Li-Ion Battery Manufacturing: Six Sigma Quality Boost

Expanded executive team is needed to guide the growth in Li-Ion batteries at Boston-Power. The quality exec will raise the level of statistical skills on the factory floor. ...

... "As Boston-Power’s vice president of quality, Fred Pourmehr oversees the company’s factory sites, with an emphasis on providing statistical training support to ensure its ongoing best-in-class operations worldwide. His responsibilities include enhancing the company’s comprehensive global quality strategy, policies and initiatives, including Six Sigma programs. " ...

Via Boston-Power: Executive Team

Six Sigma Facility Flow

Bell Helicopter opens supply center in Canada that incorporates design features based on Six Sigma principles. ...

... "The layout of the new facility, combined with the incorporation of Six Sigma into our processes, has greatly improved our efficiency, and reduced the amount of floor space within which we function. " ...

Via Vertical Magazine: Calgary Supply Center

Performance Improvement Breakthrough Services By Milliken

Milliken & Company forms a dedicated business group to provide Performance Improvement Services to the manufacturing sector. The new group is called Milliken Performance Solutions and will serve customers from the company's Spartanburg, South Carolina headquarters. Milliken is one of the largest privately-held textile and chemical manufacturers in the world. ...

... "The formation of Milliken Performance Solutions will expand these services to support companies outside of Milliken's traditional base and will report to Craig Long, Vice President of Six Sigma and Quality. The Milliken Performance System is a daily management system that provides a systematic, step by step method of running any operation more effectively and efficiently. The system is in place at over 60 plants worldwide and can support both discrete and continuous process manufacturing plants. The system overcomes the limitations of conventional Lean Six Sigma programs by providing a more comprehensive approach that leads to dramatic breakthroughs in cost reduction, higher morale, increased customer satisfaction, and a cleaner safer environment. " ...

Via Milliken & Company: New Business Line Provides Performance Improvement Services

Five-9s Availability Achieved Through Six Sigma Discipline

EMC uses Six Sigma methodology to drive availability improvements in its products to five-9s performance levels. ...

... "Traditionally, only high-end storage systems designed for the most mission-critical applications have delivered Five 9s availability. EMC designed an entirely new midrange architecture - UltraScale - to deliver the highest levels of availability in affordable, scalable and easy-to-use systems that meet a wide range of storage needs. Over the past year, EMC utilized a comprehensive Six Sigma-based approach to track and calculate availability metrics of both the Fibre Channel and Fibre Channel/iSCSI versions of the EMC CLARiiON CX3 UltraScale systems, including a thorough analysis of the root cause of unplanned customer system downtime whether hardware, software or process-related. " ...

Via EMC: EMC Clariion CX3 Ultrascale Systems Achieve Highest Midrange Storage Availability and Quality Benchmark

Financial Services Business Process Improvement Use SixSigma

Information technology is not leading Six Sigma business process improvement in financial services. ...

... "majority of global financial services companies are using some form (or combination) of modern process improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma or Process Management. " ...

Via Bank Systems and Technology: Bank Process Improvement

ITIL SixSigma Converge For IT Services

It is expected that Six Sigma will integrate with ITIL in the continuous improvement of IT services. ...

... "Hydrasight foresees that the majority of enterprises will continue to mix aspects of ITIL with other process disciplines (e.g., COBIT, Six Sigma, SDLC, ASL, and internally-developed procedures). " ...

Via IT-Director: ITIL Six Sigma Convergence

Cummins Six Sigma Exemplary

Cummins is an exemplar in the application of Six Sigma to all business process and has integrated the methodology into its culture. ...

... "The diesel-engine maker estimates it has completed 2,500 Six Sigma projects since 2000, saving or avoiding more than $1.4 billion in costs. " ...

Via Indianapolis Star: Six Sigma Success Story

Minitab Recognized For Six Sigma in Manufacturing

Minitab is recognized by Frost and Sullivan with its Award for Customer Value Leadership of the Year in the quality compliance, manufacturing productivity and statistical process control market. ...

