Success Stories: Massachusetts MEP

Globe Composite Solutions, Ltd. ("GCS") designs and produces specialized components using cost-effective, high-performance composite materials. One of the strengths of the company has been the ability and flexibility in meeting the stringent delivery requirements of its customers. The company has a broad base of "blue-chip" customers targeting five key business segments: military, medical, oil field equipment, material handling/RFID and marine products. With its primary operations located outside of Boston, GCS has been able to develop a broad set of compounds and processes to yield remarkable first-in-industry applications as evidenced by long-term contracts to provide an all-composite sorter system to replace existing metallic sorters within the US Postal Service distribution system.

GCS developed a versatile tilt-tray sortation system that is the first to be made completely from Brandonite™ high-performance composite materials. All major components (carriage, tipper-arm and track) are made with synthetic materials that are lightweight, requires significantly less maintenance and are easy to install. The end result is a cost-effective non-metallic delivery system that is lightweight, modular, durable and quiet. After four years of testing by the US Postal Service, the USPS adopted the Enduro-STS™ to replace its aging metallic-based sorter systems throughout the entire bulk mail center distribution network.

BTU International’s commitment by employees to seek out and implement Time Wise Principles of Lean Manufacturing has helped the Billerica, MA company become the leading manufacturer of advanced thermal processing equipment for semiconductor packaging.

"The MassMEP Lean Manufacturing session was grounded in reality, providing reality based examples and hands-on workshops," said Ron Pawelski Director of Operations at BTU International. "Most impressive was the three day Kaizen Blitz that was conducted at our facility working side by side with the MassMEP team. We tore things down, cleaned up years of built-up dirt, disposed of inactive equipment, learned to think outside the box and rebuilt the area."

After six months of implementation and continuous improvement activities started through the Collaborative Continuous Improvement Training program, BTU continues to see results. Work areas are now more efficient and more than half the floor space in the fabrication area has been cleared. Introduction of Lean Manufacturing with one of BTU's key supplier's has also cut cycle time by 50 percent, resulting in annualized savings in the heater manufacturing area of $130,000.

Chace Leather Products, a Fall River, MA manufacturer of high quality leather and synthetic fabric products, faced a 25 percent reduction in business over the past five years, and then Stephen Chace, vice president of operations, was introduced to MassMEP, a resource that provides business and technical assistance to small manufacturers. In implementing Time Wise Principles of Lean Manufacturing lead time was cut from weeks to a matter of days and Chace achieved 100 percent on-time delivery for Motorola.

The improved performance has enable Chase to develop a delivery program that increased business opportunities with Motorola’s German manufacturing facility. Chase was informed that it now out-performs all of the competition, including India and other foreign countries, which brought business back into the United States.

"The experience of that first day of Lean Manufacturing session was unbelievable," said Larry Walsh, Chace’s president and CEO. "The members of our team came back to work energized and focused on quickly implementing improvements. We were able to accomplish much more than I expected in less than six weeks and the performance changes have been truly remarkable."

Boyd Converting, Inc. is a South Lee, MA, manufacturer of non-woven and specialty papers for products like coffee filters and bandages. The growing company’s success is attributed to its commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.

Through the MassMEP, Boyd Converting implement a Time Wise Principles of Lean Manufacturing, including a Time Wise Value Stream Management System session.

Production processes have been streamlined and one shop manager reported an hourly production increase of 62 percent per person in his area.

"The MassMEP provided the leadership skills and directions to help our company implement a plan to transition into a Lean Manufacturing facility," said Bronly Boyd, president of Boyd Converting.

L-3 Communications Henschel Inc. has been manufacturing communications equipment for the shipping industry for almost 90 years. With such a long history of supplying the shipping industry, L-3 Communications Henschel often receives equipment that has been in service for an extensive period of time and needs repairs. Because it is such a time consuming process to repair older equipment, one that takes manpower away from other core jobs, items in need of repair were sent to a section of the plant called the Return Material Authorization Area (RMA), where they would sit and wait.

