You may have heard the two age-old sayings – ‘knowledge is power’ and ‘strength in numbers’. Depending on the context, these sayings have become more relevant than ever, when considering today’s global markets and business challenges.
Fortunately, it isn’t difficult to build or become a member of a strong team of knowledgeable individuals – even if you’re a small business with limited resources. The solution isn’t to spend your entire budget on recruitment, it’s much simpler and cost-effective than that. In fact, it’s as simple as forming partnerships with like-minded organisations and individuals.
Industry partnerships enable the exchange of knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and ideas. They enable us to not only form alliances, but to ‘learn’ – a key fundamental of lean. A gathering of 20 industry experts, each of them with 20 years of experience, equates to 400 years of collective experience! The knowledge and networks gained through these types of encounters, promote a culture of Continuous Improvement and help to create growth.
However, it’s not just about knowledge. It’s also about innovation. When deciding who to partner with, a great question to ask yourself is ‘how will this partnership deliver value to our new and existing customers?’. Think about the voice of the customer. Is there a need that can be fulfilled together? This form of innovation can disrupt the market and lead to breakthrough results. A great example of an effective collaboration was between Apple and Mastercard. When Apple first introduced Apple Pay, Mastercard became the first credit card company to allow its users to store their credit and debit cards on Apple Pay. Today, this technology has effectively changed how people perform transactions.
Here at Vative, we’ve partnered with several, like-minded organisations (listed below) and continue to support their members through various business improvement initiatives, coaching them towards a culture of excellence. Some of these initiatives include onsite facilitation and implementation, face-to-face workshops or online masterclasses in today’s remote-learning environments.
SIRF Roundtables (SIRF-Rt)
SIRF-Rt is Australasia’s premier business improvement network with 250+ member companies. SIRF (Strategic Industry Research Foundation) was originally developed by the Australian State Government of Victoria in 1988 in conjunction with the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and the CSIRO. SIRF Rt provides a secure and structured environment for members to meet, learn together and be empowered by the success of others.
South-East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA)
SEMMA is an independent body that represents the interests of over 200 leading manufacturers within the South East Melbourne region. They advocate for good government policy and decision making to assist in keeping manufacturing viable in a global context. In addition to supporting their members in several ways, SEMMA provides their members with valuable insight around opportunities, challenges and changes that may affect industry performance.
Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL)
AMTIL is the peak national body that represents the interests of manufacturing technology suppliers and users within the precision engineering and advanced manufacturing sector. Since its establishment in 1999, AMTIL has grown to reflect the needs of its membership. AMTIL has its finger on the pulse and is well placed to educate and support businesses and individuals in the manufacturing industry. AMTIL is suitable for manufacturers, importers and distributors, with various support offerings for businesses.
Refrigerated Warehouse & Transport Association (RWTA)
The RWTA seeks to represent the interests of all businesses engaged in the storage, distribution, and transportation of temperature-controlled products throughout Australia. This is known as the Australian cold chain. As the demands on Australia’s cold chain continue to increase, the RWTA strives to satisfy the growing needs of the community, through the provision of temperature-controlled warehousing, refrigerated transport and other related (essential) services.
Supply Chain & Logistics Association (SCLAA)
The SCLAA is Australia’s largest association for Supply Chain and Logistics professionals and practitioners. For over five decades, the SCLAA has served and advanced the interests of professionals and practitioners, with a vision to deliver value, prosperity and competitive advantage to their members. The SCLAA is committed to developing the profession and practice of supply chain and logistics, collaborating with industry stakeholders and promoting and recognising global best practices.
Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME)
The AME is a not-for-profit, membership-based networking association that facilitates connections, collaboration and learning in the operational excellence space. Based in Australia, USA, Canada and the UK, the AME is run by a group of volunteers from both business and academia. Their primary focus is to provide support and mentorship to local and regional businesses. The AME is dedicated to the cultivation, analysis and exchange of productivity methods; as well as their successful application in the pursuit of operational excellence.
Bosch
Bosch, is a German multinational engineering and technology company. Bosch has had a presence in Australia since 1907, opening its first wholly owned subsidiary, Robert Bosch (Australia) Pty Ltd in 1954. Bosch generates revenues of more than 1.05 billion AUD per annum in the Australian region, and employs over 1300 associates. Bosch’s headquarters and technical centre is in Clayton, Victoria. Their Australian activities are operated through six wholly owned subsidiaries and include Mobility Solutions, Industry Technology, Consumer Goods and Energy and Building Technology.
