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

Healthcare lean will eventually be rewarded

Thedacare focuses on removing waste from its operations even though efficiency is not aligned with reimbursement revenue. ...

... "ThedaCare for the past several years has incorporated lean manufacturing principles into its system and streamlined operations. Its cost-cutting efforts have led to reductions in Medicare reimbursements ... " ...

Via Appleton Post-Crescent: Cost control

Thedacare lean success story: "The patient is at the center of these goals. ThedaCare represents the goals graphically to help all staff visualize them ... "

IntriCon Lean Six Sigma Gross Margin Improvement Initiatives

IntriCon reports positive results and sees margin improvement through its LSS initiative. ...

.... "Sequentially, however, gross margins rose from 20.3 percent in the 2009 third quarter, and were up significantly from the 2009 first-quarter level of 18.4 percent. IntriCon continues to execute gross margin improvement initiatives, such as implementing lean Six-Sigma manufacturing principles in its manufacturing facilities. " ...

Via TradingMarkets: IntriCon 2009 Financial Results

Lean Order Volume

Manufacturer of privacy glass uses lean techniques to adapt to spikes in order volume. ...

... "We employ lean manufacturing principles which allow us to quickly react to large order volumes. All of our SmartGlass panels are bespoke and made to order which is an advantage and a disadvantage. " ...

Via GLASS ON WEB: Switchable privacy glass

Lean Initiatives Toyota Impact

The current Toyota quality debacle should cause pause, when pitching new lean initiatives to executives. However, be prepared to discuss Toyota's deviation from the methods and principles in the context of global growth and scale. ...

... "the company has fallen below its traditional high standards, rather than tarnishing the validity of Lean principles and practices. Lean is now bigger than Toyota and one of the most influential process inventions of the last half-century ... " ...

Via Ovum: http://bit.ly/aENB6J

Lean drives controllable objectives for Tennant

Margins, earnings and cash continue to improve for Tennant Company as it reports 2009 Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results. ...

... "Consistent with its guiding principles, Tennant adjusted to 2009's low growth economy, without sacrificing the company's long-term potential; prudently allocated scarce resources to initiatives that position the company to deliver against controllable objectives, such as savings from global, low-cost sourcing and lean manufacturing initiatives and investments in key research and development projects ... " ...

http://bit.ly/dk0MwF

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. "

Agile Lean Drive Energy Efficiency

Lean application drives energy efficiency to the bottom line. ...

... "British Ceramic Tile is using lean manufacturing principles to remove 25 percent of energy costs over five years. It recently opened a plant in Devon, two miles away from its main source of clay ... " ...

Via The Independent: Agile enterprises

Weyerhaeuser Lean Manufacturing Principles Aggressive Cost Reduction

Weyerhaeuser embraces lean principles to reduce working capital tied up in inventory. ...

... "Each of our businesses has also aggressively reduced costs. With products, for example, was making fundamental changes that will carry into stronger markets. This includes lowering product inventories by applying well known lean manufacturing principles to lower inventory levels in our replenishment system. " ...

Via Seeking Alpha: Weyerhaeuser Company Q4 2009

PolyOne Accelerates Six Sigma Catching Up to Competition

Polyone leadership reviews the year's results which were positive despite the economic circumstances. Management is rapidly implementing Lean Six Sigma to drive its performance and avoid the adoption barriers experienced by its competition. ...

... "This substantial improvement in our financial position resulted from a company wide effect to cut costs, prune on profitable or high credit-risk business and expand margins of reduced working capital. These improvements were facilitated and accelerated by our newly launched Lean Six Sigma efforts. You follow many companies out there and you frequently hear them reference Lean Six Sigma principles and initiatives they employ to reduce waves and improve efficiency across their business prosthesis. Many do this very well and have been reaping benefits for years. Admittedly PolyOne was late to the game in adopting this framework, but we are off to a really terrific start. " ...

Via Seeking Alpha: PolyOne Corp 4Q09 Earnings Discussion by Management

Six Sigma Talent War in Pharma

As the drive for operational efficiency and cycle time to market accelerates, the need for Six Sigma talent increases. In the pharmaceutical industry, commoditized products are quickly transitioned to generic drug manufacturers, who can benefit from the outside-in perspectives of Six Sigma practitioners from other industries. ...

... "Those industries that produce executives who are highly trained in Six Sigma principles and practices may prove to be especially valuable sources of talent. " ...

