SL Industries Lean Manufacturing Improvement Systems

SL Industries benefits from lean improvement at its facilities. ...

... "In addition, lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement systems were accelerated at most facilities to improve productivity. These measures have yielded impressive gains. In the second half of the year, the Power Electronics Group recorded an operating profit increase of $2,650,000 (425%), notwithstanding a sales decrease of $14,944,000 (23%), compared to same period in 2008. " ...

Via MarketWatch: SL Industries 2009 Results

McCormick Continuous Improvement CCI drives cost savings

McCormick deploys continuous improvement initiative to drive down costs and sustain its enterprise performance. ...

... "The Company achieved an increase in both operating income and operating income margin in the first quarter with higher sales, a favorable sales mix and CCI-led cost savings. Comprehensive Continuous Improvement (CCI) is an ongoing initiative to improve productivity and reduce costs throughout the Company's global operations. " ...

Via McCormick: Record Profit and Cash Flow for Fiscal Year 2009

Management discusses the company's results and mentions CCI: McCormick Q4 2009 Earnings Call via Seeking Alpha: "On the same basis, we increased operating income for our consumer business 12%. These results were driven largely by progress for CCI, our comprehensive continuous improvement program. Cash flow from operations in the fourth quarter was particularly strong, exceeding our expectations with further achievements in working capital management. "

CCI targets: McCormick First Quarter Results: "CCI-led cost savings are on-track to reach $35 to $40 million in 2010. "

Haynes Continuous Improvement through Six Sigma and Lean Techniques

Haynes commits to Lean and Six Sigma in its operational excellence journey. ...

... "We are also building our Haynes history of continuous improvement by implementing lean techniques in our facilities and incorporating the project management and problem solving riggers at Six Sigma. Haynes has always had a strong commitment to quality and waste reduction for utilizing principles of statistical process control and continuous improvement. However, we have recognized that there are some things we can learn and efficiencies we can gain by implementing lean techniques in Six Sigma methodology. " ...

Via Seeking Alpha: Haynes International Earnings Call

Haynes has leveraged lean in its energy efficiency and waste reduction programs. ...

Haynes Lean Achievements discussed in Business Excellence (PDF): "An interesting spin-off from the lean program is that it has been boosting other company improvement initiatives. A major energy user, Haynes has been working on ways to reduce its energy consumption and cut the amount of the waste going to landfill. "

Six Sigma Customer Perspective

Westinghouse exec leverages his customer focus into new leadership position at the company. ...

... "Mr. Hallen holds a master's degree in mechanical engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. Additionally, he is a certified Westinghouse Customer 1st leader (CFL). Customer 1st is the Westinghouse continuous improvement initiative that employs such tools as Six Sigma, Human Performance, Lean Enterprise and Behavioral Differentiation. " ...

Via Westinghouse Nuclear: Johan Hallen

Honeywell Performance Excellence

Honeywell has a Kansas City manufacturing site that was part of its business unit recognition for the 2009 Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award. The company’s customer quality is driven by Six Sigma performance levels and is delivering sustained tangible benefits. ...

... "The combined product quality and reliability performance level has been at 99.9 percent for traditional customers during the past three years. Honeywell’s use of the Six Sigma Plus Continuous Improvement Model resulted in cost savings of $23.5 million to $27 million each of the past three years. " ...

Via Kansas City Business Journal: Honeywell Unit Baldridge Award

Wistron Six Sigma Governance System

Wistron uses Six Sigma methodology as a governance framework for enabling workforce continuous improvement. ...

... "realizing that the company needed a stronger governing system, he hired a Six Sigma consultant from Motorola. Over the next two years the training revamped everything from the company's design processes to its business management ... " ...

Via Forbes: Contract Manufacturing Leadership

At Platinum Supplier Six Sigma Principles Boost Performance Excellence

Evans Capacitor has achieved Platinum-level preferred supplier at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control which enables a world-class supply chain built on excellence and a culture of continuous improvement. Evans Capacitor has progressed through each successive category - Silver, Gold and Platinum - as the company demonstrated higher levels of performance excellence. ...

