Montana University Technical Assistance Program Montana Manufacturing Extension Center University Montana State University University Technical Assistance Program/Montana Manufacturing Extension Center University of Montana Montana’s University Center is led by technical assistance, marketing support Center Director Montana State University (MSU) and and SBIR assistance to Montana's Mark Shyne strives to foster the creation and manufacturers and science and Center Location retention of -­‐ high wage jobs and technology firms. The Center assists Outreach Unit enhance the competitiveness of entrepreneurs and small es business to

Center since 1986 Montana manufacturing and science grow and innovate through Center Activities and technology firms in the state, commercialization of technologies and
Business and technical nation, and globally. The consortium process improvements, which help counseling combines the expertise of three competiveness and raise employee
Stretegic marketing skills levels. UTAP offers the assistance leading Montana University System
Market nalysis a programs: (1) University Technical innovators advice and referrals to
SBIR/STTR grant writing Assistance Program (UTAP), an MSU experts in research, development and support center specializing in engineering nd a
Training and workshops management assistance for Marke�ng Clients manufacturers; (2) TechLink, an MSU support
Entreprenuers 25% Engineering center specializing in technology technical
Start-­‐ups transfer and the commercialization of assitance
Exisiting businesses SBIR 50% leading-­‐edge new technology through
Community development assisstance Small Business Innovation Research 25% Assessment (SBIR) assistance; and ( 3) the Techniques Montana World Trade Center
Feedback from staff (MWTC), a School of Business patent protection; testing labs;
Client interviews Administration center at the
Feedback at regional marketing specialists; export workshops University of Montana specializing in assistance; and funding sources.
Client satisfaction surveys strategic business marketing The World Tra de Center program
Case studies assistance. The Center is supported by
MEP surveys provides strategic industrial marketing the grant, U the niversity, and through student teams, who research Contact Information program fees. and develop a plan for Montana www.mtmanufacturingcenter. Activities companies. Companies are not d charge com The Center provides engineering [email protected] FY 2012

for this assistance, but are required to helping them partner both with has developed a close working invest in the marketing strategy university researchers for better R&D relationship with the Northern Rocky developed by the team. capabilities and with other businesses Mountain EDD and the NIST program. and large prime contractors for In addition, graduate students The Center provides SBIR/STTR improved commercialization supervised by faulty assist in a lot of assistance to Montana firms by capabilities. In addition, the Center client work, especially in the educating clients about the program provides proposal review with the marketing assistance program. The and about program differences help of a national SBIR/STTR Center also leverages university among agencies; by providing consultant. resources such as data , sources technical insight into military and analytical expertise, and the labs and commercial applications of Leveraging machine shops for assistant to clients. technologies and capabilities; by The Center leverages its long history helping the firms develop viable of providing assistance to Montana commercialization strategies; and by firms. From that history, the Center

Success

Business s upport aids move when table that would use about a third of Instruments transitioned from garage n o l onger cuts it the 1,200 square feet r of floo space. research and development to steady Headwaters Seat Covers LLC started Space for materials handling, a production. In a two-­‐pronged in the family but garage experienced restroom, and an office were approach, the Center’s assistance more demand than its manual fabric included in the design . Center staff helped make e th transition cutting system could handle . Its reemphasized the importance of smoother. Technical assistance cut owner began exploring commercial Lean Manufacturing concepts in the management ours h needed to space that would successfully facility layout. analyze, locate job problems, and

accommodate a large CNC cutting expedite orders. It also cut lead Two-­‐pronged approach transitions table enabling automation of fabric times by -­‐ two thirds and reduced the technology c ompany cutting processes. The University cost of goods sold. UTAP’s marketing Technical Assistance Program A blend of technical and marketing B2B service brought customer initially referred the business -­‐ for no assistance builds a strong foundation perspectives to marketing in the cost Break Even Analysis provided by for business growth as companies technology company. It also assisted the Montana State University move from start-­‐up to robust role in with writing a selling script for cold College of Business -­‐ (MSU COB) economic development. calling, segmenting (defining and student program. During the next categorizing) potential customers by Along with learning to actively phase of expansion, the owner specialty, and characterizing the best market its highly specialized sought the expertise of the student customer. The company’s , tag line laboratory instrument, the concepts engineers at UTAP for an efficient “Cold Science Made Simple,” is an from Lean Manufacturing were very plant layout that would optimize outcome of UTAP/B2B marketing beneficial when Montana flow and output from a new cutting meetings.

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