Benefits of belonging to a cluster
The cluster process as managed by the Workplace Challenge Programme is experienced by many companies as a kick-start on the narrow road towards becoming competitive in world-class terms.
In general, benefits of cluster membership are as follows:
· Members get access to powerful world-class manufacturing materials through a group of accredited world-class service providers
· They get access to world-class facilitators/expertise
· Ultimately they are actively involved in the promotion of productivity and performance improvement of the region where they are situated.
These benefits have resulted in a profound impact among WPC Companies.
Members receive a 75% subsidy from the dti to pay for world-class manufacturing services and materials on a cost-sharing basis as follows:
|
SIZE OF
COMPANY |
NUMBER
EMPLOYED |
PROGRAMME GRANT (R)
(EXCL. VAT) |
COMPANY PORTION (R)
(EXCL. VAT) |
TOTAL AMOUNT (R)
(EXCL. VAT) |
|
Black-owned SMEs |
Less than 40 |
90 000 (90%) |
10 000 (10%) |
100 000 |
|
Small |
Less than 100 |
75 000 (75%) |
25 000 (25%) |
100 000 |
|
Medium |
100 to 399 |
225 000 (75%) |
75 000 (25%) |
300 000 |
|
Large |
400 to 799 |
300 000 (75%) |
100 000 (25%) |
400 000 |
|
Corporate |
800 or larger |
450 000 (75%) |
150 000 (25%) |
600 000 |
The cluster members are actively coached in all of the key activities involved in the implementation of world-class manufacturing principles:
· The enterprise will be assisted by the Cluster Change Facilitator to establish a representative Plant Level Forum to guide, control and monitor the project internally. This helps with the smooth transition from struggling to world-class enterprise
· Managers, Supervisors and Worker representatives attend Capacity Building Orientation workshops so that the company will understand world-class concepts and roles
· Enterprises host one visit to their company during the year or help to write up their case study so that the Cluster Network can use it to demonstrate world-class competitiveness principles to other companies. At the same time this is valuable exposure to member companies
· Company representatives attend the Best Operating Practice Workshop – this helps internal Champions to understand world-class competitiveness concepts so that they are able to benefit from networking with other cluster participants
· Enterprises are helped to apply the world-class manufacturing materials by means of a selection from various Service Provider Frameworks (Mission Directed Work Team (MDWT) or 20-Keys or Best in Class Tools (BICIT)). This helps the enterprise to understand world-class concepts in practice
· Companies are helped to set up their internal mini business and performance measurement infrastructure so that they could get started with world-class practices
· Members are invited to attend regular sharing occasions in the form of “Milestone Workshops” so that team members could learn from other companies’ lessons and mistakes
· Enterprises participate in audits by WPC and or internal company facilitators, with feedback and coaching so that they could learn from their own mistakes
· Members attend Monthly User Group Steering Committee meetings (for internal champions and facilitators) so that they could learn valuable lessons regarding User Group implementation
· Members get to use the WPC website to help them stay informed of world-class developments and the networking schedule.
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