About

Profile

The Quinte Manufacturers Association (QMA) was started in March 2005 to provide a forum for addressing issues common to all manufacturers in the Greater Bay of Quinte Region. The QMA is a regeneration of the former Quinte District Manufacturers Association which itself was superseded by the Quinte District Superintendents’ Association.

While there are a number of active associations and councils that represent a variety of business interests, the QMA is the only locally driven and controlled organization focused on the needs of the Greater Bay of Quinte manufacturing community. QMA members may choose to belong to other organizations for a variety of reasons but the QMA is the vehicle for a local voice of industry that tackles issues at the local level. The QMA also provides a local networking and information sharing opportunity for all members. To make this a truly inclusive association there is no cost for manufacturers to be a member of the QMA as primary administrative and financial support is provided by the Quinte Economic Development Commission (QEDC).

The QMA represents Greater Bay of Quinte Region’s manufacturers that directly employ 10,000 people (2021 census) and that cover a diverse cross section of sectors including:

• Food Processing
• Plastics & Packaging
• Logistics
• Auto Parts
• Aerospace

The benefits to participating in the QMA include:

• Economic development partners leveraging funding and services on behalf of manufacturers by having QMA represent all local manufacturers
• Accessing forums for networking with neighbouring companies, either in person at various events or electronically as desired
• Sharing of expertise and learning from the “best practices” of others between manufacturing operations
• Capitalizing on multi-company training and skill development opportunities with the Loyalist Training & Knowledge Centre
• Working in cooperation with the most senior staff from local Chambers of Commerce to bring member concerns to all levels of government
• Providing a forum to investigate possible purchasing, supply chain or supporting services opportunities
• Creating together a better place to work and to live

How We Operate

Charter

The QMA’s primary mission is to help local manufacturing leaders improve their capabilities, competitiveness and sustainability.

Values

Guiding Principles

We will:

• Focus on what works for our members, our external partners and the community
• Demonstrate the highest levels of professionalism & respect in all we do
• Help each other when we can
• Recognize & celebrate the successes where appropriate and routinely learn from our efforts that fall short of our goals
• Promote the benefits of the local manufacturing sector and its importance to the community

Approach

• We all “give a little” to get back “a lot more”
• Keep everything QMA as LEAN and informal as possible
• Flex to give members the real value added activities & help they want, when and where they want it
• Our chosen activities are all “pull” from member needs, no “push”
• Agenda must be industry driven & supported by local economic development partners
• Effectively communicate every possible networking opportunity
• Use an “On-line” communication strategy to make it as easy as possible for all
• Ruthlessly protect the time constraints of members i.e. Site tours ~ once per quarter – breakfast meeting format, < 2 hours
• Make it easy for local manufacturing leaders to share, learn from others, & cooperate towards common goals
• Use the “Member needs help” concept to offer help while protecting confidentialities
• We create and destroy sub groups or strategic interest groups where there is “Pull”
• No-selling – information exchange and networking only
• Yearly renewal of our charter is essential to ensure balance between strategic and tactical goals needed to meet our mission

Measuring Success

• Leveraged Funding Dollars made available for local manufacturers
• Number of members from manufacturing firms per event – if useful, people will come
• Member satisfaction checks & testimonials & Communication “touches”
• Improving member Companies’ results

Steering Committee

The QMA steering committee is made up of volunteers that work to provide a structure for action for local manufacturing leaders to share information, learn from others, and cooperate towards common goals and strategic directions. Input from local manufacturers is welcome either on the steering committee or with items to be considered by the steering committee.

Members

• Manufacturers’ active or retired senior level managers & other selected key plant leaders
• Steering Committee Members are volunteers as is the Chair Position. The Chair Position is to be reviewed every year end to ensure that both the Chair and the Steering Committee majority agree to the continuation of the Present Chair.
• Steering Committee Membership includes support from:
  • Quinte Economic Development Commission (QEDC) & the QEDC’s Manufacturing Resource Center (MRC)
  • Loyalist College
  • Trenval Business Development Corporation
  • Local Chambers of Commerce