Resources

Tech Tips

Environmental

• Removing Heavy Metals from Wastewater

Lean Manufacturing

• Understanding Lean Manufacturing

• Dr. Richard J. Schonberger and his WCP Assesment Matrix and International Benchmarking Materials

• The Culture of Lean (part 1)

• The Culture of Lean (part 2)

• The Culture of Lean (part 3)

Presentations

Lean Manufacturing

• Developing a Lean Culture Presentation (pdf format)

Useful Links

• Maryland-Specific Sites
• General Business Assistance
• Small Business Assistance
• Electronic Commerce
• Environmental Information & Regulations
• Federal Legislation & Regulations
• General Reference Sources & Databases
• Government Contracting
• Government Agencies / Entities
• Human Resources / Employee Training
• Industrial Management & Manufacturing
• Standards (General)
• Standards (Quality)
• Statistics
• Technology Transfer
• Waste Recovery & Recycling

Maryland-Specific Sites

• Regional Manufacturing Institute
  Founded in 1990, the Regional Manufacturing Institute (RMI), a non-profit association, was created for manufacturers in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. RMI is unique in that it has representatives of Business, Government, Education, Labor and the community serving on the Board of Directors. This helps greatly in getting things done with agencies and organizations that impact manufacturers.

• Maryland World Class Consortia
  The Consortia is made up of more than 60 companies throughout the state. They represent more than $3.6 billion in sales and about 20,000 employees. The Maryland World Class Consortia is a group of Maryland manufacturers that have organized into a not-for-profit organization with the support of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED).

• Technology & Innovation in Manufacturing Edication (TIME) Center
  The TIME Center Mission is to work collaboratively with industry, government and education partners to: develop a comprehensive support system that will assist regional manufacturers to meet their current and future workforce needs; and improve the technical and workplace support skills of new and existing technicians and workers.

• Greater Baltimore Committee
  An organization dedicated to improving the business climate of the Greater Baltimore region.
  

• Maryland Business Forum
  A place for businesses in Maryland to conduct business with each other and their clients over the World Wide Web.
  

• Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development
  Provides Maryland business with workforce training and financial assistance.
  

• Maryland Department of the Environment
  MDE's primary mission is to protect and restore the quality of Maryland's air, water, and land resources.
  

• Maryland Technology Development Corporation
  Fosters the development of a technology economy and enhances the transfer of technology from government sources to the private sector.
  

• University of Maryland
  Homepage for the College Park campus.
  

• University of Maryland, Industry Programs
  Summary of the Business, Government and Industry programs available at the College Park campus.
  

• University of Maryland, One Stop Shop
  One Stop Shop for Business Assistance at the University of Maryland.
  

• University of Maryland Supply Chain Management Center
  Provides comprehensive consulting services to help organizations move with confidence into the new e-supply chain environment.

General Business Assistance

• Annual Report Gallery
  This is the most complete and up-to-date listing of Annual Reports and related financial reports online.
  

• Annual SEC Reports
  This database (EDGAR) contains annual reports filed with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC).
  

• APICS
  The Educational Society for Resource Management
  

• Business Research
  A virtual library for business research.
  

• Company Information
  Search engine for manufacturing companies
  

• ISM
  Institute for Supply Management
  

• Securities Exchange Commission (SEC)
  Main page for the SEC
  

Small Business Assistance

• APICS Small Manufacturing (SM) SIG
  This is a specific industry group designed for companies that supply materials and/or finished goods to original equipment manufacturers.
  

• Business Resource Center
  Web page contains financial guide for people who are just starting a business.
  

• Home Business Network
  This organization helps home-based business owners find opportunities to make their ventures succeed.
  

• Small Business Administration (SBA)
  Homepage for the Small Business Administration.
  

• SBA's Office of Government Contracting
  Mission to assist small, disadvantaged, and woman-owned businesses in federal government contract and large prime subcontract awards.
  

• SBA's Procurement Hotlist
  SBA's Procurement Hotlist for Outside Resources.
  

• SBA's Gopher Search
  Gopher Search tool for SBA documents.
  

