Sypris Six Sigma Electronics

Sypris sees margins expand from lean and Six Sigma efforts. ...

... "Mr. Gill added: The outlook for our Electronics Group remains positive, with this segment of our business expected to benefit from further gross margin expansion during 2010 as a result of new program launches, process improvements, increased productivity and lower costs driven by LEAN and Six Sigma quality programs. " ...

Via Sypris Solutions: Gross Margins Continue to Expand

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

Point Blank Lean Manufacturing Results

Point Blank ramps up production with lean manufacturing. The company expects profit margins to expand in the forward forecast. ...

... "The Company expects gross profit margins will improve in future periods given the anticipated increase in production, the reduction in its inventory position from previous periods, familiarity with new testing protocols and as a result of lean manufacturing. Additionally, the Company is aggressively focusing its sales efforts to increase its Commercial and International business, both of which carry higher gross margins than other business lines. " ...

Via Point Blank Solutions Inc: 2009 Third Quarter Results

Stepan Six Sigma Operating Cost Improvements Drive Profitability for Surfactants

Stepan sees revenue decline, but manages cash and profitability well through actions such as Six Sigma operational efficiency. ...

... "Surfactant segment gross profit rose by $12.8 million, or 38 percent, for the quarter and $19.7 million, or 30 percent, for the six months. The improved gross profit was due to declining commodity costs, purchasing led cost reduction initiatives, and lower operating costs due to the success of six sigma teams as well as restructuring activities at one production site. " ...

Via Stepan: Second Quarter and First Half Earnings

Span America Lean Manufacturing Concepts

Span America sees modest reduction in revenue and sustains profitability by reducing expenses and accelerating efficiency in its manufacturing operations. ...

... "The gross profit and gross margin performance in the third quarter benefited from declines in labor and manufacturing overhead costs as we continue to achieve efficiency improvements from implementing lean manufacturing concepts. " ...

Via Span America Medical Systems: THIRD QUARTER

Sturm Ruger Lean Manufacturing Strengths

Ruger's transformation has positioned the company for future success. ...

... "Its lean manufacturing combined with its strengthening customer feedback loop allows the company to improve its current product line continuously while innovating higher gross margin niches and micro niches within its core firearm market. " ...

Via Seeking Alpha: Sturm Ruger Opportunity

Met-Pro Flexible Manufacturing Strategy

Met-Pro sees its revenue and earnings impacted by the downturn, but uses lean and flexible strategies to sustain profit margins. ...

... "Gross margins in the quarter remained strong, reflecting the continued progress of our efficiency initiatives, including global sourcing, more effective logistics, and lean manufacturing, as well as the ability of our flexible manufacturing strategy to quickly adjust costs to match our level of business activity. " ...

Via PR Newswire: Met-Pro Corp First Quarter Results

Met-Pro incorporates outsourced or contract manufacturing in its business model. ...

Met-Pro Corp via Seeking Alpha: "One of the things you got to look at, Leonard, is we do a lot of outsourcing. When you look at Met-Pro, we have several facilities that are manufacturing facilities, but a number of our business, for instance, Flex-Kleen or Systems business, they do not manufacture anything in house. Okay? So they buy it outside and that – what that does for us is we're able to accelerate our ability to meet the demands of the market, but also when the market is slow we're able to cut back more quickly than most people that have manufacturing facilities. "

Intricon Lean Six Sigma Efficiency Program

IntriCon Corporation reports its quarterly results which have eroded due to the challenging business cycle. The company is committed to leveraging lean manufacturing and Six Sigma to drive efficiencies and improve margins. ...

... "Company wide, 2009 first-quarter gross margins were 17.8 percent, compared to 23.2 percent in the year-ago quarter. The decline was primarily due to lower sales levels combined with a lower-margin product mix. While medical sales carry a higher margin, increases were not enough to offset lower volumes in other businesses. To improve efficiency, IntriCon continues to introduce Six Sigma lean manufacturing methods across its business - successfully rolling it out in various medical and hearing health product lines. " ...