... "Evans Capacitor entered the Preferred Supplier Program at the Silver level. Since then, they have proven themselves to be a world-class supplier, ensuring 100 percent quality and on-time delivery. As a manufacturer of high density capacitors for defense and aerospace applications, Evans Capacitor is a strategic supplier that supports multiple programs in the Fire Control line of business at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. All of Evans Capacitor’s products are designed and built in-house to rigorous standards of quality and performance. Evans hybrid capacitors are used in phased array radar, laser targeting systems, avionics and other mission critical applications. Located in Rhode Island, Evans reported 2008 sales of over $10 million, and has delivered more than 1,300 components to Lockheed Martin this year. In addition to excellence in design and production, Evans employees adhere to Six Sigma principles. " ...

Via Evans Capacitor: Preferred Supplier Award from Lockheed Martin

Systemic Continuous Improvement Strategy for World Class Performance

Next-generation manufacturing survey offers insights into benchmark performance for global competition. Key strategies for achieving world-class performance levels include continual improvement, customer-focused innovation, and sustainable development. Improvement activities should transcend traditional boundaries of the company and integrate strategic partners, such as suppliers. ...

... "Systemic continuous improvement; Record annual productivity and quality gains that exceed the competition through a companywide commitment to continuous improvement. " ...

Via Fosters: Manufacturing survey insights

Continuous Improvement Business Strategy

Radiant delivers respectable results for the quarter and positions the company for the near-term growth and differentiation through continuous improvement efforts. ...

... "We approach 2010 with a sharp focus on our three-prong strategy: (1) providing continuous improvement to our existing network participants in terms of technology, buy rates and enhanced service offerings; (2) building upon the success of our organic growth initiative by on-boarding additional agent stations; and (3) opportunistically pursuing acquisition opportunities, including strategic opportunities within the community of agent-based forwarders. " ...

Via MSN Money: Radiant Logistics Results

SPC and InProcess Monitor Drives Savings

Quality transformations should be celebrated as the benefits are achieved. In support of the transformation, executives need line of sight visibility to the benefits realization in dashboard format. Millipore demonstrates tangible benefits from its investment in quality improvement tools, such as SPC tracking and in-process monitors. ...

... "Millipore's Jaffrey, NH, manufacturing site has realized savings of $8.5 million, thanks to statistical process control systems and continuous in-process monitoring ... " ...

Via Fierce Pharma: Quality benefits at Millipore

Air Product Continuous Improvement Executive Position

Air Products places executive level attention on continuous improvement, which includes lean and Six Sigma activities throughout the company. ...

... "Alexander W. Masetti has been appointed vice president, Continuous Improvement, responsible for expanding and institutionalizing Air Products’ overall continuous improvement activity, including capabilities such as Six Sigma and Lean. Masetti joined Air Products in 1981 as an engineer in the company’s Career Development Program and subsequently held management positions within the Process Gas Division. " ...

Via Air Products: Executive Change

Avensis Six Sigma Quality

Danaher Lean Principles and Core Value of Continuous Improvement

Danaher is reviewed as a potential investment and is lauded for its diversified business portfolio and operational excellence based on the foundation of lean and continual improvement. ...

... "Although not totally immune to the current economic crises, Danaher is poised to exploit the unfolding long-term opportunities. The Danaher Business System (DBS) initiative is based on proven principles of lean manufacturing and core values driven to continuous improvement. " ...

Via Seeking Alpha: Danaher Positioned for Success

ADC Lean Six Sigma Philosophy Drives Savings

ADC sees improved revenue, margins, and free cash flow. Operating expenses are being reduced through Lean Six Sigma efforts. And, the company is shoring up its balance sheet with free cash flow. ...

... "During the quarter, ADC realized approximately $13 million in cost savings as a result of the restructuring and other actions announced in October 2008 and February 2009. These savings impacted both cost of goods sold and operating expenses. Through the implementation of LEAN and Six Sigma methodologies, ADC is driving a continuous improvement, cost-reduction philosophy throughout the company. The cost reduction and restructuring actions taken over the prior two quarters had a substantive positive impact on our financial results and contributed to our free cash flow generation during the current quarter, said James G. Mathews, ADC's chief financial officer. " ...