... "Using the Minitab packages, customers have been able to achieve a greater degree of standardization in their quality improvement projects, which in turn has made these projects easy to supervise and manage. This has minimized the amount of resources required to complete individual projects and saved companies time and money at the overall project level. In addition to reducing costs, Minitab software has enabled project leaders to easily access more information at various crucial stages of a project, allowing them to make more informed decisions. Minitab's wide set of customer services and allied support activities are other competitive advantages that differentiate it from other participants. The company boasts of a strong technical support suite that provides free assistance to its users and helps identify customers' most recent requirements, thereby obtaining their confidence. Minitab's recently released Minitab(R) 15 Statistical Software includes very useful enhancements, such as probability distribution plots, broader Gage R&R capabilities, the ability to attach formulas to columns in the worksheet and the latest reliability methods for forecasting future warranty claims. " ...

Via Frost & Sullivan: Frost & Sullivan Extols Minitab Inc. for Its Ability in Assisting Customers to Make Optimum Utilization of their Resources

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

LeanSixSigma Persists Even On Earnings Dips

Louisiana-Pacific Corporation reports first quarter net loss and affirms commitment to operational efficiency through Lean Six Sigma. ...

... "Rick Frost, CEO: I do not see this market improving substantially for the rest of 2007, Frost continued. We will remain persistent in completing our strategic capital projects, working to increase market share with our most important customers, and implementing cost and process improvements through our Lean Six Sigma efforts. " ...

Via Louisiana-Pacific Corporation: First Quarter 2007 Results

Six Sigma Organizational Effectiveness

Leadership team includes position on organizational effectiveness, building on an foundation of lean six sigma. ...

... "Sean Andersen, as the Leader of Organizational Effectiveness Practices, will be responsible for leading Lean Six Sigma process improvements spanning operations, technology, and implementation. " ...

Via Global Services: Organizationl Effectiveness

Value Engineering Award to Northrop Grumman For Lean Principles

Northrop Grumman is selected by U.S. Department of Defense to receive its Value Engineering Achievement award for innovative productivity improvements, that leverage the principles of Lean Six Sigma. ...

... "Value Engineering, developed in the 1940s at General Electric Co., is a systematic process widely used in government and industry to identify actions that improve performance, reliability, quality, safety and life cycle costs. The Defense Department said a total of 3,473 government and contractor-initiated proposals were accepted during fiscal year 2006 with projected savings/cost avoidance in excess of $1.6 billion. Northrop Grumman was nominated for its Value Engineering Achievement award by the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), which cited the implementation of Six Sigma and Lean principles at the company's Integrated Systems sector. According to the DCMA nomination, Northrop Grumman's implementation of these initiatives has been increasingly reducing costs, improving quality, enhancing effectiveness and increasing efficiency throughout the enterprise and on Defense Department weapon system acquisition contracts and services. The 2006 Defense Department Value Engineering awards will be presented May 16, 2007 at the Pentagon. " ...

Via Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman to Receive U.S. Department of Defense Value Engineering Award for Improving Productivity

Workforce Involvement in Lean Six Sigma Program

Army base involves civilian workers in their Lean Six Sigma program. ...

... "The Lean Six Sigma process allows workers to identify paperwork, standard operating procedures and bureaucratic waste that undercuts customer service and makes jobs harder to do, he said. " ...

Via Stars & Stripes: Involving Workers in Eliminating Waste through Lean Six Sigma

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

Six Sigma Thought Process Pervades Employee Culture

Small companies can have success with Six Sigma through using its DMAIC process to guide employee behaviors and thought process. ...

... "Your company may be math-challenged and the thought of doing anything with statistics may put you to sleep, but don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. Through the Six Sigma DMAIC thought process, you can involve employees in reaching company goals. " ...

Via Inc: Six Sigma

Lean Manufacturing Guidelines

Kildeer uses radio frequency devices to streamline its manufacturing process. ...

... "Killdeer is in the process of overhauling its manufacturing processes, using Six Sigma and lean manufacturing practices as guidelines. " ...

Via RFID Journal: Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing

Operations Center Excellence Through Lean SixSigma Quality Process

Nortel opens its new Global Operations Center of Excellence in Istanbul, which will provide tech support services to customers globally. The center leverages best practice methods for quality improvement, such as Lean Six Sigma. ...

