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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.
Lake Suzy, FL - Undergoing a Lean Manufacturing process under the direction of the Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) has helped the Winslow Life Raft Co. to gain a contract to service all life vests and evacuation slides for a major U.S. airline.
"Without the effort this company made to undergo a Lean transformation, it is unlikely we would have been able to win this contract and hire another 24 people for our company," said Allen Goldman, vice president of operations for Winslow.
"We looked into Time Wise Principles of Lean Manufacturing just to see what it was," Goldman said. "But once our employees got involved, it just gained momentum and things fell right into place."
What fell into place was transforming Winslow’s 31,000 square-foot building into two separate operations. "We had utilized all that space to manufacture our life rafts," Goldman said. "However, by undergoing the Lean Manufacturing process, we were able to free up several thousand square feet to service the airline’s vests and slides."
"Without the help of the Florida MEP, we would not have been able to even consider going out to bid for that contract," he added. "We just didn’t think we had the space."
Winslow Life Raft Co. now has a workforce of about 100 and is best known for manufacturing marine and aviation life rafts. The company’s Super-Light and Ultra-Light life rafts have been rated #1 in every independent life raft evaluation in which they have been included. These life rafts are used by world-renowned sailing competitors and power boaters, many government agencies and Fortune 500 companies, and are standard equipment on many yachts and corporate aircraft.
"Servicing life vests and evacuation slides seemed a logical progression for us," Goldman said, "since we are well versed in inflatables and our employees have extensive experience in dealing with those types of products."
Goldman said the MEP Lean Manufacturing workshop opened a new way of thinking for the people at Winslow. "It got us concentrating on a process flow analysis and value added manufacturing," he said. "It also got many of our employees involved in the process and helped them feel more part of the company."
While it took Winslow about one year to undergo a complete transformation, Goldman said it was completely worthwhile. "People usually freak when they hear there is going to be change," he said. "That didn’t happen this time. The employees saw the process as a way to offer input to the company that results being better for everyone."
"Our employees now know they can say something now without feeling they are bucking the system," Goldman added. "In fact, in the past two months, suggestions have come from the bottom up that have resulted in savings for the entire company."
"That thinking and action is a great bonus when it comes to the Lean Manufacturing process." he said. "The truth is, we could never have accomplished all this without the expertise and assistance of the Florida MEP."
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.