Via ADC: Second Quarter 2009 Financial Results

ADC was recently hiring to fill Lean Black Belt positions at its sites globally. ...

LEAN Six Sigma Black Belt at ADC via RochesterWorks: "LEAN Six Sigma Black Belt LOCATION: Eden Prairie, MN ... "

ADC designs its products using Six Sigma methods. ...

ADC Endface Geometry for Optical Connectors (PDF): "ADC developed the polishing process for the singlemode connector utilizing Six Sigma techniques. The results from this study permitted ADC to achieve excellent process capability for the three main endface geometry attributes. "

The market requires ADC services to perform to Six Sigma levels. ...

ADC Six Sigma Performance Levels (PDF): "ADC’s products and services provide our customers with the confidence that the new IPbased services will be delivered on a carrier-class packet infrastructure, where six-sigma levels of reliability are required. For example, video is a key component of these new networks. "

Six Sigma Integrates the Value Chain

Six Sigma is key ingredient to positioning Ring Power as an integrated, efficient value chain participant. ...

... "Since mid-2007, though, Ring Power has been able to apply the process to its own operations and organization, creating a continuous improvement culture of its own that meshes with but does not exactly reflect Caterpillar's. " ...

Via Purchasing: Six Sigma

Lean Proactive Business Model

New Zealand manufacturer sees strong productivity benefits from lean manufacturing. The workforce culture has been transformed to one that contributes ideas freely to proactively improve the process. ...

... "Also known by its Japanese term Kaizen, which means continuous improvement, Mr Cook said lean manufacturing had transformed his business from a reactive organisation to a proactive one working daily to improve itself and meant it took Stainless Design about half the time it used to to process work. " ...

Via Stuff.co.nz: Model T

Stainless Design Workforce Training Program: "Everyone in the company is, and has been, involved in training in Lean principles and implementing improvement projects throughout the business. All these projects will provide significant operational and business performance improvements. "

Flowserve Six Sigma CIP

Flowserve focuses its Lean Six Sigma program on activities that will improve the customer experience, increase productivity, and expand margins. ...

... "We continue to focus on improving on-time delivery and quality, while reducing warranty costs as a percentage of sales across our global operations, through the assistance of a focused Continuous Improvement Process (CIP) initiative. The goal of the CIP initiative, which includes lean manufacturing, six sigma business management strategy and value engineering, is to maximize service fulfillment to customers through on-time delivery, reduced cycle time and quality at the highest internal productivity. This program is a key factor in our margin expansion plans. " ...

Via Flowserve Corporation: 10K SEC Filing

PackML Automation Enables Root Cause Analysis of Event Data

GE Fanuc embraces PLC standards that enable continuous improvement through identification and resolution of root causes involving manufacturing events. ...

... "Integrating OMAC’s PackML and Packtag standards into an automation solution reduces the burden of handshaking between PLCs on a coordinated line. The result: faster line rates can be maintained, and improved coordination can reduce the need for buffering conveyance and/or accumulators. Furthermore, these control-layer standards can actually reach well beyond the registers in a control system: by reducing the forensic work needed to integrate machines on disparate platforms, PackTags and PackML lay the foundation to easily and consistently interpret the event data that resides in the controllers of packaging lines. And it is this data that powers the root cause analysis needed to identify and engineer out sources of inefficiencies. " ...

Via GE Fanuc: OMAC Make2Pack Standards Accelerate Manufacturing Continuous Improvement Initiatives

Airline Maintenance Lean Manufacturing Practices

UAL Corporation names executives for safety and maintenance. Maintenance exec brings practical lean experience to the position. ...

... "Mounsey was most recently general manager of Pratt & Whitney's world-class and largest engine overhaul center in Cheshire, Conn., responsible for the repair and overhaul of engines for more than 30 airlines. He is also a recognized leader and passionate advocate of continuous improvement, lean manufacturing and effective visual factory tools and practices. " ...

Via United Airlines: Vice Presidents for Safety, Maintenance

Kaizen Idea Submission

Accelerate employee adoption of kaizen techniques by embracing idea submissions by the workforce. Reinforce the concept of open submission and transparency on how improvements are selected. ...

