Anchor Industries in Evansville, IN is a 116 year old manufacturing company. Anchor is currently a world leader in the manufacture of fabric products for industry, rental and recreation uses. Anchor has decided that even they can improve the way they do things and has hired Lean Concepts, Inc. to help them in their pursuit. After their recent initial trining session, Keith Sallee, Department Supervisor stated that "The team came out like work ants and began to dissect one of my departments...Anxious to see the results, I was not disappointed. I am very excited about the future in the way we do things, and believe that we will become very productive and efficient in the way we operate our day to day business.
LEAN IS NOT JUST FOR MANUFACTURING!--The PERDUE® brand is the number-one brand of premium chicken in the Eastern U.S. With annual sales in excess of $3.4 billion, Perdue Farms is ranked as the third largest poultry company in the U.S.. They recently contacted Lean Concepts, Inc to provide training in Lean Leadership. Mike Maroney, Breeder Manager at Perdue's plant in Thorntown, IN reports that the "feedback from his team has been positive. The group did a good job establishing a good agenda for their weekly team meetings as well as revisions to the Management Team Meeting Agenda."
Listen to what one of our satisfied clients has planned for the new year!!
"OPW is very interested in using Lean Concepts, Inc. for some events again this year. John Veatch and his team give us great ideas on how to be better at our processes every time they are in our building. The scholarship money Lean Concepts Inc. helps us obtain to defray the cost of the training is an added bonus."
Here is what Dan Leahy-VP Operations, Hydro Systems Company in Cincinnati, OH had to say about his company's Lean Journey:
"The work we are doing with Miami University-Hamilton and Lean ConceptsInc. is a journey that started several years ago. We purposely have chosen ... to take small but productive steps on this journey. We have progressed from the initial steps of education in regards to what is Lean, through the process of incorporating 5S into our daily routine and the use of other lean tools to significantly improve our business. The improvements include more effective and efficient use of our shop floor; reduced assembly time, thereby increased profitability." According to Jeff Rowe, President and CEO of Hydro Systems-"With the changes we have made in Cincinnati we view getting potential customers into our shop as a competitive weapon. Once we get them here to see how we operate, we lock them in."
Leahy continues: "We continue to view the use of Lean Concepts as an important part of our future development and now have added a leadership venue with the help of Miami University–Hamilton where the working relationship is also fantastic. We are a better company because we have the support of Miami – Hamilton and Lean Concepts Inc. The implementation of the Lean Concepts methodology is a journey-not the program of the month! While we always have worked on getting better we now are incorporating into our culture a more formal, trackable, continuous improvement program."
Mr. George Atkinson-President of Hartzell Fan, Inc. had this to say about their recent engagement with Lean Concepts, Inc.
"After completion of section 1 of the Lean Concepts, Inc. training program in our Portland, IN facility, there is not an area of the plant that has not seen some type of Lean Activity in the form of 5S or Visual Management. Many of these activities have taken place aside from the training. Shadow boards are now common in most areas of the plant. They have brought the tools out of the tool boxes and made them much easier to find and keep track of. The overall organization has given the plant a "professional" feel." In addition "The employees have embraced the Lean concepts and are beginning to challenge the way we do things in order to find a "lean" approach. Several employees have stepped up and taken on the role of team leader in the Kaizen and mini events held in the plant. In addition to the "Lean" benefits of this training, we feel it has gone far in the general leadership development of our personnel."
Comments from the participants of a recent Kaizen Blitz at Jones the Florist in Cincinnati, Ohio:
"Training was informative and well organized"
"Handouts were relevant and the material was presented in a clear, effective manner by a knowledgeable instructor"
"The knowledge and skills gained from this training will help me work more effectively"
"The instructor encouraged participant discussion"
"Our desire to improve our processes and our competitive position were the focus of training proveded by Miami University-Hamilton's Business & Industry Center. Lean Manufacturing training and Kaizen Blitz activities gave OPW-FC the tools to achieve specific business objectives to the benefit of our customers, shareholders and employees"
Bruce Konopasek-Director of Quality OPW Fueling Components