Their discussion covered MediCA Park, the challenges and opportunities of Industry 4.0, and the importance of company culture. According to David, a company’s ability to adapt to challenges is directly linked to its culture. The example he gave was the adoption of lights-out manufacturing, which is only possible with Industry 4.0 technology.
All new technology comes with risks – people will need to be retrained, new processes will need to be created, and the financial costs of the technology needs to be factored in. Unless the employees tasked with using this technology are ready to embrace it, your company won’t see the full benefits. David attributes most of MPC’s ability to thrive during challenging times to the prevailing culture of innovation at his company.
On a wider, industry level, culture played a role in the development of MediCA Park. When the COVID-19 pandemic wrought havoc on our supply chains and affected our ability to locally produce personal protective equipment (PPE), MPC went to work making them. They worked alongside the town of Oro-Medonte, NGen, and the federal and provincial governments to create a medical supply manufacturing hub, today known as MediCA Park. It would not have been possible without a healthy ecosystem of support and a culture innovation among Ontario manufacturers as a whole.
David offers specific steps company owners and managers can take to quantify, monitor, and cultivate a company culture of innovation. If you’re looking to start your journey, David has some advice for you.