... "Don’t commit the mistake of giving only recognition to accepted employee ideas. Kaizen --- the Japanese word for continuous improvement --- is all about idea submission, and not acceptance, according to Matthew May ... " ...

Via BusinessWorld: Employee suggestions

Lean Manufacturing in Health Care

Healthcare challenges are taking a back seat to economic problems. Meanwhile, exemplars in the healthcare industry are embracing improvement methods, such as lean manufacturing, to drive competitive advantage. ...

... "Weller admires initiatives implemented by ThedaCare to take lean manufacturing methods, which stress efficiency, to reduce costs. In about six years, through streamlining and adopting a model of continuous improvement, ThedaCare has saved $27 million the past three years and a 5 percent improvement in productivity. " ...

Via Appleton Post-Crescent: Health care fixes

Lean Accounting Lacking

Manufacturers in UK could benefit from applying lean accounting practices to complement their manufacturing improvement initiatives. ...

... "manufacturers are not using the right financial metrics in measuring and monitoring their improvements under lean manufacturing. As a result, it could be reducing the benefits available under continuous improvement processes. " ...

Via Birmingham Post: UK Lean accounting

Continuous Improvement Culture

76th Aircraft Maintenance Group embraces Six Sigma and lean as it trains its workforce, energizes the staff, and focuses on the identification of improvement opportunities. ...

... "Identifying key administrative wastes and the constraints limiting an organization’s performance, analyzing potential root-causes and applying the proper continuous-improvement countermeasures are critical, Mr. Williams explained. " ...

Via Tinker TakeOff: Transformation

Quality System Registration

Parker Hannifin Chomerics Division achieves AS9100B registration for products manufactured at its Woburn, Massachusetts; Hudson, New Hampshire; and Jalisco (Guadalajara), Mexico plants. AS9100B is an international quality system standard. ...

... "According to Chomerics Division Quality Manager David Quaglieri, Achieving AS9100B registration demonstrates Chomerics’ ongoing commitment to quality and continuous improvement, which includes the use of lean manufacturing techniques and the tools of six sigma. Building on the ISO 9001:2000 platform, AS9100B places greater emphasis on design and process control, product configuration management, purchasing and supply chain processes. " ...

Via Parker Hannifin Corporation: Chomerics AS9100B

DOD Lean Six Sigma Improvement Initiative

Departmet of Defense embraces Lean Six Sigma in a broad initiative aimed at efficiency. ...

... "In a departmentwide directive issued May 15, England instructed all components to use Lean Six Sigma to improve productivity, mission performance, safety, flexibility and energy efficiency. " ...

Via FCW: DOD on Lean Six Sigma

Kaizen Brand Philosophy

Business owners of all sizes can leverage kaizen for success. ...

... "But I work with very demanding brands that apply the Japanese Kaizen philosophy to business, which constantly seeks better ways of doing things. " ...

Via Journal Evening Gazette: Driver's seat

Kaizen Constant Suggestions for Improvement

Kaizen principles are considered in public service for improving government. ...

... "Kaizen reaches every employee from the top floor to the floor sweeper, motivating each one to think and develop small but constant suggestions for doing whatever they do better, not once a day, or once a week, but always. " ...

Via Weymouth News: Clean with Kaizen

Lean Practitioners Share Successes

American Association for Manufacturing Excellence provides opportunity for sharing success stories. ...

... "Topic: Lean manufacturing in the spotlight. Lean practitioners will share their continuous-improvement lean success stories and more. " ...

Via Minneapolis-St Paul Star-Tribune: Business Calendar

Kaizen Drives Change

Create new habits by incorporating kaizen principles into your life. ...

... "She recommends practicing a Japanese technique called kaizen, which calls for tiny, continuous improvements. " ...

Via New York Times: New Habits

Kaizen Culture Compatible With Pace of Business Change

Does the kaizen culture position an enterprise to deal with the high-pace of business change? Leadership coach discusses managing meaningful change in an organization and the commitment necessary to endure successive waves of change.

... "What is so striking in today's workplaces is the sheer volume of those continuous improvement changes and the rate of change to the changes. " ...

