Manufacturing News

Sulo Australia finalist in Manufacturing Innovation Awards
Somersby based manufacturers of waste and recycling containers, Sulo Australia, is a finalist in the 2008 EnergyAustralia Central Coast Manufacturers’ Association’s Innovation Awards.

A technological leader in the manufacture of waste and recycling containers, Sulo pioneered the development of the modern plastic mobile garbage bin (MGB).

SULO’s Organics Collection System, known as the SOCS bin, was designed for the collection of household organics in Australia and to assist in achieving waste diversion targets. With a dedicated organics collection container, significant volumes of material can be diverted from the domestic waste stream. In addition to this, the SOCS container aims to further reduce the amount of organic material that requires transport and processing.

The ventilation system strategically positioned in the walls of the MGB promotes the flow of oxygen throughout the container and its contents. Warm, moist air is able to escape through the vents and assist in the evaporation process. The base plate, located above the floor of the MGB, raises the organic material and allows oxygen to flow through the contents of the MGB.

Window of opportunity opens for Tuggerah firm
Innovative new products and expansion into the commercial building market has helped Tuggerah based manufacturer, Wideline Windows and Doors, weather the downturn in the NSW home building sector according to General Manager, Keith Gavin.

Mr Gavin, who joined the company in March 2007 says that the 35 year old family business is well on track in meeting the KPIs he has put in place to ensure sustainable business growth. “Wideline is a 100% family owned Australian business focused on the manufacture, distribution and sales of windows and doors for the domestic housing and commercial building markets,” said Mr Gavin. He stated that the company offers an extensive product selection of doors and windows in both Western Red Cedar and Powder Coated Aluminium.

 Mr Gavin said that the company services a large area in NSW from its Central Coast manufacturing location. “With additional showrooms located at Parramatta and Newcastle we service the greater Sydney area as well a large tract of regional New South Wales and the ACT,” he said.

“Given the downturn in the NSW residential building market we realised that we needed to not only retain our share of the residential building market but to develop a product for the commercial and architecturally designed systems. We’ve been very successful with our launch of the Paragon range about 24 months ago, building our fabrication business as well as maintaining our share of the residential building market.”

Mr Gavin stated that the business has pleasingly grown in the last twelve months against the general downturn trend. “Our growth has certainly been due to our initiatives in the Paragon product range for the commercial market,” he said.  “If we compared our growth across the industry we’d be one of the market leaders in terms of growth at the moment.”

According to Mr Gavin, Wideline has a workforce in excess of 150 employees across its entire operation making it one of the Central Coast’s largest manufacturing concerns. He stated that while they are now making good inroads into the top end of the market of builders, architects and designers, their bread and butter business remains with the major home builders and residential home builders.

Because the company doesn’t build stock windows and doors, rather they build to specific design and colour, it means that every job is different. “Unlike many other window and door manufacturers, we provide more than just a standard product list. All of our products can be produced to the specific size and requirements of our customers. We will couple together any items in a range, allowing our customers to design a window or door package that is unique to their home or commercial project.”

Mr Gavin said that every job meant that they built a relationship with the builder and home owner to build and provide what they wanted. “Our level of repeat business among builders is extremely high and that is solely due to the relationships that we have established with the builders.” He said that he and his team focus on delivering service and quality to their customers. “Getting it right the first time and to the customer on time has been a hallmark of our business,” he proudly stated.

When Mr Gavin was appointed General Manager in 2007 he undertook a review of all the cost centres of the company’s operation. “One of the high cost areas we identified was with the printing and copying equipment. Because our previous equipment supplier could no longer meet our business needs by restructuring their arrangement with us, we sought help from other suppliers,” he said. “Toshiba jumped at the opportunity to work with us and have delivered us significant savings and better equipment. We now lease three e-STUDIO multi function devices (MFD),” he said.

