MMTC-West News and Success Stories
Grand Rapids Controls Utilizes GSN Assessment to Gain Efficiencies Throughout Shop Floor
“Grand Rapids Controls had existing processes in place, and we were looking to further improve upon them. Our quality control and Lean practices were satisfactory, but there is always room to improve processes,” said Jay Hart, Director of Operations for Grand Rapids Controls. In collaboration with MMTC-West, the company embarked on a full GSN assessment, training, and on-site coaching program for key management employees and team leaders. Read More.
Market Diversification Strategies Ignite new Opportunities for Nexthermal
Manufacturing electric heaters for more than a quarter century made Hotset Corp., now Nexthermal, an expert in coil heaters, cartridge heaters and sensors, but it took a mindset change to turn the company into a heat innovation and engineering leader. “There was a realization inside the company that if we stayed on our path, we would see continued decline in profit as we found ourselves in a highly competitive commodity market with increasing labor and materials costs,” noted Sales and Marketing Manager Ken Sunden. Read more.
Burr Oak Bests Lean with Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center-West
Sturgis-based Burr Oak Tool, Inc. has one thing that is the envy of many companies: a long-standing, dedicated workforce. Yet when the company began efforts to improve its competitiveness, it found that same in-house expertise hampering the process.
Designing, manufacturing and servicing fin dies, fin lines and tube processing machinery for more than 65 years, Burr Oak’s processes, while well established, no longer met customer requirements. Read More
Fastco Industries, Inc. – Fastener Company Tightens Production with Lean Manufacturing
What began as a cold header refurbish company in the late 1960s, Fastco quickly turned to manufacturing cold headed parts. It is this same determination to succeed that lead Bruce Tap and his management team to form a working relationship with The Right Place, Inc. and the West Michigan Regional Office of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC-West).
Three phases over a six month period has helped set a foundation for Fastco on their lean journey and better position them as a thriving West Michigan company, rather than just surviving. Read More
The Worden Company: Holland Manufacturer is Learning Lean Lessons for Library Market
Providing wooden furniture, decorative end panels for shelving, lounge and study seating for libraries and other public institutions since 1949, the Hollandbased Worden Company had prided itself on its ability to serve its customers. But the rise of the bookstore-cum-coffee-housecum-social-center has libraries reinventing themselves as well in order to compete, driving manufacturers like Worden into new areas of design and custom manufacturing.
“We had been a pretty typical batch-and-queue manufacturer, and we were having some difficulty adapting to the changing marketplace,” explained Tavan Hendrick, Worden’s Vice President of Operations. Used to fulfilling large orders from a catalog of standard offerings, new demands for more stylized, custom furniture saw Worden struggling with lead time, uality and culture issues. “Our target market was changing to a more customized look and we needed to adapt our systems and our people to that new model.” Read More
Eco-Composites LLC – Sustainability and Innovation by Design
Over the last decade, the manufacturing sector has been under constant pressure to not only maintain but increase its competitiveness in the global marketplace. Advances in new and emerging technologies, process integration, and organizational optimization have enabled companies to dramatically improve the performance of their production processes and supply chains. But for companies who want to win in this increasing competitive sector, creativity and innovation is required. Read More
Harbor Industries – Creating Exceptional, Sustainable Retail Experiences
With more than 63 years as a family-owned business in Michigan, Harbor Industries creates exceptional retail experiences for consumers. As a leading comprehensive designer and producer of retail displays, fixtures and digital media solutions, the company opens new possibilities for connecting consumers and brands. A lot has changed since their early years and today Harbor Industries is one of the largest manufacturers of custom point-of-purchase displays and fixtures.
In 2006, Harbor Industries began a concerted effort to evaluate and change the way the company and its products impacted the environment through the triple bottom line business model. These aspirations were later able to be transformed into business strategies and practices through MMTC-West’s Sustainable Manufacturing User Group (SMUG). Committed to promoting sustainable business practices, Harbor began incorporating eco-friendly raw materials into production, investing in innovative technologies; establishing waste reduction and recycling programs; and developing outreach and education programs for stakeholders. Ultimately, the organization’s goal is to become a climate neutral, zero-waste company. Read More
Micron Manufacturing Co. Receives a Goliath of an Award
Throughout the past 10 years, Micron Manufacturing has collaborated with the MMTC-West team to develop processes for continuous improvement, waste reduction and Lean initiatives in their organization. Today, the company and its operations team are known throughout the region as a model of Lean manufacturing and efficiency. The most recent recognition of the company’s dedication to operational excellence was the awarding of the 2008 Shingo Silver Medallion for Operational Excellence. Often granted to large-scale companies such as Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, this award is a significant win for the 30-person company and for West Michigan manufacturing. Read More