... "The Global Operations Center of Excellence in Istanbul provides technical and operational support to Nortel customers deploying next-generation mobile, converged, metro Ethernet and optical networks. This includes product support for global customers, network technical support for customers in North America, and network integration and technical support for customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The Center features the latest customer service tools, quality processes like Lean Six Sigma, and Nortel's market-leading contact center technology. Nortel has already recruited more than 300 graduates from Turkish universities to staff the Center as it progresses through 2007 to full operational capacity. " ...

Via Nortel: 24/7 Support to Nortel Carrier Customers Around the World While Improving Operational Performance ...

SixSigma Benefit Realization: Detail Tangible Benefits

Six Sigma discipline can be used to drive tangible benefits from IT investments. This can be enabled by a robust program for benefits realization that ensures that the benefits articulated in the business case are achieved. ...

... "The process is an amalgamation of this company's rich history in Six Sigma and their belief that technology can revolutionize their industries, core business processes, and internal functions. " ...

Via Optimize Magazine: Benefit Realization

SixSigma Supports Capacity Increase at Dow

Dow Chemical leverages Six Sigma to optimize its production operations through less capital-intensive solutions to capacity. ...

... "Mady Bricco, global product director, Propylene Oxide and Propylene Glycols: To meet rising demand, we will expand our PG production at Stade through two expansion projects and have optimized operations at our other facilities, through Six Sigma, technology enhancements, process automation and other improvements. We are pleased that we were able to identify these low-capital solutions to meet our customers' demands and support the growth of downstream businesses. " ...

Via Dow Chemical: Dow Announces Increased Global PO and PG Capacity

iGrafx Software For Six Sigma Business Process Improvement

iGrafx releases 2007 version of its solutions for process excellence, that enhances modeling, simulation, mapping, and Lean Six Sigma support. ...

... "Improved Lean and Six Sigma Support: iGrafx 2007 offers great new features for Lean users including the ability to create Extended Value Stream Maps to obtain a lean view that crosses plant, divisional, and company boundaries. Six Sigma enthusiasts, on the other hand, will use the new Prioritization and Failure Mode Spreadsheets to spotlight improvement opportunities and mitigate failure mode effects faster. Users will also be able to define and scope Six Sigma projects, and identify progress towards process goals with the use of iGrafx Process Central repository. " ...

Via iGrafx: iGrafx 2007 Product Suite Enables Enterprise Business Process Improvement

Warranty Chain Management Enables SixSigma Defect Reduction

Trane uses HP and PolyVista warranty chain management solution to rapidly identify product quality and warranty-related issues through automated early detection and root cause analysis. ...

... "The solution, which was up and running in eight weeks, helps Trane quickly identify product quality and warranty-related issues through automated early detection and root cause analysis. After correcting any current issue detected by the solution, manufacturing teams at Trane can pass the information on to the design or engineering teams to help avoid problems in future products, as well as to vendors and suppliers to help improve long-term product reliability. Through this process, the solution offers reduced warranty costs, improved product development, sourcing and manufacturing processes, and better customer satisfaction. " ...

Via HP: Warranty Chain Management Early Warning System For Defects

Lean Six Sigma Creates Value at Local Firms

Lean and Six Sigma techniques translate well across companies and are equally at home in the front and back office. ...

... "Paychex Inc. hired former Kodak black belt Leslie Henckler as manager of operational process flow improvement in August to spearhead Lean Six Sigma efforts in Paychex's human resource business, dealing with customer 401(k) plans, insurance plans and other needs. " ...

Via Rochester Democrat & Chronicle: Six Sigma Used Successfully in Local Firms

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?

IMMI Lean Six Sigma Transformation

At recent ARC conference, the Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma transformation at IMMI was discussed. ...

... "Lean process improvement and Six Sigma are supported with their IT systems (Oracle EBS). Now, Lean extends to all the production lines, material handling, shipping, warehouse, receiving, and inspection. Lean created new business opportunities for IMMI. " ...

Via ARC Advisory Group: IMMI Lean Six Sigma

Six Sigma Customer Interactions

Covad differentiates in the hosting space through Six Sigma in the customer-facing business processes. ...

... "Covad partners with Source 1 HTMT on a six sigma process to continuously improve customer interactions. This is supplemented by other key vendor relationships, including third party quality monitoring and consulting. Continuous auditing, clarification and refinement of existing processes are also provided, for quality assurance and specialized, targeted customer solutions. " ...

