Deseret Manufacturing Progresses with Innovative Plant Design

Results:
This new layout and concept will allow Deseret Manufacturing to quadruple their output of products and training/job placement needs through 2010. It gives them a forecast of annual product delivery requirements through 2010, by item and mix. It gives them clear guidelines for capital cost, pro forma operating statement, and ROI projections. In conclusion, this new facility will meet forecast production and training needs through 2024 with two shifts and generate a fully acceptable internal rate of return on investment.

Testimonial:
"MEP Utah worked closely with BYU's Manufacturing Leadership Forum to select a qualified intern to help develop the preliminary design and project proposal for our proposed new factory. With dedicated effort of the intern and MEP, this project was completed professionally and on time. The intern was both technically competent and a joy to work with. He took the initiative to work with other members of the staff in our existing production facility, vendors, MEP personnel, and other similar manufacturing plants in the area to develop the best possible design for our new facility."

Testimonial Name: Homer J. Cook
Testimonial Title: Plant Manager

Results:
Impact Imaging was able to benefit from MEP Utah training and assistance with the following improvements to their company:

• Production has more than doubled with fewer employees on the production line
• Lead-time has been reduced by 50%. Previous 5-7 day lead-times were reduced to a 3-day average with rush jobs going out on same day.
• Less job stress.  Employees have confidence that if they do their job the way it has been designed, it's going to work
• No missed shipping dates. Impact Imaging guarantees that orders for its Flex Express product will ship within 24 hours. 100% of those orders last year were shipped on time.
• Improved efficiency.  Employee travel during the production process decreased from 150 feet to about 8 feet.
• Less overtime.  Jobs come in and they go right out.  Rush jobs don't change anything in the operations other than being moved up in the queue.  Previously, WIP was moved around and out of the way  to accommodate rushes.  "Now when a big job comes through you hardly notice it."
• Sales continue to increase.  Production capacity has almost doubled as a result of implementing Lean Manufacturing and a Quality System.  Sales have stayed right in step with production.  Manufacturing head count was transitioned into sales and customer support.  This has produced the increased sales necessary to consume the additional production capacity.

Testimonial:
"People need to have the humility to accept that something can always be done better than it is being done today.  Figuring out how to do it is where Lean comes in."  Kim adds her endorsement by saying what Lean Manufacturing and the MEP did for Impact Imaging.  "It helped us identify what was wrong with our operation.  It gave us the ability to straighten things out in our work processes and make the lives of the people that work here so much better.  It is so much easier to get work done because of what we have learned and implemented."

Testimonial Name: Dan and Kim Griesemer
Testimonial Title: Chairman of the Board and President

Products:
Impact Imaging is a large format digital printer, working on projects that run from a few square feet to many hundreds of square feet. They produce large banners for applications ranging from billboards to wrapping entire office buildings with colorful images.

Opportunity:
As the recession kicked into high gear two critical events forever changed the course of events for Impact Imaging.  First, a competitor dropped prices to buy market share.  And second, Mike Miller, a member of the Impact Imaging Board of Directors started a campaign to implement a quality program.  Kim and Dan Griesemer, who are the cohesive husband and wife team that run Impact Imaging, knew that dropping prices to match the competition would be painful but loosing the customers they had worked so hard to acquire was simply not an option.  They entered the fray and when the dust settled, Impact Imaging had reduced their prices by two thirds to retain their valued customer base.  Now it was time to move on.  Kim said that:  "to survive we felt we had only two choices: to either cut guts out of our business or grow it and try to make it up on volume."  To add gas to the fire, Mike Miller of the board, continued to push a quality initiative.  Both Dan and Kim felt that taking on a major new project was out of the question."we simply didn't have time."  Mike pressed the issue and let them know that he was convinced that if they didn't make changes he suggested that Impact Imaging would be "dead in a year and a half."  Dan and Kim heeded his warnings and started studying their operations.  They quickly realized that there was a lot of waste.  "We knew that there was something wrong, but we didn't have any idea what it was or how to fix it.  We only knew that we were making mistakes."

Solution:
About this time one of the employees approached Dan and Kim about attending some Lean Manufacturing training that was being offered by the MEP.  They quickly agreed to send some key people to the training.  Dan says that, "everybody was pretty thrilled with the outcome of the class."  Two additional groups attended the MEP training so that virtually everyone in production had been through the class.  When a group of employees from Australia came to town, they were also sent to the MEP training.

