Another year has flown by and the Barrie/Midland/Muskoka consortium continues to flourish!

I was cleaning up some old files on my computer and I ran into attendance forms from the Senior Managers group in Midland from 2001 and in Barrie from 2003 - ten and eight years respectively of consortium activity in which I have been involved.  The manufacturers in Midland were members before I joined EMC.

2011 was another great year of events.

There are Strategic Interest Group session for 5 different areas of responsibility in the Barrie/Midland/Muskoka consortium including, Senior Managers; Quality & Production; Environmental and Health & Safety; Information Technology; and Human Resources.

The Senior Managers group shared business strategies and discussed the state of manufacturing in Canada, in Ontario, and in their local region.  There were presentations from community partners such as apprenticeship and Georgian College's Centre for Applied Research & Innovation.  Also, there was a presentation regarding rooftop solar panels - the good, the bad, & the ugly.  The host members highlighted best practices within their organizations and hosted plant tours.

The Quality & Production group explored some challenges faced by individual members, participated in plant tours, shared best practices and discussed the following topics:

• Quick Die Change - Strategies for Implementation
• Metrics - Challenges surrounding developing, implementing, and managing the use of Key Performance Indicators
• Value Stream Mapping
• Measuring the Cost of Quality
• 5 S - Maintaining It
• Problem Solving Techniques and Applications

The Environmental, Health & Safety group enjoyed a couple of guest speakers - one from WSIB presenting on WSIB Claims Management & NEER Changes and another on Ergonomics - Developing a Plan for Implementation.  This group, also, participated in a morning's worth of presentations from EMC's 360 Safety team of solution providers.  Environmental topics included

The Human Resources group participated in two presentations this year - our annual Labour Law Update with emphasis on the upcoming Ontarians with Disabilities Act and what employers need to have in place by when and a workshop on The Turnaround Interview by Geordie Raine of the Montana Consulting Group.  Both events were well attended and very informative.  The group rounded out 2011 by discussing the following topics:

• Managing a Temp Workforce - Orientation, Policies/procedures, etc.
• Substance Abuse, Harassment & Bullying - How to Communicate Expectations, How to Train, How to Enforce
• And December's topic (on the 14^th) - Hiring & Terminating - Contract Employees, Payouts, Legalities, Benefits, Employee Contracts

The Information Technology group participated in networking sessions each month.  The discussions run the gambit of all things - software, hardware, users, cell phones, printers, copiers, etc.

We welcomed two new members - R&M Plastics and Oetiker Limited - we look forward to your participation moving forward in 2012.

Many thanks to our member hosts over 2011 - Franke Kindred, Theta Industries, Innovative Automation, DV Systems, Mueller Canada, TRW, Canplas Industries, Prodomax Automation, Baxter Corporation, Wolf Steel, Garaga Inc., MacNeil Wash Systems, NEBS Business Products, Breaker Technology and Baytech Plastics.

All in all - 2011 has been a very good year and it is onward and upward for 2012.

Wishing you all the very best of the holiday season…