Via Covad: Covad to Present at 2007 Outsourcing World Summit

Solectron Lean Manufacturing Success at Guadalajara

Solectron Corporation's Guadalajara, Mexico facility wins the 2007 Shingo Business Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing. Solectron Guadalajara is recognized for demonstrating Lean Six Sigma leadership through operational and process improvements in quality, productivity and efficiency. ...

... "Underscoring the customer value of the Solectron Production System(TM), Solectron's Lean Six Sigma manufacturing methodology, Solectron Guadalajara demonstrated manufacturing excellence, including a significant focus on continuous improvement processes. The entire facility and its employees operate within the company-wide Kaizen culture of continuous improvement, which is at the heart of the Solectron Production System, or SPS. SPS helps OEMs improve quality and efficiency, reduce waste, lower cost and improve flexibility. " ...

Via Solectron: Solectron Receives Prestigious Shingo Award for Lean Manufacturing Excellence ...

Legal Process: Six Sigma

Six Sigma is used in the legal process to streamline the management of intellectual property while accelerating innovation. ...

... "Use procedures such as Six Sigma, a technique to identify and drive out variations in procedures. International Truck and Engine hired a contract intellectual-property lawyer and trained him in Six Sigma. He creatively improved the company's patent process. " ...

Via Law: Creativity

SixSigma Process Projects

Firm hires talent to manage client Six Sigma projects. ...

... "Praxilient Inc. has hired Ted Storin, Mike Streno and Bruce Brooks. They will manage Six Sigma Process projects, enterprise project management projects and technology projects for Praxilient's clients. " ...

Via Appleton Post-Crescent: Read

VP SixSigma Quality Process

Metaldyne makes leadership appointment. Metaldyne is a leading global designer and supplier of metal-based components, assemblies and modules for transportation related powertrain and chassis applications. ...

... "Dickerson will lead Metaldyne's quality initiatives and the company's focus on Six Sigma, including implementing process improvements in key operational areas. In this role he will also work closely with his counterparts at Metaldyne's parent company, Asahi Tec Co., Ltd., to support synergies in the areas of safety, MOS, quality, launch, product lifecycle management, material procurement and logistics. Metaldyne recently was acquired by the Shizuoka, Japan-based chassis and powertrain component supplier, which does business in the passenger car/light truck and medium/heavy truck segments." ...

Via Metaldyne: Metaldyne Appoints Steve Dickerson Vice President, Quality, Six Sigma and Process ...

Lombardi LeanSixSigma Business Process Management BPM Webinar

Webinar will explore integration of Lean Six Sigma and BPM initiatives. ...

... "live webinar: Connecting BPM and Lean Six Sigma. The hour-long event will broadcast on Wednesday, February 7, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. ET (18:00 GMT). Master Black Belt Lance Gibbs of Lombardi will discuss how companies can leverage existing Lean Six Sigma practices and assets in their BPM initiatives. He will discuss how companies that are doing BPM projects today can get started with Lean Six Sigma concepts, as well as how Lean Six Sigma practitioners can help get their companies' BPM projects started on the right foot. " ...

Lombardi and Industry Expert Highlight Connecting Business Process Management With Lean Six Sigma (LSS) Initiatives

Six Sigma Expertise Improves Acquisition Synergy

Chemtura completes acquisition of Kaufman Holdings Corporation. CEO expects synergies from products, processes, and systems. Chemtura uses Six Sigma to improve manufacturing processes and also to improve finance, accounting, marketing, procurement and other business processes. More than 1000 Chemtura employees are trained in Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing techniques. ...

... "Chemtura Chairman and CEO Robert L. Wood: Our existing Petroleum Additives / Lubricants business is core to our growth, and Hatco and Anderol fit in well with this business. There are related product offerings in key customer areas, as well as the opportunity to strengthen alliances with major suppliers. There may be distribution synergies as well, benefiting our global customers, he said. Chemtura will add industry expertise, Six Sigma-based products and processes, and new information technology systems that will benefit Kaufman customers. " ...