Impact Imaging wasted no time implementing what they had learned.  Per Dan:  "it was an absolute nightmare to produce our product.  We were moving it all over the plant without giving any thought to flow."  Kim adds, "If we had to put a string where we started and stretched it to each point in our process there would not be room left to move because we crossed paths so many times just to get one job out the door."

Having operations spread out between two separate buildings compounded the problem.  It didn't take long to realize that operations needed to be consolidated into a single structure.  It was decided that a large roof would be built to enclose the open space between the two separate buildings.  This way the manufacturing operation could be combined into a single building.

The roof was built.  What had been two separate buildings was now combined into a massive, single structure.  Employee teams started laying out the production lines in the new facility, paying special attention to the materials flow.  With the new plant layout, raw materials now come into receiving, move straight down the production line, into the shipping department, and onto a truck to the customer.  Virtually all WIP inventory and finished goods inventory has been eliminated.  Once a job starts, it doesn't stop until it's shipped.  Impact Imaging now competes on delivery time as well as price and quality.  Customers ordering Impact's premium Flex Express product are guaranteed it will ship within twenty-four hours or it's free.

Employees: 75

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Team Members Celebrate National Laser Implementing 5S Concepts

Results:
Part of NLC's success is due to their management's enthusiasm.  They are very excited believers in the lean manufacturing program and have kept their team members enthused about it.

Since the first Lean implementation, NLC team members have implemented 5S in their Argon Laser Tube Production Department.

These are some of the results they experienced:

• Opened up shop floor space by 60%
• Increased production times by 25%
• Reorganized the workplace for a much more organized and clean environment
• Flow is enhanced by process flows and product lines being clearly labeled and followed, parts bins being labeled, and dividers used to save space

NLC felt so good about their team members' efforts in using these new lean concepts that they wanted to do something to show their appreciation. They also wanted to maintain company morale at a high point.  So they used the extra money in savings from the scrap and Ebay auctions for the team members' Christmas party. Needless to say, their momentum continues.

Testimonial:
"Not only does the MEP Program provide a good basic hands-on program to streamline manufacturing, but it allows the opportunity to resolve the roadblocks that hold back production processes. I recommend it for any company that desires to be better than they were last year."

Testimonial Name: Debra Hampton
Testimonial Title: Director of Operations

Products:
Manufacturer of visible wavelength lasers. They also produce replacement tubes, refurbished heads, and power supplies for existing equipment.  NLC includes among its customers some of the largest and most prominent users of ion lasers.

Opportunity:
NLC's Director of Operations, Debra Hampton, was looking for an opportunity to make an impact in the production arena.  She specifically wanted to join outside organizations to network and learn more about manufacturing. In addition, one of her requirements was to find affordable assistance.  During her search she came across the MEP Utah on the Internet and called to inquire what services were offered.  From there a very productive relationship began. As evidenced by the results achieved on the floor, Debra realized the impact she was seeking, due to the hard work and efforts of all of NLC's team members.

Partnering with MEP Utah Propels Smead Through Their Lean Journey

Results:
Cedar City not only met 5 year startup objectives but exceeded many in several instances and achieved these targets nearly 1 year ahead of plan.  In early 2002, the Smead organization worked to develop a strategic plan for the next three years.  Adopting Lean as the method and philosophy to drive continuous improvement was a key focus of this plan. 

Specific outcomes experienced at Smead and associated with the Lean Journey include:

Testimonial:
"The timing of introducing Smead to Lean Manufacturing principles was nearly ideal.  The people at all levels were primed and ready for improvement and have responded very well to the methodology of Lean. Having prior experience with Lean principles helped opportunities be readily visible to me.  Transferring that vision in a way to fit with Smead culture and values was and is an exciting opportunity.  Helping others learn to see the opportunities is an ongoing journey.  The involvement and customized approach used with MEP helped to utilize and leverage the energy and focus of key persons in the plant.  Crossing from theory to practice takes leadership, faith, and sometimes an external stimulus.  MEP acted as a ready resource to support development of in-house knowledge and provided a 'reality check' shoulder to lean on when needed.  They were available but not invasive which allowed our culture to grow into the process. Sometimes they also offered much needed cheering."