Via Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Leading change

Toyota Kaizen Carries Through to Motorsports

Toyota uses kaizen techniques to coordinate continuous improvement across its motorsports teams. The teams have confronted major challenges with this mindset. The knowledge of new race teams is leveraged across the organization. ...

... "Kaizen, a Japanese term commonly translated as continuous improvement, has been the ethos for Toyota's Motorsports operation. The way kaizen is achieved by the various teams in all three levels of NASCAR racing is by working together as one as much as possible. " ...

Via FOX Sports: NASCAR

Kaizen Small Improvements Accumulate

Philosophy of workforce harmony is supported with a foundation of kaizen improvement to enable success of the enterprise. ...

... "They call it kaizen, or continuous improvement. ... Every employee of a company is focused on making many small improvements wherever they may be. It could be as simple as always maintaining a clean workplace, which reduces confusion and allows workers to remain focused. " ...

Via Grand Forks Herald: Wind turbine blade manufacturer

Kaizen Love: Beyond the Factory

Can the principles of kaizen improve your life? Continuous improvement is not just for the factory. ...

... "Patience lets them test carefully and choose the best changes of the best, and then improve on them further. The deliberate process helps them know which changes were useful and important, and which were incidental. " ...

Via American Chronicle: Benefits of Kaizen

Kaizen Innovative Methods

Toyota uses innovative methods to empower its workforce and improve the performance of the enterprise. ...

... "Toyota, whose $1.3 billion plant near Blue Springs will be the company's eighth North American assembly plant, is often associated kaizen, or continuous improvement, which is associated with its Toyota Production System. " ...

Via Trading Markets: Methods of Innovation

Lean Software Support Visual Workplace

BubbleQuest offers a number of software modules, such as people, measures, organization, improvement, and training aids, that enable the implementation of lean techniques and kaizen improvements. ...

... "Kaizen is the process of continuous improvement using small, sustainable steps. The focus is on achieving small sustainable improvements by identifying & reducing sources of waste. " ...

Via Bubble Quest: Kaizen

Lean Principles Leadership Culture Empowers Employees

Wisconsin manufacturing company sees success from lean principles. The company's leadership committment creates an empowered culture of continuous improvement. The company will be recognized with a manufacturing award this week. ...

... "Lean manufacturing principles, in combination with our strong leadership culture, have allowed PCMC to flourish. We have created a unique environment based on continuous improvement and employee empowerment ... " ...

Via Green Bay Press-Gazette: Wisconsin Manufacturing Success

Navy Lean Six Sigma Lowers Backorders

Navy leader shares his perspective on the benefits of lean. ...

... "Asked about his support for Lean Six Sigma, Roesner said the practice of continuous process improvement has helped lower backorders at NAVICP to their lowest point ever because we took out the unnecessary work. " ...

Via Battle Creek Enquirer: Federal Presentation

TPS Toyota's Production System

Insights on TPS ...

Lean Manufacturing Excellence Recognition for Medical Diagnostics Company

Ventana Medical Systems is awarded the National Award for Manufacturing Excellence from the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME). The award is in recognition of the utilization of strategies and techniques that improve competitiveness and profitability. ...

... "We are very proud to be the recipient of this award, which places us as a leader in lean systems methodologies regionally, nationally and within the diagnostics industry. Our lean manufacturing initiatives, which are supported by a culture of continuous improvement, are just one of the many ways we strive every day to constantly improve upon quality, productivity and profitability throughout all levels of our global organization. " ...

Via Ventana Medical Systems: Ventana Medical Systems to Receive National Award for Manufacturing Excellence from the AME

Automotive Quality Leader of the Year

American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO Richard E. Dauch is recognized by the American Society for Quality, Automotive Division as its 2007 Quality Leader of the Year. ...

... "Providing our customers with exceptional quality products is a top priority at American Axle & Manufacturing. Since AAM was founded in 1994, we have emphasized continuous improvement in our operations utilizing Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing and Total Quality Management Systems. Today, we are proud to say that we have achieved an industry-leading 9 PPM as measured by our largest customer. " ...

