Innovation will propel Atlantic Canadian companies onto the global stage
Glenwood Kitchen in Shédiac, NB uses a robotic sander for a perfect finish on cabinet doors.
Over the last year the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce has been leading a campaign to generate awareness of the immense benefits for Atlantic Canadian businesses in adopting advanced manufacturing systems and processes.
We know that for some companies this sounds like a big leap to transition a traditional manufacturing business into a high-tech factory, but it doesn’t have to happen overnight, or even all at once.
As part of the Forge Ahead campaign we were pleased to welcome Stephanie Mehta to speak at our virtual conference earlier this fall. Stephanie Mehta is the Editor in Chief of Fast Company Magazine and knows a thing or two about innovation.
Stephanie spoke to our audience of small and medium sized businesses in the Atlantic Provinces about the four secrets of world’s most successful companies. She defined successful companies as those that have a sense of purpose, empower their employees, make it safe to fail and - most importantly - empower people to innovate.
Innovation is simply defined as a new method, idea or product. Our members recognize the importance, especially now in a COVID-19 world, of being able to do things differently. We’ve all had to innovate during the past nine months to be able to continue operate our businesses.
Another aspect of the Forge Ahead campaign involved us visiting numerous successful companies throughout Atlantic Canada who have innovated, looking into how this progress has positively impacted their business.
We profiled seven small and medium sized companies from all four Atlantic Provinces. Those companies have used technology to their benefit and are now competing more successfully with companies from around the word.
Those companies did not have access to unlimited amounts of capital, nor did they have expensive business consultants who could chart their course, but instead they had an entrepreneurial spirit and knew there had to be a better and more innovative way to run their business. They knew they had the product and skill to compete globally and they were not afraid to try something new. We learned about their challenges and successes and documented their progress in a series of videos.
Innovation is a solution not just for tomorrow but rather for the next five or ten years. Companies who consistently think to future opportunities are the ones that will be successful on the global stage.
Right now it is crucial to look ahead or get left behind.
To learn more about Advanced Manufacturing success stories and how businesses can benefit, visit the Forge Ahead website at www.ForgeAheadAtlantic.com.
Sheri Somerville is the CEO of the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce, a nationally accredited organization representing the network of 94 chambers, 27 corporate partners, and more than 16,000 businesses in Atlantic Canada.