CAMT, a member of the federal NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), attended the 2007 NIST MEP Conference last month. This conference, located in Orlando and attracting over 500 participants, serves as a great resource for cutting edge methodologies, information and technologies to bring to local manufacturers.

The NIST MEP Conference offered several tracks that fit within the common overarching theme of "Growth Through Innovation". Focusing on the growth of Colorado manufacturers enables CAMT to offer services that streamline operations combined with resources to realize opportunities beyond their plant walls.

CAMT sent six staff members (pictured above) who attended many sessions and came away from the conference with new information to share with CAMT clients, such as: tools to access the environmental and social impacts of a business or product; information on emerging Asian markets; and hands-on growth strategy tools to streamline the innovation process of our clients. Look for new related offerings soon!

"CAMT's training and the resulting new procedures have transformed our workers into proactive problem solvers, catching problems before they occur."
- George Barchenger, Owner

George Barchenger opened Precision Manufacturing Technologies in Grand Junction, Colorado in 1989. As a contract manufacturer, Precision Manufacturing Technologies provides machining, tool and die design and fabrication to customers spanning the Western United States. George runs an efficient operation with only six employees to fulfill Precision Manufacturing Technologies' increasing customer orders.

George noticed that requirements for quality standards were becoming more prevalent, and in 2004 a major client introduced a requirement that all contractors be ISO9001:2000 certified businesses. In order to maintain Precision Manufacturing Technologies' existing customer base and to attract new business, George realized it was time to get certified, but he needed help. George was referred to Monty Rutherford of CAMT by partner organization Grand Junction Business Incubator.

CAMT worked with Precision Manufacturing Technologies for over six months to assist them in achieving the quality standards of the ISO9001:2000 certifications. Owner and staff completed numerous trainings, and implemented their new knowledge to create new processes and documentation. A tool maintenance log, an internal training program and the introduction of systematic quality are some of the new processes put in place due to the training. The immediate reward from the training and achieving the ISO9001:2000 certification was retention of regular customers. However, several other results were realized:

• Retained sales of $250,000
• Operational savings of $84,000
• 20% decrease in average lead time

The Advance Colorado Center (ACC) was created in 2005 by the Colorado Office of Economic Development to provide a common headquarters and combined marketing efforts for several Colorado industry associations. CAMT joined the ACC in early 2006. Each ACC member organization is a non-profit industry association sharing the common goals of:

• Fostering economic development - growing companies, high wage jobs and the Colorado tax base
• Encouraging entrepreneurship and wealth creation
• Educating the public and government about opportunities inherent in the private sector

With many common goals and industry cross-over within ACC organizations in mind, CAMT is collaborating with the ACC associations to sponsor joint events, support workforce development efforts, and develop an ACC-wide market research tool, as well as an ACC supplier network.

ACC Organizations include:

• Colorado BioScience Association
• CSIA -- Colorado's Technology Association
• Colorado Photonics Industry Association
• Colorado Nanotechnology Alliance
• Colorado Film Commission
• Connected Organizations for a Responsible Economy
• CTEK, representing Capital, Technology, Entrepreneurship and Knowledge

Product compliance requirements, largely regulated by government agencies to help ensure quality and safety, have long been a factor in the design, manufacture and sale of goods and services. While environmental regulations themselves are not new to industry, they historically have been associated more with manufacturing plants than with products themselves. But this has changed dramatically in recent years. Green technology is here to stay.