Manufacturing Excellence Forum - Kelowna

Agenda:

8:00am – Networking Breakfast

8:30am – Opening Presentation on Sustainable MFG

9:30am – Networking Break

9:45am – Culture, Safety and Sustainability Presentation by Orlando Rodriguez, Production Manager, MAKR Group

10:45am – Canada’s Productivity Puzzle Presentation by Karen Sytnick and Carla Heim, BDC

11:30am – Networking Break

11:45am – Youth Initiatives in Manufacturing – Presentation by Chase Reed, Senior HR Professional, Masonite – Owens Corning Doors

12:00pm – Industry Panel: Beyond the Factory Floor (Moderated by JP Giroux, President, EMC) 

12:30pm – Lunch

1:30pm – Facility Tour – Participants choose one of the following locations:

• Quails’ Gate Winery
• KF Aerospace
• Okanagan College
• MAKR Group

More Info

Culture, Safety and Sustainability Presentation

MAKR will highlight their company culture, including CARE Values and the MAKR Ways, and share how they foster an inclusive environment for all MAKRs across the globe. MAKR will also provide an overview of their global footprint and where MAKR is currently represented.

MAKR will showcase their safety program, introduce some of their latest products, and highlight some of their most exciting completed projects. During this time they will  discuss their sustainability initiatives, including recent investments in equipment and departmental improvements that support how they are committed to responsible growth.

Canada’s Productivity Puzzle: Solutions for Entrepreneurs

Embrace Productivity to Thrive in the Current Context

Productivity growth has declined in Canada since the pandemic. Average annual productivity growth dropped to 0% from 2019 to 2023, while labour costs have been increasing faster than labour productivity. This crisis in productivity is even more dire for small and medium-sized businesses (including those looking to become more sustainable) that have seen their productivity drop to 58% that of large firms. This has important consequences for Canadian entrepreneurs. More productive firms, generate more sales, profits and are more valuable in the event of a sale. An unproductive company is leaving a lot of money on the table! The good news is that you can take actions to curb this trend. Business investments in machinery, equipment and technology, for instance, are key drivers of productivity and help drive sustainability, but other solutions exist as well.

Discover

• Why Canada is lagging in productivity
• Productivity trends for some of the largest sectors of the Canadian economy
• How to improve productivity in your company

Presenter:

• Karen Sytnick – Director, Business Development, Advisory Services BC&N – BDC.
• Carla Heim, Director, Sustainability BDC

Youth Initiatives in Manufacturing

Hear Firsthand How Youth Initiatives are Revitalizing Canadian Manufacturing

Join us for a special presentation by Chase Reed, from Masonite, who will share valuable insights into the current state of manufacturing in Canada and the critical role youth initiatives play in strengthening the industry’s future.

Chase will highlight her experience with the BC Youth in Manufacturing Initiative, a wage subsidy program delivered by EMC in partnership with the Province of British Columbia. She will walk through the program’s application process, outline the benefits it has brought to their facility, and discuss how investing in youth talent can drive long-term success for manufacturers.

Thank you to our sponsors: