struggling to be better, that is, innovate in order to add new revenue to their bottom line and outshine the competition.

“They’re often looking for that new great idea,” says Pam Banks, Executive Director of the RIC Centre in Mississauga, “Or they’ve already got a “secret sauce” but they don’t know how to commercialize it.”

Help is on the way. This January 2012, advanced manufacturers are invited to an industry sponsored—and free—program, with stand-alone sessions spread across 6 months. Under the title, “Innovate Forward, this program is designed specifically to kick-start innovation with industry speakers, examples, techniques, and face-to-face mentor support.

The first session is ‘Understanding What You Have and How to Turn It Into a New Product or Service’ looks at how to turn what a company has now, into something new and profitable.” Held over breakfast, Tuesday, January 17th, attendees will hear from industry guest speaker, Larry Fitzgerald, Site Leader and General Manager at Honeywell, Canada.  Known for his practical approach for leading innovation, knowledge and his ability to turn around manufacturing companies, Fitzgerald has been hands-on leading innovations inside the companies where he’s work, including Honeywell. The 36 billion, Fortune 100 company is widely recognized for supporting the kind of innovation that leads to revolutionary technologies in safety, security and energy.

Each of Innovate Forward’s six sessions are designed around a specific topic, addressed first by Andrew Maxwell, Chief Innovation Officer at the Canadian Innovation Centre, then discussed in practical terms by an industry expert. Tim Scott, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at RIC, is on hand as host, and as part of the program’s support network in his role as an entrepreneur working in the industry. The final component to each session will be a practical demo at Sheridan’s Manufacturing site in Brampton.

“Those who attend a session will take away practical tips and tools,” explains Tim. “This means they’ll be able to test and implement along the way, and when they have questions or need support, there’ll be industry experts on hand so they’re not working on these challenges alone.”

Session One
Tuesday, January 17th, 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM.
Location: Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Design Technologies, Sheridan College, Brampton

For more details and to register, visit: www.innovateforward.ca

Innovate Forward is sponsored by The ABB Group in Mississauga and the RIC Centre with 7 other partner organizations behind the program. All events are held at the Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Design Technologies, Sheridan College, Brampton, ON, Canada.

Innovate Forward partners: The ABB Group, RIC Centre, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium, Ontario Centres of Excellence, Sheridan College, Business Development Bank of Canada, IRAP and the City of Brampton.