Program name: Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC)
Host: NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)
State(s): Vermont
Main office location: Randolph Center
Eligibility: Small businesses interested in boosting productivity, adopting new technologies and become more competitive.
Types of assistance offered: Business Advice, Mentoring, Success Stories, Technical Assistance
Email address: vmec@vmec.org
Web address: http://www.vmec.org/
Program description: In 1995, Vermont was selected for a Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Manufacturing Extension Center by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Vermont's not-for-profit center, known as the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC), has its headquarters located in Central Vermont on the campus of Vermont Technical College in Randolph Center. Additional field offices are located at the Regional Development Corporation offices in Burlington, Rutland, and Springfield.
VMEC's Mission is "To Improve Manufacturing in Vermont and strengthen the global competitiveness of the state's smaller manufacturers." This is done through one-on-one assistance and training to help Vermont's approximately 2,000 small and medium sized manufacturers increase their productivity, modernize their manufacturing and business processes, adopt advanced technologies, reduce costs, and improve their competitiveness. Increased competitiveness means greater stability in the state's work force, improved efficiencies in operations, more customer satisfaction, and increased sales and profits.
VMEC has a staff of Manufacturing Business Advisors who are very experienced in manufacturing and industrial engineering issues. One Advisor specializes in Information Technologies and e-Business, including computer and software system implementations, and web site effectiveness assessments.
Many of the problems and concerns of client companies are solved by VMEC personnel. In other situations, additional resources may be called in to assist. Each VMEC Manufacturing Business Advisor is trained in accessing and linking with additional technical resources and services if necessary. These might be experts from Vermont or from around the country if required. VMEC's affiliation with the nationwide Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) gives access to a wealth of our nation's public and private science and technology resources. When outside resources are utilized, VMEC generally assumes overall project management responsibilities to ensure satisfactory project completion.
What does VMEC assistance cost?
The first step is free of charge and usually includes a plant visit and confidential preliminary needs assessment done by a VMEC Manufacturing Business Advisor. Additional services performed by VMEC Advisors are done on a reasonable fee-for-service basis.
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