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Time Wise® Success Stories
The following is a Lean Case Study from our MEP MSI-managed family of Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEPs) that demonstrates the impact of the Time Wise® Management Systems’ Lean transformation methodology deployed through Time Wise® Solutions training products.
NH MEP Helps Reliable Technologies Improve Facility Layout, Increase Production
Manchester, NH - Wayne Justason, the Vice President of Manufacturing at Reliable Technologies in Manchester is always looking for ways to make some cost-reducing changes at his company. For more than 14 years, Reliable has manufactured cartridges for printers and fax machines, and provided printer sales, services, and supplies. Justason recognized an opportunity to incorporate some positive modifications at Reliable to keep up with their growing production demands.
Justason was familiar with Lean Manufacturing, a technique using a simple, yet systematic approach in order to eliminate waste and reduce manufacturing costs, while increasing productivity and thought Lean could help the company streamline operations. He knew the New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NH MEP) is an expert in applying Time Wise Principles of Lean Manufacturing.
The NH MEP team mainly focused on the assembly areas at Reliable, working with employees to improve the layout of the facility, in order to keep manufacturing at a comfortable and efficient pace. The first step was to implement Time Wise Value Stream Management System, a process that maps out the current manufacturing processes to determine where changes and improvements can be made and then a future state map is created which provides a roadmap for implementing the improvement ideas.
"Through these processes, the work flow was streamlined, and three work areas were combined into one work cell, reducing the time and distance of the production process. As a result, we have been able to manufacture about 120 cartridges in 6 hours as opposed to the 80 we were making before. That’s a 50 percent productivity increase," said Justason.
The next step was to rework the disassembly areas, where employees take used toner cartridges apart, run tests to determine what needs to be replaced and what can be used again, then they clean them up and make new ones. The disassembly part of production is still a work in progress, since the work done by the team is dictated by each individual cartridge.
"We are currently 50 percent of the way to completing our transformation to Lean Manufacturing, and we have experienced a 50 percent improvement in our daily production output with the same staff as we had before," said Justason. "The outcome we have experienced from the work we have done with the NH MEP has exceeded my expectations."
The Lean success story you have just read is an actual case study from one of our MEP MSI-managed state MEP centers. Our affiliate MEPs utilize the Time Wise® Management Systems’ Lean transformation methodology based on world class Time Wise® Solutions training products. MSI-managed MEP center project managers are vetted and trained at the Time Wise® Institute and receive access to a full suite of integrated Time Wise® products.
Our certified Lean-trained project implementation facilitators work with a company's management team to identify conditions that impede the ability to become more competitive and prosperous. During intensive hands-on training sessions with employees at all levels of the organization, our certified Time Wise® MEP specialists solve specific problems from the shop floor to the front office and assess how well each department contributes to overall productivity and profitability. Essential tools are furnished to optimize performance and provide guidance so that companies can use those tools and systems effectively on their own to sustain the improvement process.
Since our MEP affiliates have begun utilizing the Time Wise® Solutions suite of products, their performance has increased significantly. Just a fraction of the accomplishments of our affiliate state MEP centers have been reported on our web site. Click here to read additional success stories.
To learn more about Time Wise® Solutions products or to join the Time Wise® Management Systems team of MEP Centers, please call 1-866-USA-MADE (1-866-872-6233) or email us at: info@timewisems.com.
Our certified Lean-trained project implementation facilitators work with a company's management team to identify conditions that impede the ability to become more competitive and prosperous. During intensive hands-on training sessions with employees at all levels of the organization, our certified Time Wise® MEP specialists solve specific problems from the shop floor to the front office and assess how well each department contributes to overall productivity and profitability. Essential tools are furnished to optimize performance and provide guidance so that companies can use those tools and systems effectively on their own to sustain the improvement process.
Since our MEP affiliates have begun utilizing the Time Wise® Solutions suite of products, their performance has increased significantly. Just a fraction of the accomplishments of our affiliate state MEP centers have been reported on our web site. Click here to read additional success stories.
To learn more about Time Wise® Solutions products or to join the Time Wise® Management Systems team of MEP Centers, please call 1-866-USA-MADE (1-866-872-6233) or email us at: info@timewisems.com.