Via Intricon: Quarterly Results

Virtua Six Sigma Credit Strength

Fitch affirms strong credit rating for Virtua Health based on managements adoption and rollout of Six Sigma improvement methods. Six Sigma has improved the company's operating performance and profit margins have expanded. ...

... "Virtua's operating results in recent years show a marked improvement over the earlier part of the decade, when Virtua's operating margins ranged from 4% to (-0.4%) in years 2000 to 2004. Much of the improvement in operational performance is attributed by management to its use of GE management tools (Six Sigma, Best People, Workouts). Virtua was one of the original organizations to adopt GE's management tools in a health care setting, and Fitch views Virtua's management's adoption of and ongoing commitment to these tools as a credit strength. " ...

Via PR: Fitch Rates Virtua Health A

Lean Manufacturing Progress Challenged

Emerging legislation and foreign tax treatment could impact the gains achieved by industry using lean manufacturing methods over the recent past. ...

... "Great strides have been made in worker productivity by implementing these manufacturing methods, enhancing margins as well as capital turnover ratios across the industrial space. " ...

Via Morningstar: Obamanomics

Better Management Through Lean Six Sigma

The average company can benefit from the discipline of lean and Six Sigma to manage quality and streamline the organization. ...

... "That's the power of Lean Six Sigma - having more profit from streamlining your existing processes, which will then free up resources to do the things you simply don't have time to do. " ...

Via Nova Scotia Business Journal: Six Sigma results

Regal Beloit Earnings Driven By Lean SixSigma

Regal-Beloit sees growth and sustains profitability through Lean Six Sigma, which helps the company increase margins. Regal-Beloit uses GE Six Sigma methods. ...

... "The Company's initiatives continued to gain traction and had a significant impact on the Company's performance. New products and acquisition growth fueled sales growth, while Lean Six Sigma helped support operating margins. Net sales increased 5.1% to $418.6 million from $398.3 million in the first quarter of 2006. " ...

Via Regal Beloit: 11% Earnings Per Share Increase on Strength of Industrial Markets

Nortech Strategic Focus: Lean Manufacturing Initiative to Drive Significant Profit Margins

Nortech Systems reports 17 percent increase in quarterly net sales and an increase in annual net income. The company is initiating a lean manufacturing program to continually improve operational efficiency resulting in expansion of profit margins. ...

... "During 2006, Degen said higher costs for energy and commodities were offset by volume increases and operational leveraging. Another strategic focus for Nortech is the launching of a comprehensive lean manufacturing initiative aimed at further cost reductions and continual improvements. This program has a near-term goal of increasing the company's net profit significantly. As with lean manufacturing efforts, Nortech will continue to focus on building customer relationships that will permeate every aspect of the company, not just sales and customer service. While strengthening its relationship with existing customers, Degen said the company continues to gain traction both with new customers and new markets. " ...

Via Nortech: Nortech Systems Reports Fourth Quarter, Fiscal 2006 Year-End Results ...

Lean Practices Local Training

Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership will offer training and consulting in lean practices to local businesses. ...

... "Local resident Fritz Dramm has joined the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership as a manufacturing specialist. In this role, he will help area small and mid-size manufacturers implement strategies to boost competitiveness and profitability. " ...

Via Manitowoc Herald Times: Read

LeanSixSigma ProfitMargin Improves: Regal-Beloit

Regal-Beloit sees bottom-line impact from Lean Six Sigma initiatives. Its profit margin is increasing from the operating efficiencies created by Six Sigma projects. The CEO reports that the earnings improvement is largely driven by contributions from corporate wide initiatives. REGAL-BELOIT CORPORATION is a leading manufacturer of mechanical and electrical motion control and power generation products. The company is headquartered in Beloit, Wisconsin. ...

... "The gross profit margin for the fourth quarter of 2006 was 24.3%, which was 150 basis points above the gross profit margin in the fourth quarter of 2005 as a result of contributions from our Lean Six Sigma and productivity initiatives. Income from operations was $39.5 million or 10.8% of sales, a 3.1% increase over the $38.3 million or 10.2% of sales reported for the fourth quarter of 2005." ...

Via Regal-Beloit: REGAL-BELOIT Fourth Quarter Earnings Per Share Increase 8%