The MTP services were created to facilitate client access to international resources, technologies and markets through IMS. These services are based on an understanding of two types of approaches to research, development and innovation (RDI), top-down technology push innovation and bottom-up driven value generation. The clients are enabled to design and maintain such projects and global partnerships in a way that is consistent with their business plans, innovation strategies, and long-term resource development ideas.

Together with the highly flexible MTP concept and the collaborative web facilities, the IMS coaching strategy completes the service portfolio aiming to attract SMEs in particular and to boost industry driven co-operations.

In order to facilitate project formation, the IMS International Steering Committee decided to add programs that would help shepherd the development of nascent MTP projects through IMS coaching services, web-based collaborations (www.ims.org), workshops, and forums.

MTP Project Facilitators

MTP project facilitators (coaches) were selected by each IMS Region based on their experience within the IMS framework and their ability to facilitate project formation and to assist in partner search activities. Coaches may also introduce existing project opportunities to potential partners, and even thread running projects together in order to increase efficiency and expertise. The coaches work in concert with the IMS Regional Secretariats in identifying opportunities to provide personalized one-on-one service, and activities to raise awareness of IMS programs and activities to industry, industry associations, funding agencies, and research institutions.

Workshops

IMS conducts project workshops semi-annually and a major forum on a bi-annual basis. The workshops are intended to promote formation of new projects, review ongoing research, and disseminate results of research conducted. The IMS Regional Secretariats and MTP project facilitators listen to new project proposals to understand them and the types of partners they seek. This understanding helps IMS to provide custom service to the project proponent in the critical development stage.

World Manufacturing Forum 2013

As the world climbs out of the economic crisis, policy makers have recognized manufacturing’s contribution to economic success as a strategic pillar to economic health. In response, governments are scrambling to create favorable conditions for growth while industry is faced with volatile and highly competitive market conditions. Investors are reluctant to jump into the high-risk marketplace, and manufacturers are not always willing to use reserves to expand their business.

Adding to the complexity of a globalized marketplace, countries struggle with local cries for stricter import regulations, raw material control, and limits on technology transfer. Does the focus to bring jobs home mean we must forgo international cooperation to solve manufacturing challenges and advance technology? As jobs do come home, what’s next for emerging economies?

The World Manufacturing Forum, which will be held at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center, 22-23 October 2013 in Washington, D.C., USA, seeks to answer these important questions.

With the theme of “The Way Forward to Global Prosperity Through Intelligent Manufacturing Collaboration,” the Forum intends to focus on cooperation to create a global environment for sustainable economic success through sharing resources, creating and supporting common platforms for standards and interoperability for emerging technologies, solving storage and knowledge-mining challenges for ever-increasing amounts of data, and finding innovative ways to leverage applied R&D investments. Because technology and skills are key innovation differentiators, the Forum will also discuss the role of educational institutions, companies, and unions in training the next-generation of workers in the highly technical field of manufacturing.

The Forum aims to bring together high-level industrialists, policy makers, and key societal stakeholders across the globe for a cross-exchange of ideas on major macroeconomic trends and manufacturing innovation. The Forum is sponsored by the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems program and its member countries and is open to international sponsorship from government, industry, and institutions.

About the WORLD MANUFACTURING FORUM

The WMF was created to be an international forum where high-level policy makers and industry leaders could meet to discuss global manufacturing issues that should be solved cooperatively. Our first forum was held in 2011 and was highly successful with speakers from companies like Bosch, Whirlpool, General Motors, Hitachi, Boeing, ABB, Daimler, Samsung, and General Electric to name a few. During the two-day event, we had over fifty speakers from companies and institutions around the world and over 350 qualified participants by invitation only. Outcomes from these meetings include extension of cross-platform networks, cooperative projects initiated, and elevation of awareness for the issues. Spin-off meetings from this event also occurred, like the 2011 board meeting for PDES Inc. whose members represent the U.S. aerospace industry. Participants enjoyed high quality speeches and speakers.

The WMF 2012 was held in Stuttgart 16-18 October, 2012 at the Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Liederhalle in the Hegel-Saal. It built on WMF 2011′s success and was highly acclaimed by the attendees. Outcomes from the 2012 meeting included a communique, extension of cross-platform networks, cooperative projects initiated, and elevation of awareness for the issues. There were also spin-off meetings from this event like the board meeting for PDES Inc. whose members represent the U.S. aerospace industry. The WMF is an invitation-only event.