Recently
the University of Rhode Island hosted representatives from many of Rhode
Island’s top manufacturing companies to recognize National Manufacturing
Day. The range of products
represented was truly amazing – nuclear-powered submarines to high-tech shoelaces. I kid you not. Equally impressive was the fact that
these manufacturing companies are succeeding in the intensely competitive
international marketplace. Many
people doubt that Rhode Island-based manufacturing can compete, especially
compared to locations where labor costs are substantially less than here. The fact is, however, that numerous
manufacturing companies located in Rhode Island are globally competitive.
I
have visited many competitive manufacturing companies in Rhode Island – large
and small. A common element to their success is Innovation: innovative
products; innovations in efficiency and productivity; innovative marketing and
customer service; Innovations in creating opportunities for the growth and
development of their personnel.
The successful Rhode Island manufacturers I am familiar with are
characterized by consistent (bordering on relentless) innovation in some or all
of these areas.
So,
if these companies can be globally competitive, why can we not create or
attract more such manufacturers here? Why can we not assist our existing
manufacturers in becoming even more successful, and therefore to expand? Both strategies would produce more
economic growth, more opportunities, and more good jobs in Rhode Island. I think we can do this.
Of
course, we are all aware of the structural difficulties associated with being
in Rhode Island, and we must develop effective strategies to improve our
competitive standing as a state. While
that challenging work is underway, the University of Rhode Island is vigorously
pursuing multiple approaches to assist our existing manufacturing companies and
to create new companies. That is
why we created the Business Engagement Center, brought the federal
Manufacturing Extension Program into our Research Foundation and reorganized it
as Polaris MEP, and also took on the administration and leadership of Rhode
Island’s Small Business Development Center.
The
University of Rhode Island is doing even more. Research drives innovation and
stimulates the creation of new products, new services, and new companies. The locus of much of this activity at
URI is the College of Engineering. Research universities like URI not only
produce the advanced, highly-skilled workforce so essential to economic
prosperity, these institutions also produce new intellectual property and create
new companies. Consider this:
graduates and faculty of the College of Engineering have founded 28 companies
in Rhode Island, and another 17 in our New England neighbors. Hundreds of companies, including
practically all of Rhode Island’s leading manufacturing and technology
companies employ graduates of the University of Rhode Island’s College of Engineering.
This
is one of many reasons why approval of Question 4 on our November ballot is so
critical to the future of Rhode Island. Modern, competitive facilities for
education and research are essential to expanding and sustaining a globally
competitive economy. I am
convinced that Rhode Island can compete – because we have so many great
examples all around us – but only if we have the people and the facilities to
drive innovation. The Rhode Island
economy may finally be gaining new momentum. Now is not the time to “take our
foot off the gas”. Vote Yes on 4.
For more information, please visit engineering4ri.com
For more information, please visit engineering4ri.com