The company leased an e-STUDIO 2500c colour MFD, an e-STUDIO 352 for the head office while an e-STUDIO 232 was earmarked for the Newcastle branch. Mr Gavin said that the fact that Toshiba had good sales representation on the ground on the Central Coast meant that he could deal directly with the manufacturer rather than through a manufacturer’s agent.

“Toshiba’s commercial account manager Simon Cook and his regional sales manager visited us and obtained a real understanding of our business needs. We wanted to reduce costs but not sacrifice the service or the functionality of the equipment. Everything the Toshiba people committed to doing they did, which was very refreshing. We now have the latest cutting edge technology and have saved approximately 30% on our costs and that’s good for our business.”

Coast manufacturers learn about managing innovation
Members of the Central Coast Manufacturers’ Association attended a Breakfast Seminar last month to learn about managing innovation.
Managing Innovation™ - Optimising the Power of New Ideas, was presented by Graham Raspass, CEO of BSI Learning.
Mr Raspass spoke on the latest research and development around the area of managing innovation. “Innovation is a human endeavour,” he said, “it can’t be automated. It requires passion, focus, dedication, teamwork, and a willingness to see things through. Innovation doesn’t just happen. It requires management”.

Over breakfast the group discovered that there are eight elements to be aware of. These included:

- The mindsets and skills-sets of the manager;
- The purpose of innovation (the strategic intent);
- Where innovation could take place (the opportunity space);
- Where innovation should take place (the innovation agenda);
- The innovation capability of the organisation;
- The methods used to develop innovation capability further;
- The five-phase innovation journey; and
- A box of innovation tools.

Raspass then went on to outline the key challenges for a Manager of Innovation:

- To decide where to focus innovation efforts (and where not to)
- To develop organisational capability for innovation
- To weave innovation throughout his or her AOI
- To give equal attention to all five phases of the process and to “morph” his or her mindsets and skill-sets to what is most appropriate to each phase
- To win support and ignite hope among team members and stakeholders.
 
The group also went through the key attributes of a successful Innovation Manager

- Constructive discontent (“We’re doing well but I’m sure we could do better.”)
- Outward orientation (“The world is full of great ideas and things that we need to know.”)
- Strategic orientation (“We think long term and focus our efforts on areas that will help us make rapid and meaningful progress.”)
- Focus on process (“We don’t just hope that an idea will become realised; we plan it. We use a conscious approach to managing innovation.”)
- Five-phase skill-set (“I modify my management style for each innovation phase, using skills appropriate to that part of the process.”)
- Commitment to capability building (“I need my whole organisation to practice value-creating innovation regularly and effectively.”)
- Trust and confidence in the team (“I’ll keep us focused on the vision and goals and support you in achieving it.”)

Finally ending on the principles for effective Innovation Management:

- Don’t confuse creativity, invention, and innovation: remember that innovation only occurs when benefits are delivered.
- Explore your opportunity space fully and openly in product, process, position, and paradigm.
- Find and tap sources of passion, commitment, and enthusiasm; innovation requires more than standard operating procedures.
- Use the five skill-sets of innovation management; be conscious of the boundaries, and change the “avatar” as needed.
- Identify internal or external customers for your ideas. Balance what you want to do with what is needed (so that technology push balances market pull).
- Sustain high-performing, agile, flexible, and productive teams that reorganise as needs change.
- Build innovation capability into your organisation. Assess whether you have achieved the optimum state of “innovation readiness.”
- Seek to understand the impact of your own behaviour on innovation. Remember that the first barrier to innovation is in one’s mind.
- Recognise and honour individual and team contributions.
- Remember that most ideas won’t be carried through to successful implementation and value creation, but all innovation journeys can be a source of learning.
- Make sure that your innovation initiatives are purposeful, clearly specified, and aligned with the organisation’s strategic intent. Specify innovation intentions so you can assess how well you have achieved them later.
Seek diversity of opinion, allow competition of ideas; discourage interpersonal conflict.

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