Via American Axle: Richard E. Dauch Receives Quality Leader Award from ASQ Automotive Division

Kaizen Enables Hospital Improvements

Hospital sees benefits from kaizen approach to continuous improvement, where the workforce is empowered to seek change. ...

... "Columbus Regional Hospital in Columbus, Ind., focused on changing the culture and environment in its surgical area to improve operations. Practice changes were driven by stringent data analysis, as well some newer methodologies, including Lean Six Sigma and Kaizen. " ...

Via Infection Control Today: Hospital Efficiency

Small Continuous Change, Entrepreneurs Toolbox

Entrepreneurs can sustain business success by enrolling the workforce in many, small improvements, using the kaizen style of management. ...

... "Shortly after World War II, Japanese companies created a management concept called Kaizen. The concept of Kaizen is to make small continuous changes and it includes everyone from the CEO to the janitors. " ...

Via USA Today: Entrepreneur Advice on Business Success

Award Recognizes Leader of Lean Organization

Company president recognized for lean manufacturing achievements. ...

... "I attribute this recognition to the many Ariens employees who have embraced lean manufacturing in creating a culture of continuous improvement, says Ariens. In the process they have driven the company's annual productivity gains. " ...

Via Lawn & Landscape: Manufacturing Award

Project Charter: Lean Six Sigma Approach For Smart Operations

Bearing Point will assist military in their improvement program, which builds on Lean Six Sigma methods. ...

... "The Air Force's Smart Ops program charter incorporates both Lean and Six Sigma business process improvement tools. " ...

Air Force Work Process Improvement

Voice of Customer: Key to Continuous Improvement and Innovation

Do continuous improvement programs stifle innovation? Not if they embrace the voice of the customer and leverage customer input in the product development process. Marketplace competition increasingly involves new value chains that require collaboration across enterprises. ...

... "Whatever the process, be it Stage-Gate, Six Sigma, the Lean Methodology, or a combination thereof, the concept of continuous improvement is generally at its core. The best industrial innovators, irrespective of their size, constantly ask themselves questions such as: What do our customers want? " ...

Via E-Commerce News: Customer Feedback

Manufacturing Consolidation Optimize Lean Opportunities

Aerosonic Corporation will consolidate manufacturing functions at its Clearwater, Florida facility. The consolidation is a continuation of Aerosonic's actions to be more responsive to customers' needs and to increase operational efficiency. ...

... "Avionics Specialties manufactures angle of attack stall warning systems, integrated multifunction probes, which are integrated air data sensors, and other aircraft sensors and monitoring systems. The Company will execute the consolidation plan in a phased approach to maintain delivery schedules and product quality. David Baldini, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented: We are restructuring the Company in a way that maximizes efficiencies and increases profitability. This consolidation allows us to focus on continuous improvements in our processes and optimize lean manufacturing opportunities to ensure the best use of our resources and gain a new level of efficiency that is required to remain competitive. " ...

Via Aerosonic: Aerosonic Announces Consolidation of Manufacturing Operations ...

Select Continuous Improvement Program to Compete Globally

Embrace continuous improvement to compete effectively in your industry and marketplace. Be prepared to staff a program management office and support the culture change necessary for a lean manufacturing or Six Sigma journey. Business process focus comes first. But, software systems can support change, automation, reduction of manual efforts. ...

... "Six Sigma uses statistical analysis to reduce variation. By reducing variation, the probability of producing a defect is less. " ...

Via IndustryWeek: Which Continuous Improvement Program Is Appropriate For Your Enterprise?

Lean Training Goes On Tour

Lean culture differentiates Japanese from US companies.

... "Instead of paying people to retire, a likely Japanese alternative would be to put people on kaizen (continuous improvement) teams, capitalizing on their experience and problem solving potential instead of paying them to stay at home. ... World Class Manufacturing is not a short-term concept. Justifying the hard work and application of resources to the improvement process is difficult if the focus is on quarterly reports. A fundamentally change in the way success is measured must be adopted if our economy is to remain viable and sustainable. " ...

Toyota Continues their March Past US Automakers: Lean Enterprise Training Announces Six City Tour Kicks off in Oregon ...