Testimonial Name: Tyler Perkins
Testimonial Title: Manufacturing Engineer 

Products:
Smead is a leading provider of efficient document management and organizational solutions.

Opportunity:
As a startup plant, Cedar City had a multi-faced challenge with their five-year startup plan.  Operations being moved from California were to make an invisible impact on customer service levels already established.  Operational goals identified expectations and objectives beyond historical trends of existing operations.  Year two included a major computer system change in preparation for the year 2000.  Customers in today's market expect nothing but the best and Smead highly values providing products and services that match and exceed customer expectations.  Manufacturing processes were being brought on line and installed in a rapid manner as operations were being put in place.  This "newness" challenged operational goals with high internal material waste and low productivity.  Transferring process knowledge while altering traditional practices and norms was a sizable task.  All of this, along with the challenges of establishing and training a workforce to meet these expectations, presented strain and stretching in every direction.

Solution:
To achieve such demanding objectives, Smead identified the need for a focus on continuous improvement and sought support to structure such an effort.  A Smead Manufacturing Engineer with previous knowledge and training in a continuous improvement methodology referred to as "Lean Manufacturing", was hired in early 1999 and began teaching the principles to plant leadership.  Lean was identified as the path and vehicle to pursue. By the end of 1999, Lean Manufacturing was seen as a viable method and philosophy for improvement efforts.  Examples of results and efforts outside of Smead were reviewed and considered, with thoughts toward how to create a fit into Smead culture.

Initially, efforts were focused on developing the management systems to measure key performance levers and to put in place employee participation such that valuable knowledge and insights could be harvested.  A key step was developing a process of stepping out of the day to day fires and identifying the ideal state of various business aspects.  Bridging the gap was often seen as impossible and overwhelming but the opportunities were nonetheless identified.  With opportunities catalogued, the challenge became crossing the "theory to practice" gap.

In the year 2000, theory became reality as the first formal Kaizen Event was held to create a living model of lean principles in the facility and to explore the feasibility of future efforts.  The selected team of production workers and management learned together by doing rather than just by discussion and planning.  Resources were stretched in every direction.  After the initial shock settled, background "ah ha's" could be heard in the plant as people began to see what was being said.  To some it seemed like common sense.  Other Kaizen efforts were pursued and islands of improvement began to surface and a greater sense of hope and confidence began to develop in the operation.

With the model established and people constantly evaluating results, efforts toward a whole system and enterprise approach became the focus.  Opportunities previously identified became part of strategic plans for both short and long term objectives.  Training and exposure to Lean principles for plant leadership became a driving need.  Time and dollars were limited and existing prospects in a smaller town far away from larger city resources made the gap once again look menacing.  Options for external help were seen as a must in order to move through this phase of the journey. It was at this cross roads, in early 2001, that options with MEP Utah were first discovered and explored.

Initially, a Lean Workshop was sampled off-site in St. George, Utah.  The match of MEP resources and methods seemed like a good fit into the Smead culture.  Subsequently, all of Smead's plant leadership participated in the in-house Lean training provided by the MEP.  They used a live model in the plant as a reference point where the Lean participants could tour and consider how to take these principles home to their particular areas after the seminar.  Further efforts were pursued with smaller teams in other training modules provided by the MEP, including Value Stream Mapping and a Smead hosted Setup Reduction activity.

In the Setup Reduction activity, a six-hour module was presented with class instruction and simulation.  In this portion of Lean, the MEP Engineers taught Smead personnel how to take equipment and tools and change them out faster in the manufacturing processes. 
 

The focused and intense burst of training provided by the MEP created a common frame of reference that transmitted through the Smead facility.  In addition, each time Smead has changed their leadership, they have sought continued exposure to the MEP's Lean seminars to keep a consistent base of knowledge in the plant.  Since the Lean training and implementation provided by the MEP, there have been many positive results at the Smead facility from 2001 through 2003--and the positives keep coming as Smead moves forward on the Lean Journey.

Employees: 255

Stampin' Up! Gets Lean Stamp of Approval

Results:
By training 100% of their employees at the Kanab facility, Stampin' Up! obtained "buy in" from all their employees in order to make the needed changes.  As a result, output was increased by 20% in the rubber-molding process.  In the packaging area, productivity was increased by 30%.  And as a result of the Five S System, available floor space was opened by 20%.  Stampin' Up! Kanab was so pleased with the training they received from the MEP that they contacted their distribution center in Salt Lake City to have them undergo the same exercise.