Via Chemtura: Chemtura Completes Acquisition of Kaufman Holdings Corporation

Patient Care Improvement Through Six Sigma

Valley Baptist Medical Center-Harlingen is ranked number one in the US for treatment of heart failure, by the federal government. Six Sigma is their ingredient for success. Valley Baptist is one of the first health care organizations in the country to use the Six Sigma quality improvement program to maximize performance and customer satisfaction. Valley Baptist extends many of its services beyond its facilities and into local communities. ...

... "Valley Baptist was able to improve patient care for heart failure and heat attack patients through a process improvement program called Six Sigma. The Six Sigma method was pioneered in high-tech companies such as General Electric, with Valley Baptist being one of the first organizations in the nation to apply the program to health care. Under the leadership of its President and CEO James Springfield, Valley Baptist has made Six Sigma quality one of its top corporate initiatives in order to maximize performance and patient satisfaction throughout the health system. A total of 115 top-performing hospitals in the country will receive reward bonuses for their performance. Valley Baptist in Harlingen will receive $140,951 because of its performance in treating heart failure management and heart attack patients. " ...

Via Valley Baptist: Valley Baptist-Harlingen Ranked #1 in Nation for Heart Failure Management; Six Sigma Leads to Improvements ...

Healthcare Six Sigma Scorecard

Firms partner to control escalating health care costs through a Six Sigma program that streamlines administrative processes to lower health care costs for patients. ...

... "Drawing on a methodology called Six Sigma, used by manufacturing and other industries for eliminating procedural deficiencies, BJC HealthCare and UnitedHealthcare established a project team to identify areas for billing and payment process enhancements. The team is using Barnes-Jewish Hospital as the pilot site, examining every step of the health care process - from physician services to claims processing - to remove inefficiencies and associated costs. Using Six Sigma practices as a model, the project team has developed a scorecard to monitor progress and ensure proper implementation of the team's recommended solutions. After nine months of work, the project team's first phase was completed in the fall of 2006. BJC plans to implement the team's recommendations at all 13 of its hospitals. " ...

Via UnitedHealthcare: BJC HealthCare and UnitedHealthcare Partner to Streamline Administrative Processes and Lower Health Costs

Plant Reliability: Six Sigma FMEA

Reliability excellence builds on simple foundation of Six Sigma concepts, such as failure mode and effects analysis ...

... "Patterned after Six Sigma, the concept of reliability excellence includes tools specifically designed to identify and manage risks, including environmental, health and safety. The process begins with a thorough simplified failure modes and effects analysis (SFMEA). " ...

Via Plant Services: Reliability

SixSigma: Incremental Business Process Improvement Best

Hackett Group research sees Six Sigma as best utilized to support continuous improvement in shared service / back-office processes. Hackett finds that Six Sigma may be inappropriately applied to enterprise transformations, where it is weak. ...

... "Many Hackett clients find Six Sigma to be a powerful tool for incremental improvement. Using a combination of Six Sigma and LEAN, one U.S. client was able to achieve major progress in accounts payable, including a 50% reduction in payment processing time, largely by identifying errors and eliminating non-value-added activities. At another Hackett client, Six Sigma played a key role in their ability to decrease cycle times and reduce costs as they built a global shared services organization. Overall, Hackett's research shows that 86% of all finance shared services organizations have a strong commitment to continuous improvement programs such as Six Sigma. " ...

Via The Hackett Group: Six Sigma Not a Silver Bullet for Back-Office Improvements

SixSigma CEO: New Business Pedigree

Larry Ryan, PhD and Six Sigma-certified business leader, is named the new Chief Executive Officer of SulphCo. ...

... "Dr. Ryan comes to SulphCo from the General Electric Advanced Materials Division, where he led the Elastomers and RTV business. Dr. Ryan has a PhD from the University of Delaware, a Six-Sigma Blackbelt certification, and a long history of working with chemical process-dependent technologies. " ...

Via Yahoo! Finance: SulphCo Appoints New CEO and Chairman ...

Six Sigma Defect Elimination: Haz Waste Elimination

US Coast Guard uses Six Sigma DMAIC process to minimize defects in the elimination of hazardous waste. Voice of the customer surveys identified training improvements as low-cost, low-risk approach to creating measureable change in performance. Green techniques to environmental improvement is recognized. ...

