Polaris MEP launches ‘Rocket’ program for R.I. manufacturers

THE NEW POLARIS MEP ROCKET PROGRAM is driven by four initiatives to help small Rhode Island manufacturers compete better in the market. / COURTESY POLARIS MEP
THE NEW POLARIS MEP ROCKET PROGRAM is driven by four initiatives to help small Rhode Island manufacturers compete better in the market. / COURTESY POLARIS MEP

(Updated 10:37 a.m.)
PROVIDENCE – The Polaris Manufacturing Extension Partnership announced Monday it is committing all of its $350,000 in state funding to programming for small manufacturers in Rhode Island through its new “Rocket” program.
Polaris MEP, a division of the URI Research Foundation, is a statewide nonprofit that provides competitive manufacturing business improvement programs to support and expand the industry. The Rocket program includes four components: all-access bus tours, manufacturing consortia, acceleration seminars and “Launch Pad Pricing.”
“The Polaris MEP Rocket Program is designed to assist small Rhode Island manufacturing companies to reach the next level of profitability, job growth and efficiency,” said Christian Cowan, Polaris MEP center director, in a press release. “Many companies look for tools and opportunities to grow their business, but don’t have access to the right information. We are accelerating that growth opportunity through engagement, education and execution.”
“Rhode Island has a strong manufacturing history and we must build upon that legacy while positioning our manufacturers to compete and win in today’s economy,” added state Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor. “I applaud Governor Raimondo and the General Assembly for funding initiatives that help small manufacturers receive the services provided by Polaris MEP.”
Said Gov. Gina M. Raimondo, “Everyone has a role to play in sparking Rhode Island’s economic comeback, and Polaris MEP’s Rocket Program is a great example. Through my jobs plan and innovative programs like this, we are making it easier for businesses to grow and succeed in Rhode Island and taking important steps to jumpstart our economy.”
In the pricing program, the state funding helps Polaris MEP reduce its fee structure, making programs more affordable and accessible to the small manufacturer, Cowan said. Eligible growth programs include strategic business planning, continuous improvement programs, facility planning and others.
Two consortia include the Rhode Island Family-Owned Manufacturing Consortium, in which members learn best practices from national experts and discuss legal issues with corporate governance experts on family-owned businesses, and the Rhode Island Lean Consortium, in which members share best practices and challenges facing state manufacturers by focusing on supporting growth and continuous improvement.
Bus tours begin Sept. 29 and will allow small manufacturers in the state a behind-the-scenes look at some of the state’s growing companies. Participants will meet executives and tour their plants to see how they’ve grown their organization through a strategy of continuous improvement and innovation.
Seminars led by nationally recognized experts focus on entrepreneurship and leadership. One of the first seminars includes a tour of Rhode Island in a C-130 aircraft from Quonset Airport.
For information, visit Polarismep.org/Rocket.

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