Testimonial:
 "Working with MEP has been a delight.  They are a team of professionals and their insight into everyday problems has helped us improve our efficiency.  We look forward to additional training with MEP in the future."

Testimonial Name: Brett Heaton
Testimonial Title: Lean Team Leader

Results:
As a result of the training on Value Stream Mapping, a serious bottleneck in the window manufacturing plant quickly surfaced. Within a few days, the Lean Team implemented a constraint busting solution that increased production volume by 40%. This was accomplished at almost no cost and without increasing headcount. Rolling out 5S in the plant has resulted in work areas that are much cleaner and more organized. Product now flows through the plant much more smoothly and quality has increased significantly. There is much less rework and customers are much happier. As a nice bonus, over $125,000 in work in progress was eliminated which has freed up floor space and cash.

Testimonial:
"Working with the MEP has been great. Any business that has not implemented Lean and 5S should just do it. But, they need to be patient. The MEP helped us understand that improvement takes time. They did a good job of setting our expectations and helping us identify the 'low hanging fruit.' We know that going forward, the projects will be more challenging. But, we now understand and are fully committed to the principle of continuous improvement. We look forward to working the MEP again in the future."

Marc Naylor, President,

Valley Glass

Company Profile:
Valley Glass is a full service glass company with locations in Northern Utah and Southern Idaho. Started in 1956, they manufacture and distribute their own line of custom vinyl windows and they are distributors for a line of high-end wood windows. Their windows are installed in new residential and commercial construction as well as retrofit replacement windows in existing construction. They also distribute and install auto glass.

Situation:
In 2003 Valley Glass added a number of new dealers to their distribution network. They also added some new product lines. This created additional demand for their products but it in turn added additional complexities to their internal systems. They found themselves having difficulty keeping up with customer demand. Lead times stretched out, delivery commitments were missed, and the quality of their windows, and customer service started to suffer. As a result, two long time dealers stopped selling their windows resulting in a big sales decline.

Feeling some pain, Marc and his plant foreman began actively looking for ways improve

operational efficiencies. They wanted to increase output, improve quality, and shorten lead times. Eventually they were introduced to the MEP at a workshop on Lean Manufacturing.

Solution:
Working with the MEP, Valley Glass sent a core team of employees from their window manufacturing plant to a Lean 101 workshop. The Lean 101 training was followed up with onsite training in Value Stream Mapping and 5S. All training was delivered by MEP field engineers. The objectives for the training were to eliminate production bottlenecks, improve product flow and to clean and organize the plant.

Employees: 140

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Albion Laboratories Partners with MEP Utah to Develop a Lean Manufacturing Initiative

Results:
As a direct result of the MEP Lean Manufacturing projects, Albion has reduced lead time from an average of 2 weeks to same day shipping on the top 95% of their products. Customers are getting better service, orders are filled more accurately, and sales have increased 20%. Also, labor expenditures for product out the door have been reduced and the plant and the shipping areas are much cleaner and organized. Albion has received certification from NSF for their products to Dietary Supplement GMP standards, which can also be attributed to their Lean efforts.

Testimonial:
The services provided by the MEP are first rate and right on the mark.  The training is simple and understandable, not so academic.  Our people on the floor understand what we are trying to accomplish and as a result, they have the ability to actually implement the things they have learned in training, with remarkable results.  We are so pleased with our results that we have engaged the services of the MEP to assist with the implementation of Lean Manufacturing in our Iowa plant."           

Testimonial Name: Earl Christiansen
Testimonial Title: Director of Manufacturing

Going Lean Helps Chums Reduce Inventory

Results:
To date Chums has been able to reduce finished goods inventory by 109,000 units (44%) and WIP by 59,000 units (58%). They have opened up floor space that will eventually allow them to move more operations under the same roof. They have been able to create a visual pull system and reduce their inventory carrying costs without decreasing customer satisfaction or reducing service levels.

Testimonial:
"I was somewhat familiar with Lean manufacturing concepts but not sure where to begin. The Lean 101 class and the Value Stream Mapping Workshop helped us get a clear picture of how to make it happen. With follow-on help from MEP, we have been able to implement several lean tools with success."

Testimonial Name: Mark Tilby
Testimonial Title: Vice President Production