Via livemint: Leadership challenge

Manufacturing Production Technique Through Lean Team

Itron uses lean to drive new production methods that support the growth of the company's new products. ...

... "The teams at Itron identified a new manufacturing production technique using the application of lean manufacturing principles that now offers improvements in productivity, thereby strengthening the competitive position of the business. " ...

Via Upstate Today, South Carolina New automation system

Chemical Company Lean Manufacturing Principles

Study recommends lean manufacturing and operational excellence to chemical companies as remedy to weather the challenges of the business cycle. ...

... "Equally, optimizing fixed costs can be tackled in a number of ways, including introducing lean manufacturing principles or relocating to more efficient production facilities. " ...

Via Commodity Online: Chemical coompanies

Lean Manufacturing Improves Patient Care

Defect reduction in healthcare leads to improved mortality rates. ThedaCare embraces lean to streamline its processes for the benefit of its customers: the patients. ...

... "ThedaCare has seen its patient care improve since it began implementing lean manufacturing or efficiency principles in its care delivery process more than seven years ago. " ...

Via Appleton Post-Crescent: Hospitals

An Apple a Day and Six Sigma Healthcare

Wegman's leader discusses efficient healthcare through Six Sigma principles. ...

... "Speranza discussed the programs that the Rochester Business Alliance’s Healthcare Initiative has developed, including the implementation of six sigma principles in local hospitals and Wegmans’ communitywide eat well, live well challenge. " ...

Via RocNow: Business

Lean Six Sigma Integrates Solutions for Sustainability Improvement

IBM builds partnerships to solve sustainability problems with an integrated set of cross-industry solutions, that leverage Lean Six Sigma principles for improvement. ...

... "Green Sigma is an IBM solution that applies Lean Six Sigma principles and practices to energy, water, waste and GHG emissions throughout a company's operations -- transportation systems, data centers and IT systems, manufacturing and distribution centers, office facilities, retail space, research and development sites, etc. It combines real-time metering and monitoring with advanced analytics and dashboards that allow clients to make better decisions that improve efficiency, lower costs and reduce environmental impact. " ...

Via IBM: Green Sigma Coalition

Kodak Lean Process Drives Environmental Performance and Beyond

Eastman Kodak resets its three-year Sustainability Goals, as its adoption of lean principles have accelerated the company's performance to date. ...

... "The prevention of 1.1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions since 2002, the equivalent of taking more than 190,000 cars off the road, is a hallmark of Kodak’s progress. A portion of this progress is attributable to Kodak’s digital transformation. However, roughly half of the overall progress is the result of applying the principles of lean manufacturing and process design, as well investments in energy-efficient equipment. " ...

Via Kodak: New Worldwide Sustainability Goals

Kodak lean focuses on energy via 2007 Sustainability Report (PDF): "Continued the use of multi-disciplinary employee teams and lean manufacturing methodology to aggressively improve energy efficiency. "

Kodak reduced its methylene chloride emissions via 2006 Sustainability Report (PDF): "Efficiency gains included application of lean manufacturing techniques, changes in air handling systems and procedural improvements. "

In 2005, Kodak exceeded its 2008 environmental goals via 2007 Kodak Park Environmental Annual Report (PDF): "Kodak 2008 Health Safety and Environmental (HSE) goals surpassed through efficiency gains from lean manufacturing practices, improved emission controls, and significant reductions of manufacturing assets. "

Kodak is recognized for its contributions by the US EPA. ...

Lean Manufacturing and the Environment via US EPA: "EPA’s Lean and energy partners include Baxter International, California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC), Eastman Kodak Corporation, Eaton Corporation, General Electric (GE) ... "

Lean kaizen is used to identify improvement opportunities. ...

The Lean and Energy Toolkit techniques via US EPA: "Eastman Kodak Company conducted energy kaizen events that significantly reduced energy use and resulted in overall savings of $15 million between 1999 and 2006. "

Kodak's lean methods have been implemented globally across its manufacturing footprint. ...

Printing Plate Manufacturing Facility in Xiamen, China: "The team in Xiamen is experienced and highly qualified. Many of our employees come from Kodak’s other operations in Xiamen. They are skilled in the process manufacturing required for high quality plate production, as well as in Kodak’s quality standards and LEAN manufacturing practices. "

Kodak makes the case for lean business process workflow in the print industry. ...