... "The team followed the Six Sigma DMAIC process improvement model (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control). The team designed and performed a comprehensive Customer Survey targeting all the Environmental Compliance Officers (ECOs) from the various tenant units. Customer surveys revealed that training and knowledge of the system was sporadic due to ECO turnover and the lack of tenant command emphasis. The team quickly acknowledged that a robust and continual education and outreach program would be needed to improve the overall success of the Hazmat management program. In April 2005, a comprehensive training session was successfully implemented and is now offered on a monthly basis by the EB. " ...

Via US EPA: 2006 Awards: Champions of Green Government Awards | Region 9: Federal Facilities ...

DCS Distributed Control System Implementation: Six Sigma Context

ARC sees good growth in the distributed control systems (DCS) market and expects some shifts in the marketplace causing migration of control systems. Any migration of technology should be achieved in the context of a disciplined improvement process, such as Six Sigma. ...

... "ARC advocates that end users must take the same approach to control system migration that they would to overall control system selection, all in the context of a six-sigma style continuous improvement process. " ...

Via Processing Talk: DCS Market Growth

Six Sigma Marketing ROI

Marketing is key to a successful business strategy that is focused on growth. A disciplined process is necessary for implementing marketing strategies that transform the business' commercial success. ...

... "In fact, the ROI process at Dow Corning actually emerged from its Voice of the Customer (Six Sigma) efforts." ...

Via MarketingProfs: Marketing ROI in 2007 ...

Executive Appointment: Six Sigma Philosophy Key

Executive appointed to drive efficiency and business process improvements through Six Sigma perspective. ...

... "In his new position, Mr. O'Keeffe will transform TNS Custom Research's Operations and MCP into best-in-class organizations by driving business-side efficiency and process improvements and by leveraging process and work-flow expertise gained from a decade of work with the Six Sigma philosophy. He will also be responsible for collaborating with TNS' global headquarters to help develop the company's overall global operations strategy. " ...

Via TNS: TNS Announces Michael O'Keeffe as Executive Vice President, Operations and MCP and Larry Levin as Executive Vice President, U.S. Consumer Goods & Services ...

Six Sigma Moto Legacy

Motorola has been able to integrate Six Sigma into its culture while accelerating its innovation engine. ...

... "the company's more lasting contribution to the world is something decidedly more wonkish: the quality-improvement process called Six Sigma. " ...

Via Business Week: Link

Six Sigma Change Acceleration Process

GE shares its Six Sigma change acceleration process with non-profit to drive increased contribution to philathropic pursuits. ...

... "A trial ICFC program was just completed in October in Danbury with the Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut. A GE Six Sigma black belt led 24 YMCA employees and board members through a full day session of Change Acceleration Process training (CAP) at GE Capital Solutions Danbury headquarters. CAP is a set of principles and tools GE follows and uses to accelerate the acceptance and implementation of change. " ...

Via GE Capital Solutions: GE Capital Solutions Introduces New Corporate Giving Model Aimed at After School Non-Profit Programs

Leader Recognized: LeanSixSigma Powerful Results

Lean Six Sigma leader recognized for his contributions to quality in the Asia Pacific region. ...

... "Chuck Aubrey, Vice President of Process Management and Lean Six Sigma for Anderson Packaging, Inc., was awarded the prestigious Harrington-Ishikawa Medal at the 12th Annual Asia Pacific Quality Organization Conference held October 17th - 20th in Sydney, Australia. This award was presented to Chuck in recognition of his contribution to the development of quality in the economies of countries in Asia and the Pacific Rim through writing, teaching, and consulting. Chuck was also a keynote speaker at the event. His presentation, Packaging Lean and Six Sigma Together for Powerful Results, highlights how both Anderson Packaging, Inc. and its customers have benefited from a successful Lean Six Sigma program. " ...

Via Anderson Packaging: ANDERSON 100th MEMBER OF CONTRACT PACKAGING ASSOCIATION ...

Logistics Six Sigma Savings: 3M Brazil

3M will outsource pallet management to CHEP, trasitioning from exchange pallets. Using the Six Sigma DMAIC process, 3M validates significant room for improvement in its pallet operation. It expects to realize benefits with potential cost reductions for transportation and storage. ...

... "To determine whether CHEP services were appropriate for the company's operations, 3M used Six Sigma processes, solicited feedback from wholesale and superstore retail customers and conducted a comprehensive reference call at the Brazilian facilities of a leading global consumer products company. During the review process, managers identified a chance to decrease loss of pallets and reduce the quantity of renewed equipment derived by costumer returns. " ...

