Challenge
In 2011, Nursery Supplies wanted to increase sales and support continuous growth. The company was experiencing a lot of downtime during production runs and believed the setup time for their injection molding equipment could be substantially reduced. The company wanted to overcome their challenges while creating an environment of ongoing improvement throughout all levels of their company.Solution
In May 2011, CMTC consultants helped staff members identify specific areas for improvement on the shop floor. Employees were educated on ways to implement various Lean improvements in different scenarios applicable to their organization. New procedures to make employee communication more efficient were proposed to improve production runs. Consultants provided communication techniques on how management could sustain these changes. Positive reinforcement motivated employees and allowed them to better understand the importance of sustaining the proposed changes.
CMTC also conducted a project so employees could learn how to more effectively reduce scrap on the shop floor, decrease downtime and improve efficiencies, known as Six Sigma. A “check system” was created so staff members could make sure that the planned changes were being implemented. Employees were trained in both English and Spanish and were provided with detailed instructions on their roles in reducing the setup time.
“CMTC has given Nursery Supplies the tools for growth. They helped us improve and increase our machine uptime, reduce scrap and waste and assisted us in developing program resolution methods.”
--Roger Balz
Plant ManagerDownload This Case Study
$155K New and Retained Sales
(Dollars in Thousands)
FINANCIAL & PRODUCTIVITY RESULTS
- $55,000 in new sales
- $100,000 in retained sales
- 12 new jobs retained
- $100,000 in costs saved
- $50,000 in plant and equipment invested
- $20,000 in workforce development invested