HelpingSouthCarolina

With SCMEP you get the benefits of:

• Premium consulting services at competitive rates (starting with the no cost
  Competitiveness Review)
• Customized services adapted to meet your company’s individual needs
• Top-quality resources

o Assets of the national MEP network and federal agencies
o Statewide contacts and relationships
o Diverse knowledge and practices of third party experts
o Support from Manufacturing Specialists who live and work locally

• A large & diverse network of top-quality resources
• A merit-based (vs. profit driven) organization that’s measured independently
• An approach based on obtaining results quickly while developing competencies to raise long-term performance

Value

• SCMEP is a non-profit organization supported through a partnership of federal, state, and local government, and manufacturing industry to promote economic growth, increased jobs, and global market contributions of small and mid-size manufacturers SCMEP receives one-third of their operational funding from NIST, one-third from state or local sources, and one-third in revenue from fees paid by companies for the services they receive. This state and federal funding enables SCMEP to reach even the smallest firms with high quality business and technical services.
• SCMEP is able to access incremental governmental, foundation and corporate grant-based funding for specific programs.
• SCMEP’s Competitiveness Review is a no cost comprehensive assessment of a company’s operations that identifies the major factors limiting its success and defines a customized action plan for the highest priority improvement areas.

Agility

• SCMEP is industry, market and customer driven with an ability to meet the ever changing needs of the manufacturers. The responsiveness of the program is seen in the continual evolution of services ranging from technical point solutions, to system level solutions such as quality and lean manufacturing, to enterprise level solutions such as strategic marketing and new product innovation.
• In contrast to larger for-profit consulting firms, SCMEP's services are fee-based and designed to be flexible and responsive.
• SCMEP’s Competitiveness Review is conducted in one day and results are returned to the company within 5 to 10 business days.
• The use of third-party specialists on an as-needed basis allows SCMEP to scale resources to the requirements of specific projects.

Customization

• One of SCMEP’s core values is doing what is right. This principle, combined with a Competitiveness Review, ensures that our only agenda is to do what is best for the client.
• Instead of standardized, one-size-fits-all programs, our strategic and tactical business improvement recommendations are tailored to the specific circumstances and needs of the company.

Connections

• SCMEP is a part of a national network of MEP centers. A key benefit to small and mid-size manufacturers is in the partnerships, alliances and contacts.
• On a national level, the Program enables MEP centers to help manufacturers access invaluable federal government resources that might otherwise be unknown and unutilized in such areas as workforce development, technology adoption, environment and energy, and quality.
• At the state and local level in South Carolina, SCMEP is aligned with an array of partners providing business advancement resources and assistance (SC Department of Commerce, SC Economic Developers Association, SC Chamber of Commerce, SC State Technical College System, USC, Clemson, etc.).
• SCMEP coordinates five Lean Alliances, which are membership-based regional groups of manufacturing companies who collectively focus on lean training and techniques and share best practices.
• SCMEP functions as a “gateway” introducing small and mid-size companies to an extensive network of third party consultants and available services they may not be aware of.

Accountability

• Since 1996, NIST has used an independent third party organization to conduct surveys of MEP client companies collecting data on the economic “impact” - measured in dollars earned, saved and invested - of the centers’ services provided.
• These surveys provide objective, factual data that NIST uses to evaluate all MEP centers through a competitive process where funding is contingent upon successful annual reviews of their impact.
• SCMEP is advised by a fiduciary Board of Directors. 

Methodology

• SCMEP’s approach enables Manufacturing Specialists to use constraint theory to quickly indentify bottle necks in companies' operations, regardless of where those limiting factors occur. Focusing on these limiting factors permits rapid improvment and shortens the “time-to-value” of projects – delivering maximum impact in the minimum time possible.
• SCMEP works with companies willing to invest in themselves, who commit the necessary time, money and human resources to improve their businesses. Through SCMEP’s role as a facilitator in the engagement process, Manufacturing Specialists coach clients as strategic “professional business advisors.” Company personnel are trained in techniques and supplied with tools that allow them to develop the skills required to expand the company’s capabilities and improve its performance. The goal is to internalize these changes and make them self-sustaining so they become standard operating procedure, enabling the company to work independently instead of becoming consultant dependent.

Specialization

• SCMEP has built expertise and become recognized authorities in several specialized business improvement services areas including business assessment (Competitiveness Review), Lean manufacturing, constraint management, and recently, Lean healthcare.

Fast Facts



• SCMEP offers cost-effective, high-quality business improvement services.
• We provide access to an extensive network of resources through our partnerships, alliances and contacts.
• Our efforts are guided and monitored by independent agencies.