Lean Graphic Arts Business (PDF): "With a track record of success at non-graphic arts customers, the Kodak Operating System has recently been implemented at two print providers with very promising results ... "

Locomotive Lean Manufacturing at GE

GE Lean Manufacturing leader shares his experience with implementing lean in the company's transportation business. The process of locomotive assembly offered opportunity for lean methods to reduce waste and improve cycle times. Driving adoption of lean principle in the workforce has been the primary challenge. ...

... "The idea is to create greater value with less effort by identifying and creating efficiencies. The principle has the chance to restore America to innovative and competitive leadership around the world, and the recession might give it an advantage, McDonnell said. " ...

Via Charleston Regional Business: GE Lean

GE moves beyond Six Sigma to embrace lean manufacturing. ...

GE Locomotive Lean in Transportation Division: "To meet global customer demand and streamline the entire manufacturing process, GE Transportation is studying Toyota and other Lean manufacturing leaders to develop its own production system to manufacture products with less waste, higher quality and higher value to customers than if produced by traditional means. "

GE Locomotive Factory discusses lean adoption.

GE has embedded lean techniques in many business process, including its ecomagination initiative. ...

ecomagination Report (PDF): "GE’s GHG avoidance work at GE Aviation’s outdoor aircraft engine test facility in Peebles, Ohio, where the production team used Lean manufacturing techniques to change its processes to reduce GHG emissions per engine test conducted. "


Talent recruiting and hiring at GE has placed an emphasis on lean experience and implementation. ...

GE Lean Manufacturing Engineer job: "The engineer will work with the manufacturing team to implement strategic changes to the design of locomotive cooling systems. These changes will be necessary to facilitate Lean and Standarization ... "

Lean Manufacturing Core to Strategic Principles at Tennant

Tennant's lean manufacturing initiatives are core to its strategic principles and will enable the company to navigate the business cycle successfully. Tennant discusses its strategies and actions to compete and thrive in its markets. ...

... "To that end, our efforts this year center around three guiding principles. First, adjusting to the low growth economy without sacrificing the company’s long term potential. Second, prudently allocating scarce resources to initiatives that position the company to deliver against controllable objectives such as increased savings from global low cost sourcing and lean manufacturing initiatives, reduced selling and administrative expenses, and investments and research and development projects such as ec-H2O to drive sales growth. And third, optimizing cash in an uncertain environment through conservative planning, increased discipline in capital expenditures, and a heightened focus on working capital management. " ...

Via Seeking Alpha: Tennant Company Earnings Call

Tennant Restructuring: "Its strategic priorities remain: employing continuous process improvement; improving operational excellence through lean manufacturing initiatives and a global, low-cost sourcing platform; and growing sales through innovative new products and service solutions, as well as through international market expansion. "

Lean Manager position at Tennant in Minneapolis MN.

Master scheduling at Tennant using lean manufacturing.

Lean Kaizen Blitz

Company embraces lean and kaizen principles with education and action ... putting their learning into play with a first wave of opportunities from the kaizen blitz event. ...

... "Through exhaustive effort, working 10 or more hours every day, 50 areas of opportunity were documented and prioritized by their level of impact and difficulty to implement. " ...

Via American Printer: Business Stationary

Army Plant Integrates Lean Manufacturing Principles

Setpoint Systems will update the case mouth waterproofing process for .50 caliber ammunition using lean manufacturing principles at the ATK’s Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. ...

... "Setpoint’s winning proposal describes how their solution to incorporate lean manufacturing principles will increase plant efficiency, increase output, reduce costs, and radically improve product quality. For the past 60 years, the LCAAP has produced ammunition cases for the U.S. armed forces using manufacturing equipment originally built in the 1940s. The U.S. government and ATK (the private company who manages the plant) realized that the time had come to modernize this manufacturing process. Setpoint gave ATK the perfect modernization solution through lean manufacturing. Lean manufacturing is based on the Toyota Production System (TPS) methodology, which breaks manufacturing processes down into multiple, compact work-cells rather than using the enormous manufacturing lines common in the 20th century. " ...

Via Setpoint: Lean system for .50 cal waterproofing process

NASA Lean Six Sigma Role

It is envisioned that lean principles can have a place in low volume processes such as those applicable to NASA. ...

... "Lean Six Sigma is a management technique that, like many management techniques, was developed for a large production process. While it is not specifically designed for the small production runs and unique processes that NASA is typcially involved in, there is still a place to take some of those principles and apply them to our processes. " ...