• SBA's Subcontracting Directory
  A listing of Prime Contractors by state.
  

• Small Business Survival Committee (SBSC)
  This organization is an advocate for small business.
  

• Tax News
  This is a commercial service that provides daily tax information. Most of the features require an account. 
  

Electronic Commerce

• CommerceNet
  Provides guidance for companies that want to take advantage of the Internet.
  

• DoD Electronic Commerce Home Page
  A gateway to information on EC/EDI programs, projects, and resources in DoD.
  

• Electronic Commerce
  Contains a glossary of terms used in EC/EDI.
  

• Electronic Markets & Electronic Commerce
  A comprehensive library of journal articles, papers, and links related to electronic commerce.
  

• FinanceNet Electronic Commerce
  One-stop-shop Internet clearing site for information on the public sale/auction of billions of dollars each year of surplus government property and other government assets.
  

• Internet Index
  The Internet Index is an occasional collection of facts and statistics about the Internet and related activities.
  

• Mouse Tracks
  A catalog of great resources for both on-line and off-line marketing, advertising, and retailing professionals.
  

• National Electronic Commerce Resource Center (ECRC) Program
  This program promotes awareness and implementation of Electronic Commerce and related technologies into the U.S. integrated civil-military industrial base.
  

• Virtual Library: Logistics
  This site contains information, resources and links for logistics.
  

Environmental Information & Regulations

• AIR LINKS
  Information and contacts for air pollution control.

• Air Pollution, SCRAM
  Support Center for Regulatory Air Models.
  

• Automotive Compliance Assistance Center, GreenLink
  Offers quick access to important information on a variety of environmental issues related to the auto industry.
  

• Chemical Industry Home Page
  A world wide search engine for the chemical industry.
  

• Consortium on Green Design and Manufacturing (CGDM)
  A Consortium formed to encourage research and education on environmental management and pollution prevention in critical industries.
  

• Envirolink
  A non-profit organization dedicated to providing a comprehensive, up-to-date environmental resources.
  

• EPA's (CEPPO)
  Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention Office.
  

• EPA's Compliance and Enforcement
  The homepage for the EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
  

• EPA EnergyStar Programs and Products
  A voluntary partnership between government and industry to promote energy efficient products.
  

• EPA's Office of Air & Radiation
  This site allows the regulated community to easily obtain access to both current and historical regulatory information.

• EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER)
  Valuable information pertaining to all aspects of solid waste.
  

• EPA's Rules and Regulations
  Free access to the full text of the Federal Register daily Table of Contents, EPA Federal Register subset, an environmental subset of CFR Title 40, and the United States Code.
  

• EPA's Sector Notebooks
  The source for the EPA Sector Notebooks that cover 18 selected major industrial groups focusing on key indicators that holistically present air, water, and land pollutant release data.
  

• EPA's Toxic Release Inventory
  A valuable source of information regarding toxic chemicals that are being used, manufactured, treated, transported, or released into the environment.
  

• EPIC, DOE's Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse
  Provides a centralized source for the U.S. Department of Energy's Pollution Prevention Information.
  

• Information Highway To The Global Environment
  Directory of Organizations and Institutes Active in Environmental Monitoring
  

• Hazardous Chemical Database
  This database allows the user to retrieve information for any of 2662 hazardous chemicals or 'generic' entries based on a keyword search.
  

• Joint Service Pollution Prevention Technical Library
  A library of pollution prevention documents prepared by several branches of the military
  

• Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
  Search engine for Material Safety Data Sheets.
  

• P2 by Design
  A Department of Energy sponsored project that helps engineers and designers incorporate pollution prevention strategies during the design of new products, processes, and facilities.
  

• P2 Generic Program Procedure
  This generic Pollution Prevention Program Procedure may be used as a basis for preparing company-specific procedure(s).
  

• Printers' National Environmental Assistance Center (PNEAC)
  Access to electronic information about successful pollution prevention practices in the printing industry, and descriptions of related projects
  

• Small Business Environmental Home Page
  Helping small businesses access environmental compliance and pollution prevention information.
  

