Engaging production-floor employees for rapid improvements at Test Technology, Inc.
✍ Scribed by Joseph M. Sokalski; Salvatore F. Runfola; Gina Runfola
- Publisher
- Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
- Year
- 2010
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 145 KB
- Volume
- 30
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1932-2054
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Abstract
Companies that seek to improve their operations by applying lean manufacturing principles often enjoy early success but then fall back on inefficient ways of doing business. Such was the case at Test Technology, Inc. (TestTech), in Marlton, New Jersey, where the successful creation of synchronized workstations had led to productivity improvements that ultimately proved unsustainable. The advent of a new president, however, brought a renewed commitment to lean manufacturing that stressed the cultural change from supervisor‐driven dictates to employee‐initiated improvements needed to ensure ongoing success. This article details the activities undertaken to transform the company, using employee‐directed kaizens, 5S housekeeping that achieved a “hospital operating room” standard of cleanliness, and a production‐floor team that became TestTech's strongest selling tool for closing deals with new customers and delivering superior service. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.