To help make the RMA area more efficient and less of a drain on precious time and resources, L-3 Communications Herschel turned to the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMEP). The MassMEP team implemented Time Wise Principles of Lean Manufacturing. The RMA space was reorganized three times to decrease the physical area parts traveled through the repair process. Working with L-3 Communications Henschel, the process was reduced to less than 50 feet, creating a 250 percent increase in capacity."

"The implementation of Lean Manufacturing changed this company’s operations," said Seth Traub, L-3 Communications Henschel, Inc. vice president of operations. "Employees now challenge the long-time processes and work with management to streamline the operations, improve productivity and increase company profits."

Goodrich Corporation’s Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems (SRC) based in Chelmsford, MA is providing many of the aerial cameras for American and Pritich military aircraft flying reconnaissance missions in combat zones overseas.

Goodrich recognized a need to meet demand without stressing its budget. The MassMEP team worked with the company to introduce Time Wise Principles of Lean Manufacturing in its Optical Electronic Assembly area. "As a result of the Lean training program, we've been able to dramatically reduce our cycle time and part of that is a reduction in the time it takes to set up a project," said Dan Nash, Goodrich director of operations for its SRS team. "We had a goal of cutting time in half and the results have actually been closer to 85 percent. There have been a lot of benefits," said Nash. "The changes have helped reduce our inventory levels and when that happens, the cost of building the product goes down."

Stellar Industries makes miniaturized heat conductive ceramic blocks, similar to circuit boards, which are made-to-order for customers in the telecom, biomedical, and defense industries.

Demand for their products was increasing and as the company grew, management recognized a need to more efficiently manage their production process.

Stellar engaged the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMEP) to help streamline their performance on the production lines MassMEP then helped the company obtain a Workforce Training Grant through the Massachusetts Department of Employment and Training to finance the program and implemented Time Wise® Principles of Lean training throughout the company.

Determined to make the future of FLEXcon as successful as its past, top executives from the company are always looking for ways to maintain their competitive edge. After attending Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMEP) Lean Manufacturing simulation training, FLEXcon’s management team decided to implement the Time Wise® Principles of Lean.

FLEXcon focused on improving a number of areas including drastically improving on-time product delivery in their Slitting Department which is now averaging close to 100 percent on-time delivery. The company identified several areas to make upgrades that would improve delivery time. Utilizing the Time Wise Value Stream Management System, the mapping process identified a lack of visual scheduling of production needs that led to bottlenecks and delays.

John Matouk and Company has been making some of the world’s most luxurious linens for more than 70 years.

Recently, the company moved their main manufacturing and distribution operation to a new facility in Fall River, Massachusetts. George Matouk Jr., the current President and CEO, wanted to use the move as an opportunity to set up the new plant to function in the most efficient way possible.

Matouk was referred to MassMEP by the Associated Industries of Massachusetts for assistance. After completing the Time Wise Principles of Lean Manufacturing training, the group then began a Time Wise Value Stream Management System session which maps the existing factory’s product and process flow and helps a company determine a more efficient layout.

The Company was able to store large rolls of fabric in the new facility, as opposed to a separate off site warehouse, making the raw materials accessible to everyone. Now there’s even room for expansion, if needed in the future.

"The new environment seems to have been inspirational," adds Matouk. "Morale is high, the surroundings are pleasant, and the employees really feel they had a voice in the way the new facility was laid out. The MassMEP has really enabled us to build a production department environment that was truly optimal for the product line. They brought forward a level of expertise to assist us in dealing with our specific problems that we never would have been able to afford or find otherwise."

L-3 Henschel has been the leading manufacturer of control, navigation and communications equipment for the US Navy and commercial maritime industries, providing systems that meet a wide range of military and commercial needs.

In order to maintain their stellar reputation in the business and keep up with high demand for equipment, Vice President of Operations John Sewall wanted to make sure all employees were trained in their engineering design process. With a grant from the Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund, the company was able to team with the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMEP) to implement the Time Wise® Principles of Lean.