A Manufacturers Exchange helps businesses learn from one another – it’s an effective way to share local expertise and experience, prevent mistakes, and spark ideas for business growth.
“I learned about so much … through the conversation.”
– Margie Lamb, Owner, Meadowbrook Meat Market in Somerset
Valley manufacturers shared more than business cards at the Valley REN’s first Manufacturers Exchange on April 4 in Berwick.
Employees and owners representing small and large manufacturers discussed the challenges of transportation during a two-hour exchange of knowledge and best practices.
“Learning is always better in groups,” said Caroline Ubels, after attending the exchange. Caroline is Logistics Administrative Assistant at Spa Springs Mineral Water Company Ltd. near Middleton. “It was time very well spent and I left encouraged and eager to explore some of the things I had heard about.”
A Manufacturers Exchange helps businesses learn from one another – it’s an effective way to share local expertise and experience, prevent mistakes, and spark ideas for business growth.
This series of events, which will continue throughout the year, was inspired by ideas shared at the Valley REN sector table workshop in December. Manufacturers said they would benefit from a regional forum for networking and sharing knowledge.
In response, the Valley REN is working with businesses to organize the Manufacturers Exchange. We hope this will serve as a platform for manufacturers to connect, share knowledge, and overcome common challenges.
For the first session, we partnered with Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC) to lead a discussion on transportation, which touched on:
- securing the best service for less-than-truckload shipments
- third-party logistics services and export brokers
- best practice for obtaining competitive transportation quotes
This was a great opportunity for small manufacturers to learn from larger, national manufacturers, and vice versa.
We hope you can join in the next Manufacturers Exchange.
Please share your suggestions. We want to tailor future sessions to the needs of the business community in the Annapolis Valley.
Emily Konrath is an Economic Development Officer at the Valley REN.