Digital innovation is one way Rhode Island manufacturers can address today's challenges such as supply chain, labor shortages and high operating costs. However many are unsure of the possibilities and of the cost involved in digital transformation. In this Polaris MEP...
By Wendy Mackie, Advisory Board Chairperson Starting and running a business requires an immense amount of faith and fortitude. When I look back at 2022, one of the best pieces of advice I got was to step into a new role on the Polaris MEP Advisory Board. Serving as...
Jacquelyn Voghel of the Providence Business News reports that "Polaris MEP will host a free webinar for manufacturers who are interested in adding to their digital solutions portfolio but who are stumped on how to get there. The webinar, to be held on Jan. 17 at 10...
78 Rhode Island projects, including a Polaris MEP work-based training initiative, will receive funding through the 2023 federal spending bill. The Providence Business News reported on the more than $87.2 million approved for RI projects that will improve...
Why is Value Stream Mapping so beloved as a lean manufacturing tool to identify and remove / reduce “waste” in production? Ted Kennedy, Six Sigma Black Belt and Polaris MEP Manufacturing Advisor, says Value Stream Mapping has been proven to work for all sizes and...
Process Flow Mapping is a lean manufacturing tool that visually describes flow of work from customer order to generating and shipping work. With it, manufacturers in Rhode Island can identify redundancies and irrelevant processing steps that can be removed. If you're...
Mary Serreze of Providence Business First reports that the URIRF (University of Rhode Island Research Foundation, Polaris MEP's parent organization) has named Christian Cowan its first full-time Executive Director. Cowan had previously served as VP/COO of URIRF and...
Polaris MEP hosted a two-part event kicking off Manufacturing Month, part of nationwide #MFGDay celebrations. This event included the release of the first ever State of Manufacturing Report in Rhode Island. More than 100 industry leaders, ecosystem partners and...
Rhode Island's WJAR-TV attended and reported on the Manufacturing Day (MFGDay22) program hosted by Polaris MEP and the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association (RIMA). "Students had the opportunity to learn about the industry as a possible career path through...