The five common characteristics of competitive SMEs (small-to-medium enterprises)

1. A rich history and great future

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QMI Solutions: a rich history and great future
Gary Christian, CEO
QMI Solutions

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• Est. 1993 under a technology diffusion program with Qld Govt
• Founding partners DBIRD, CSIRO, QUT and TAFE
• Exposing Queensland industry to stereolithography – the
forerunner to 3D printing
• Other technologies:
– Water-jet cutting
– CAD/CAM
– Casting technologies (Mg, sand investment)
– Selective Laser Sintering
– Virtual reality and process simulation
– Incremental sheet forming
A rich history

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• Hard technologies (machinery & software) were only part of the
solution
• Industry needed best practice to optimise technology and
efficiency
• Soft technologies
– Product development management (Stage Gate)
– Lean manufacturing suite
– Process optimisation
– Benchmarking as a continuous improvement tool
A rich history

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• Arrival of mining/resources boom:
– Skills shortage
– Supply chain optimisation
– Major project engagement
– Commercialisation and collaboration
A rich history

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• Skills shortage
– Industry Skills Body for manufacturing and engineering
– Training needs – region/sector
– Key conduit between industry and government
– Brokered over 4,000 places through Productivity Places Program
– Programs: Gateway schools, Women who Weld
A rich history

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• Supply chain optimisation and major project engagement
– Merge with ICN Queensland
• Local Industry Participation Plans
• Capability enhancement – MPSP
• Awareness and engagement with major projects
• National approach – ICN Gateway
• Black Business Finder – www.bbf.org.au
A rich history

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• Commercialisation and Collaboration
– Merge with the Australian Institute for Commercialisation
• Entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs
• Navigate the commercialisation pathway
• Manage and convert IP/ideas into reality
• Link researchers and industry
• Thought leaders in applied innovation
A rich history

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• Partnerships with government
– Qld Govt since before 1993
– A trusted partner in delivering policy for government
– Depts State Development, Education & Training, Science &
Innovation
• Small Business, Attorney-General, Tourism, Commonwealth
Games, Public Works & Housing, Agriculture
– Bi-partisan support
– Agile partnership
• GFC-tailored programs
• Disaster recovery
A rich history

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• Trusted partner
– Able to quantify value of our government programs, from 2008-2013:
A rich history
$341M
753
jobs
22:1
ROI

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• Federal government
– Entrepreneurs’ Infrastructure Programme
– AusIndustry
– Industry Skills Fund
– Supplier Access to Major Projects
• Local Government
– Sunshine Coast, Logan City, Gold Coast, Brisbane.
A rich history

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• Our well-known brands – Industry Capability Network Queensland
– Supported by Qld Govt through Dept State Development
– ICN Gateway
• 70,000 nationally, 20,000+ Qld
• Projects worth $440B
• Wins for Qld companies since 2006 $3B+
– Leverage points
• Tier Barometer
• MPSP online
• Embedments
• Nextgen supply chains
A rich history

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• Our well-known brands – Australian Institute for Commercialisation
– Supported by Qld Govt through Dept Science, IT & Innovation
– Ideas2Market
– Qld Inventor’s Service
– Innovation clinics
– IP workshops
– Market research
– Leverage points
• Design-led innovation
• Business-model innovation
• Commercialisation pathways
• NB: Logan Health Innovation hub
A rich history

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• A renewal process
– New board members
– New location
– New strategy, based on:
• conversations with customers: industry, government and academia
• what world class companies are doing
• extensive data within the organisation
A great future

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We empower business
and connect expertise

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We bring new ideas and
business tools to solve
Australian industry’s challenges

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We believe everything we do with
Australian industry today better equips
them to compete tomorrow

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• Benchmarking data
– 1400 companies over 10 years
– Split into pre-GFC and post-GFC samples
– What makes a competitive SME in a post-GFC environment?
– Five common characteristics
A great future

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1. Technology
• effective ways for SMEs to source and optimise technology
• increase productivity and output
• improve high-end skills development
A great future
2. Systems
• integration of skills and technology
• repeatable and geared towards maximum productivity
• applying innovation

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3. Skills
• accredited and non-accredited skills development
• anticipating emerging skills needs – region and/or sector
• career pathways
A great future

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4. Opportunities
• new relationships and new markets
• emerging areas of demand overseas
• business matching and addressing capability gaps
A great future
5. Collaboration
• partnering to enhance capability
• better visibility and understanding between research/industry
• innovative collaboration models
• network connections

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A great future

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• Strategy activation
– leveraging our rich history
– alignment with government programs
– launching new products (Core Value)
– keeping in touch with market needs (procurement)
– seeking collaborative partnerships
A great future

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QMI Solutions
16 Cinderella Road, SPRINGWOOD, QLD 4127 Australia
T. 07 3364 0700 F. 07 3364 0786
Want to know more?
email info@qmisolutions.com.au