Via CHEP: 3M Brazil Sees Cost Savings With CHEP Program

CHEP is the global leader in pallet and container pooling services serving many of the world's largest companies. The company has more than 7,700 employees and operates in 44 countries. Combining superior technology and an asset base of more than 280 million pallets and containers, CHEP offers its customers exceptional value, a platform that enables reduction in customer product damage, and an environmentally sustainable logistical solution. Supply chains served include consumer goods, produce, beverage, and the automotive industry. With global partners that include Procter & Gamble, SYSCO, Kellogg's, Kraft, Nestle, Ford and GM, CHEP is known for Handling the World's Most Important Products. Everyday.

3M Brazil uses a number of management methods in its operations, such as theory of constraints in its supply chain. ...

Via AGI-Goldratt Institute: TOC World 2000 Video Presentations: "3M Brazil successfully applies the Theory of Constraints to their Sales and Operational Plan (SOP) to define their ideal sales mix in terms of addressing the market, the impact on production, and to evaluate the impact on their bottom line. "

In addition to its efficiency focus, 3M Brazil focuses on sustainability in its manufacturing operations. Its skills in pollution prevention are showcased here. ...

3P Examples: "3P team from 3M Brazil's Itapetininga facility replaced the solvent-based paper treatment process the plant used to manufacture packaging, medical and masking tapes with a new, water-based process. As a result of this change, the facility reduced solvent emissions by over 45 tons per year. "

Six Sigma Dashboard: Performance Management

Performance management enables focus on the Six Sigma banner metrics that drive cultural change. ...

... "Her company taps a bag of PM-oriented tricks, ranging from balanced scorecards to Six Sigma-all of which must be managed and tracked at the people, process, and technology levels. " ...

Via Enterprise Systems: Link

Lean 80 SixSigma 20: Air Force Operations

Air Force embraces Lean Six Sigma to change its culture with an eye towards an 80/20 split, when the improvement situation warrants. ...

... "Chief Norris agreed and said the wing is looking to use Lean tools about 80 percent of the time, and Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints and Business Process Re-engineering tools the other 20 percent. " ...

Via Air Force Link: USAFE's 1st AFSO 21 manager to Lean up Spangdahlem

Lean Flow Sheds Waste ...

Modern day lean flow has its roots in the early auto industry assembly line. Today's enterprises leverage Lean and Six Sigma to eliminate waste and solve problem to reduce variability, increase speed, and delight the customer. ...

... "Ford likened his Lean Flow process -- also called Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Flow and Just-In-Time Manufacturing -- to a river that flowed continuously. Anything that disrupted the flow was a waste that had to be eliminated. " ...

Via Public CIO: Trimming Waste Fast

Microsoft CIO: GE SixSigma Disciple ...

CIO Stuart Scott, who has a background in Six Sigma from GE, speaks about the evolution of his role from an applications and business-process-focus to full CIO responsibility for driving IT innovation at Microsoft. ...

... "PressPass: It's said that you're a Six Sigma black belt. Could you explain what that means and why it's an asset, and tell us how you parlay that sort of expertise into success in your role as CIO? Scott: Six Sigma is a data-driven process for making business decisions and choosing investments that help ensure a return for your business. It's a discipline in which you use analytical tools to draw out statistically significant information. So if you're talking to customers, for example, you want to do that in such a way that you come away with a genuine understanding of what they want, and you grasp the difference between what you could do to make those customers feel better vs. what's critical to enabling those customers to be successful, and what's critical to Microsoft's growth. Using good data and analytical tools, you can invest in programs like improving the business or putting in a new information system with the confidence that you'll achieve the desired result in terms of incremental business value. For me, that's always measured in a ledger. Any benefit we talk about has to be quantified in a way that demonstrates increased shareholder value. " ...

Via Microsoft: Microsoft CIO Stuart Scott Outlines the Company's Commitment to People-Ready Business

Stuart Scott practices project portfolio management as CIO at GE. ...

