Thirty AMPC innovation managers embedded within processing plants across Australia met this September in Brisbane for the twice-yearly AMPC Innovation Manager Workshop to help drive research, development, and adoption within their facilities.
The group participated in a range of sessions where they explored new ways of thinking to help solve challenges within the processing environment, understanding the innovation landscape, and identifying innovative solutions that could reach commercial reality.
AMPC Program Manager Amanda Carter said, “The AMPC Innovation Manager Program has been boosting innovation capability across the processing industry for over five years now. It involves providing funding and operational support for processors to engage a dedicated innovation employee in their business to help support R&D projects and adoption.
“AMPC brings the innovation manager cohort together twice a year to facilitate industry collaboration and support development. The main goal of this workshop was to help our innovation managers think beyond day-to-day operational processes and take their businesses to the next level.”
The workshop focused on value-add approaches to productivity and included a site visit of an innovation-driven food manufacturer, Earlee Products. The group took part in a demonstration of new product innovations, a food processing workshop, and taste-tested a wide variety of products.
Three of the innovation managers presented at the workshop and talked about projects where they had implemented innovative solutions to improve efficiencies, productivity, and safety outcomes. The workshop also included an informative session on time management and productivity.
“A key highlight from the workshop was presenting Rob George from Nolan Meats with the first Innovation Manager Star Thought Leader Award. Across the two days, Rob demonstrated the key attributes of an innovation manager and his engagement throughout all the sessions set a great example for the cohort,” Amanda said.
The AMPC team will continue to work closely with the innovation managers to help them extend the new tools and ideas they learned in the workshop to their businesses.
For more information about the AMPC Innovation Manager Program, contact Amanda Carter at a.carter@ampc.com.au