Via Wayne Hale's NASA Blog: Space News

NASA Space Operations

Lean Six Sigma Improves Processes

Process improvement through Lean and Six Sigma is discussed. ...

... "The overriding principle that drives the lean system is that in order to reduce waste you need to develop systems that do not produce waste. " ...

Via Minneapolis-St Paul Star Tribune: Ask an outside consultant

Lean Principles Workshops

Workshops are planned for June 19th and August 14th. ...

... "Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership to offer the Principles of Lean Manufacturing class at Yavapai College campuses in Clarkdale and Prescott. " ...

Via Prescott Daily Courier: Lean manufacturing workshop

Europe Productivity Project

Lean manufacturing principles will be leveraged in small businesses across Europe. ...

... "The three-year project will develop and test the principles of lean manufacturing and how it can improve the long-term competitiveness of businesses with fewer than 150 employees. " ...

Via The Northern Echo: European Savings Project

Six Sigma Financials

ProcessArc launches Six Sigma training for the financial services sector, offering certification and focusing on roles, such as Green Belt, Black Belt, General Employee and Executive. ...

... "Our goal is to provide better training options for anyone who wants to use the principles of Six Sigma to reduce costs and process risk while optimizing service and revenue for their financial services firms. Those who use our proprietary industry specific training have found that every $1 invested has generated an average return on investment of $650. ProcessArc has delivered Financial Services Six Sigma training in private customized sessions for 4 years. " ...

Via ProcessArc: Financial Services with Six Sigma

Six Sigma Security Improvement

GE applies Six Sigma principles in a scalable way to all of its processes that require improvement. In this case, the security group uses Six Sigma principles to lower risks. ...

... "Francis X. Taylor, CSO of General Electric, emphasized to an audience of security executives at the CSO Perspectives conference in March, you don't need to be a Six Sigma Black Belt to use its principles and benefit from the results. " ...

Via CIO: GE Six Sigma Security

Toyota Kaizen Way Improves Customer Service

Toyota exec shares insights on Toyota and its kaizen principles. ...

... "Our customer service philosophy is fix it right the first time and to have lifelong customers. The term kaizen is one of the pillars of the Toyota way. " ...

Via The Augusta Chronicle: Toyota exec

TQM Principles Discussed

China company showcased in this TQM vid. ...

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

Hospital Lean Thinking Enabled By RFID Technology

Hospital will digitize lean thinking through the use of RFID technology in healthcare processes. ...

... "HealthIT Cluster chief executive Andrea Pettet says the trial aims to use RFID tagging to ease overcrowding in emergency departments, using the principles of lean thinking. " ...

Via Stuff.co.nz: Hospital Patient Tracking

Hospital Operational Efficiency

Textron SixSigma Principle-Based Experience Shared At Summit

At WCBF's Lean Six Sigma Summit, Textron's John W. Mayers, VP of Six Sigma and Transformation, will share insights on the principled-based leadership employed at his company. ...

... "Mayers will be addressing an audience of senior level business and continuous improvement leaders from across all industries striving for business improvement by sharing Textron's experience with Six Sigma and Lean principles. Textron's Six Sigma model is a comprehensive, common set of tools and techniques applied to all functional areas to eliminate waste, reduce variation, and fuel growth and innovation. Textron's unique combination of powerful methodologies woven into a single holistic approach makes Textron Six Sigma an especially robust improvement mechanism for the company. Textron Six Sigma also plays a key role in talent development for the company. " ...

Via Textron: Textron's John Mayers Delivers Remarks At Lean Six Sigma Summit

Lean Principles Investment: Production Team Training

American Railcar invests in lean training for its production staff. ...

... "In addition, we invested time and training to focus our production teams on implementing lean manufacturing principles. We expect this investment of time to pay dividends in the near future. " ...

Via insurancenewsnet: American Railcar Industries

Accelerated Lean Manufacturing Implementation: Aerospace

Aerospace company implements lean manufacturing principles. ...

... "In 2006, the company finalized a labor contract with the union at the Chicago plant to facilitate accelerated implementation of Lean Manufacturing principles, established a satellite support plant in Anderson, Indiana and invested more than $6 million of capital expenditures. " ...

Via Northstar Aerospace: Strong start on 2007 CH-47 Chinook order intake for Northstar Aerospace Inc.