Via CIO Magazine: Deciding Factors: "STUART SCOTT MAY BE the vice president and CIO of GE Industrial Systems, but he sees himself as a venture capitalist. "

Customer Service Excellence: Lean SixSigma Process

Nortel creates a foundation of excellence through the use of Lean Six Sigma in its customer service center. The center will create process excellence in three major focus areas: supplier life-cycle management, design standards, and pricing analystics to support supplier negotiations. ...

... "Nortel plans to invest and spend US$ 38 million in the new Customer Service CoE over the next five years which is focused on next-generation network (NGN) engineering, VoIP solutions, multimedia, databases and radio-frequency technologies for global service providers and carriers. The CoE will be powered by state of the art tools, quality processes such as Lean Six Sigma and the latest in Nortel technology. It will support order management and network engineering and field operations such as delivery and application of remote software integration. Nortel intends to hire recent graduates from public and private Mexican universities to staff the CoE and should have 300 employees working at the CoE by June 2007. " ...

Via Nortel: Nortel Plans to Invest and Spend US$ 38 million in New Customer Service Center of Excellence in Mexico Over Next Five Years ...

Manufacturing Software: Integrated Six Sigma Process

Acquisition of manufacturing software vendor: CDC Software acquires MVI Technology, whose solutions enable process manufacturers Six Sigma methods. ...

... "The MVI system is the first RPM solution specifically designed for food & beverage and consumer products industries. This innovative solution enables manufacturers to merge automated shop floor data, quality process control and manufacturing performance dashboards as part of improved visibility and continuous improvement campaigns supported by a Six Sigma process. These applications directly complement CDC Software's Ross ERP (enterprise performance management), Ross SCM (supply chain management) and Ross EPM (enterprise performance management) solutions. " ...

Via CDC Software: CDC Software Acquires MVI Technology, a Leading Provider of Real-Time Performance Management (RPM) Solutions ...

Semiconductor Assembly: Six Sigma Certification ...

Indium Corporation, a supplier of electronics and semiconductor assembly materials, invests in certification of 11 Six Sigma green belts. The company will have opportunity to implement Six Sigma projects in their factories, located in the USA, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and China. The company believes in quality management and is ISO 9001 registered. ...

... "Indium Corporation recognized 11 individuals for achieving their Dartmouth Six Sigma Green Belt Certification. A Dartmouth Six Sigma Green Belt has demonstrated proficiency in developing and executing design experiments to support continuous process improvement at a competent level. Individuals who achieved the certification include: Stephen Foster, Mike McNamara, Bob Jarrett, Nicole Palma, Runsheng Mao, Stephen Smith, Hong-Sik Hwang, Ed Gudlauski, Leroy Page, Anthony Piccione, and Dave Sbiroli. Training for the certification was presented by Ronald C. Lasky, Ph.D., Senior Technologist at Indium Corporation and visiting professor at Dartmouth College's Thayer School of Engineering. " ...

Via Indium Corporation: Indium Corporation has 11 achieve Six Sigma Green Belt Certification ...

Project Management Office PMO: Six Sigma Gate Process

Chiquita strengthens its leadership team. New CIO has background in project management offices PMO with Six Sigma process methods. ...

... "Singh came to Chiquita from Gillette in Singapore where he served as director, Asia Pacific business systems and regional chief information officer for four years. He combined three independent IT organizations into a single unit responsible for all Asia Pacific IT operations. In addition, he developed a regional project management office and drove the creation of a project development and approval process tailored to Asia Pacific needs and which incorporated Six Sigma concepts while also leading the regional SAP, JDE, and Fourth Shift enterprise resource planning teams. " ...

Via Chiquita Brands International: Chiquita Announces Organizational Changes To Facilitate Market Growth Opportunities ...

Executive Career Path: Six Sigma Manufacturing Manager

Ingersoll-Rand executive appointed. Has diverse career path that includes supply chain, information technology, and Six Sigma process improvement. ...

... "Gauld began his career in manufacturing with General Electric, where he moved though a variety of operations functions and applied his background in operations management to the development of more effective processes and systems. This focus led him to the role of manufacturing systems manager, in which he was responsible for driving Six Sigma initiatives and for implementing standardized systems across the business. He subsequently was promoted to chief information officer for GE's Electrical Distribution and Controls business. " ...

Via Ingersoll Rand: Ingersoll Rand Appoints William B. Gauld Senior Vice President, Enterprise Services ...