• Toxicology Excellence for Risk Assessment (TERA)
  This is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the best use of toxicity data for the development of risk values.
  

Federal Legislation/Regulations

• Code of Federal Regulations
  

• GPO Access
  Government Printing Office's database of documents.
  

• Congressional Record
  Database of recent Congressional Records.
  

• THOMAS: Legislative Information on the Internet
  Site contains the text of current legislation and historical files from 1993 to the present.
  

• U.S. House of Representatives
  Information regarding the current members of the House of Representatives.
  

• U.S. Senate
  Information regarding the current members of the Senate.
  

General Research Tools
(practical directories, services, databases, etc.)

• Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries (CARL)
  Contains links to large research libraries and a database of journal table of contents.
  

• Dictionary
  This hypertext Webster interface provides a point-and-click client interface for accessing the various Webster's dictionary services on the Internet
  

• Library of Congress
  A searchable database for the Library of Congress.
  

• LIBWEB
  Links to national and international library catalogs via the world wide web.
  

• Reference Materials
  This site contains links to dictionaries, directories and other general reference tools located on the Internet.
  

• Standard Industrial Classification (SIC)
  Searchable index of SIC codes. Search for target markets.
  

• Searchable Database of SIC Codes
  This page allows the user to search the 1987 version SIC manual by keyword.
  

• Tax Forms
  A source for US IRS tax forms.
  

• Thesaurus
  Directory of manufacturers and products
  

• Yahoo Business Directories
  An up-to date catalog of businesses on the Web.
  

• ZIP Codes
  Given a valid U.S. postal address, this server attempts to rewrite the address in the proper format along with the ZIP+4 code. 
  

Government Contracting

• Commerce Business Daily (CBD)
  Official FREE electronic version of the Commerce Business Daily (CBD).
  

• Federal Supply Group (FSG) Codes
  Federal Supply Classifications (FSCs) are how federal government categorizes the products it buys.
  

• Department of Energy Business Opportunities
  This page provides information to companies on doing business with DOE.
  

• Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Procurement and Assistance Management
  This page contains information on procurement practices and policies for the Department of Energy.
  

• Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
  Doing Business with the Defense Logistics Agency.
  

• Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
  A quick reference on the FAR parts.
  

• FAR, Defense (DFAR)
  A quick reference on the FAR parts for Defense contracts.
  

• FAR Energy (DEAR)
  A quick reference on the FAR parts for Energy Dept. contracts.
  

• FAR, NASA (NFS)
  A quick reference on the FAR parts for NASA contracts.
  

• Federal Marketplace
  A collection of sales resources and directories for doing business with the Federal government.
  

• Federal Procurement Data System
  The Official Statistical Data Base on Procurement Contract Transactions awarded since October 1, 1978.
  

• Federal Supply Service
  This site provides information to assist procurement and transact business efficiently.
  

• FEDWORLD
  Links to all Federal government sites.
  

• GOVCON
  A free registration provides access to CBD, FACNET, Federal teaming opportunities, SBIR and much more.
  

• Government Forms (federal)
  Source for government forms in two types of formats: PDF and Formnet.
  

• Military Specifications
  Single Stock Point for Military Specifications, Standards and Related Publications
  

• NASA Procurement Home Page
  Information and links for the various NASA Procurement offices.
  

• VAN List
  Contains a listing of the value-added network (VAN) providers which are DoD-certified to provide access to FACNET.

Government Agencies/Entities

• Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
  The Defense Logistics Support Command includes supply centers, service centers, and a distribution center.
  

• Department of Defense (DoD)
  DefenseLINK is the official web site for the Department of Defense and the starting point for finding U.S. military information online.
  

• Department of Commerce (DOC)
  The homepage for the Department of Commerce
  

• Department of Energy (DOE)
  The homepage for the Department of Energy
  

• Department of Labor (DOL)
  The homepage for the Department of Labor
  

• DTIC Program
  Defense Technical Information Center
  

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
  OSHA's homepage
  

• Department of Transportation (DOT)
  The homepage for the Department of Transportation
  

• Environmental Protection Agency EPA
  The homepage for EPA
  

• Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC)
  Homepage for the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer.
  

