A public
forum on new product development designed to help small and rural
Idaho companies become more successful at introducing new products
to market will be held from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept.
23, at the Nampa Civic Center.
The session will introduce companies in rural Idaho to the latest
methods in new product development, computer integrated design,
and rapid prototyping technologies. It is the effort of the New
Product Development initiative, part of a new product development
program funded by the Economic Development Administration with
matching funds from Boise State University’s College of
Engineering and College of Business and Economics, and TechHelp,
Idaho’s manufacturing extension center based at the university.
Product development consultant Steve Hatten from TechHelp said
smaller companies frequently lack the new product expertise and
the capital and resources that are needed for introducing new
products. These Idaho companies have trouble competing with large
domestic and foreign corporations.
Hatten said the public meeting is part of an educational drive
that will help remedy this situation by introducing companies to
product development resources available in Idaho.
“Participants will get to hear about a market readiness assessment
tool that helps companies determine how well they are currently
managing their new product processes as well as new design and
rapid prototyping technologies,” Hatten said.
“We will also be introducing a new approach that can guide
companies through product development without taking unnecessary
risks.” According to Hatten, the new approach helps respond to
recent research which shows there is a widespread need among Idaho
manufacturers for a more structured approach to product
development.
For more information, visit
www.techhelp.org, call Hatten at 863- 4258 or e-mail him at
shatten@boisestate.edu.
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Contact
Steve Hatten
TechHelp product development specialist
863-4258
shatten @boisestate.edu
Media Contact
Sherry Squires
Boise State communications and marketing
426-1563
ssquires@boisestate.edu