• General Services Administration (GSA)
  

• Government Printing Office (GPO)
  Information regarding the Government Printing Office and it's database of documents.
  

• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
  

• USGS Global Land Information System
  The U.S. Geological Survey's web site to search for and order a wide variety of maps and topographical photos. 
  

Human Resources/Employee Training

• ASTD Home Page
  This is the world's premier professional association and leading resource on workplace learning and performance issues.
  

• Creative Training Techniques
  This is a private company that provides "train-the-trainer"programs to the private and public sectors.
  

• The Human Resource Manager
  This is a convenient on-line reference guide to the broad range of Human Resources topics.
  

• International Society for Performance Improvement
  This is the leading international association dedicated to improving productivity and performance in the workplace.
  

• Links to Other HR Sites
  Information and links for Human Resources Managers
  

• Training SuperSite
  A comprehensive collection of the available human performance and productivity resource

Industrial Management & Manufacturing

• American Industrial Extension Alliance (AIEA)
  The primary purpose of the American Industrial Extension Alliance (AIEA)is to modernize American manufacturing, to raise the visibility of its members, and promote their capabilities within state and federal government agencies.
  

• American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS)
  An organization that develops educational programs and materials for industry that increase productivity and enhance competitive advantage
  

• IndustryLink
  A directory, by subject, of web sites for US and Canadian manufacturers.
  

• Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Sciences, Inc.
  The IAMS mission is to enhance the competitiveness of manufacturers and related businesses by increasing productivity, improving business practices and accelerating the implementation of technology.
  

• Industrial Technology Institute (ITI)
  The Industrial Technology Institute is an independent organization that partners with federal and state government entities,private enterprise, and industry organizations to assist manufacturers in increasing productivity, quality and customer satisfaction.
  

• Manufacturer's Information Net
  A source of information for industry and those services related to manufacturing.
  

• Manufacturing Efficiency Decision Support (MEDS)
  An Interactive Technology Decision Support Tool Designed To Assist Users In Making Manufacturing & Facility Equipment Purchasing Decisions.
  

• Manufacturing Extension Partnership Source
  Check the Locator Map for links to all of the MEP related programs across the United States.
  

• Manufacturing Marketplace
  One of the Internet's most comprehensive sites tailored to engineering, design, purchasing, logistics and distribution professionals.
  

• Material Safety Data Sheets
  A searchable site for MSDS information.
  

• National Association of Manufacturers
  NAM was established to advance a pro-growth, pro-manufacturing policy agenda.
  

• National Metal Finishing Resource Center (NMFRC)
  Contains valuable information on metal refinishing and links to other sites. Users are required to register.
  

• Printed Circuit Board Industry Links
  Information regarding the Rework & Repair Exchange, an industry service of Metcal, Inc.
  

• TechSavy.com
  An on-line mall where hundreds of companies sell new and used industrial products such as engineering software, process equipment,advanced manufacturing systems, test and measurement systems. Registration on this site is free.
  

• Thomas Register
  Directory of manufacturers and products. Registration on this site is free, but lengthy.
  

• Underwriter's Laboratory
  Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) is an independent, not-for-profit product safety testing and certification organization.
  

Standards—General

• American National Standards Institute
  Convenient access to information about the ANSI Federation, the latest national and international standards-related activities, and other national and international standards organizations.
  

• Military Specifications and Standards
  A listing of the military standards for packaging.
  

• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
  NIST promotes US economic growth by working with industry to develop and apply technology, measurements, and standards.
  

• International Standards Organization (ISO)
  ISO is a non-governmental organization that promotes the development of standardization in the world with a view to facilitating the international exchange of goods and services.
  

Standards—Quality

• ASQ ISO 14000 Home Page
  ASQ's homepage for the ISO 14000 standards on environmental management tools and systems.
  

• ASQ ISO 9000 Home Page
  ASQ's homepage for the ISO 9000 series of five individual, but related, international standards on quality management and quality assurance.
  

• Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG)
  This is a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to providing a forum to encourage communication, standardize business practices, and provide education for North American vehicle manufacturers and suppliers.
  

• ISO 14000 Info Center
  Lists of registrars, registered companies, background information and discussion groups.
  

• ISO 9000/QS 9000 Support Group
  An inexpensive alternative to consultants for obtaining compliance with either ISO 9000, QS-9000 or ISO 14000.
  

• ISO 9000/QS 9000 Info Exchange
  Serves as a Business Systems & Standards Information Exchange and Co-Operative.
  

• ISO 9000 Forum
  A listing of information and links.
  

• ISO Information and Training
  CEEM's site for information and training resources for ISO 9000 and ISO 14000.
  

• ISO Support Group
  Provides background information on the ISO 14000 standard.
  

• ISO On-Line
  This is the official website of the International Organization for Standardization.
  

• NSF/EPA Implementation Document
  The document entitled Environmental Management Systems: An Implementation Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Organizations is available for review/downloading in several formats.
  

• Quality Digest
  A listing of ISO 9000 Registars.
  

• U.S. Standards Group on Quality, Environment, Dependability and Statistics (QEDS)
  This site is designed to keep you informed of what is happening within the standards committees. ASQ is charged with administering these committees on behalf of the American National Standards Institute.
  

Statistics

• Bureau of Economic Analysis(BEA)
  The BEA data on this site draws a complete and consistent picture of the US economy.
  

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
  Electronic access to national employment statistics.
  

• Census Bureau
  This is the home page for census information.
  

• Internet Index
  The Internet Index contains an assortment of facts and statistics about activity on the Internet.
  

• OSHA Statistics & Data
  The databases on this site tie the OSHA standards to Standard Industrial Codes.
  

• Statistical Abstract of the United States 1996
  This publication must be viewed using the Adobe Reader
  

Technology Transfer

• Advanced Manufacturing Magazine
  Advanced Manufacturing "brings the world's best ideas to the global manufacturing professional."
  

• Corptech
  Database of 50,000 high-tech companies.
  

• Internal Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS)
  The "Mega Mall" of manufacturing.
  

• Lionheart Publishing, Inc.
  Publisher of manufacturing-related books.
  

• Manufacturer's News Inc.
  The nation's oldest and largest compiler and publisher of state manufacturers directories and databases.
  

• Manufacturing News
  A free daily news service that provides a quick update of today's most important manufacturing and business stories.
  

• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
  NIST promotes US economic growth by working with industry to develop and apply technology, measurements, and standards.
  

• National SBIR Conference Center
  Site contains the most recent news concerning SBIR Conferences and important hot links to information about the National SBIR Program.
  

• National Technology Transfer Center
  NTTC links U.S. companies with federal laboratories to turn government research into practical, commercially relevant technology.
  

• NREL Industrial Technologies Division
  Technology transfer division at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
  

• Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT)
  The DOE OIT uses technology transfer to deliver pollution prevention technologies to industrial customers.
  

• Patents, IBM Database
  Free access to over 26 years of (USPTO) patent descriptions as well as the last seventeen years of images.
  

• Patents, US Patents and Trademark Office (USPTO)
  This page is the starting point for the free USPTO's patent databases.
  

Waste Revovery/Recycling

• Compost
  Provides basic information about home composting.
  

• EPA Office of Solid Wastes
  Provides information pertaining to Industrial & Special waste, Municipal waste and hazardous waste.
  

• Global Recycling Network (GRN)
  This is a free-access public site dedicated to recycling-related information.
  

• Material Exchanges
  Links to Materials Exchanges in the US and Canada.
  

• Recycler's Exchange
  Recycler's World was established as a world wide trading site for information related to secondary or recyclable commodities, by-products, used & surplus items or materials.
  

• Recycler's World Associations Directory
  The name, address, and contact for associations devoted to recycling of various materials
  

• Secondary Wood Products Consortium
  The SWPC home page is provided as a service to the secondary wood products industry.