Where: Adhesives Research, 400 Seaks Run Road, Glen Rock, PA 17327
Phone: (717) 235-7979
When: Thursday May 7, 2015 from 9am until Noon.
What: Machine Changeover, and New Equipment Installation
Who: Three per member company
Safety: No opened toed shoes, safety glasses required and available.
Registration is required. To register please go to:
The primary focus of our network is fostering and supporting continuous improvement and Four Seasons again demonstrated by showing us the improvements made since our last visit (January 2014). Great work team!
The afternoon embraced PDCA in action as we experimented with a facilitated roundtable format. The afternoon topics examined what does and does not work to improve engagement and training. I and those I spoke with afterwards, thought the process a wonderful learning and collaborative experience. Please let me know your thoughts.
In attendance:
Tobyhanna Army Depot
Brentwood Industries
Restek
Adhesives Research
Misco Products
Rose Corporation
Thanks to the team at Four Seasons for their participation in our event.
We have a hole in our April schedule and will try to fill it. Please contact me if you can host April 9 or April 11. However, Thursday May 7, 2015 at Adhesives Research is confirmed. Details to follow.
Where: Four Seasons Produce. 400 Wabash Road, Ephrata, PA 17522 717-721-2800
When: Thursday March 12, 2015 from 9am until 3pm.
What: The subject and the tour will focus on Logistics and velocity.
We have modified our “experimental” afternoon roundtable discussions….
The afternoon will introduce a network experimental “roundtable”, the subjects being 1. employee engagement and, 2. effective and ineffective training- We would like to focus most on war stories of failures and lessons learned. We plan to have two groups (one per subject), in breakout sessions. Each group will then report out to the other followed by some facilitated Q&A.
Who: Four per member company
Safety: No opened toed shoes, safety glasses required and available. Bring along a jacket for the plant tour as many areas are refrigerated.
Registration is required. To register please go to:
Exciting morning at Misco yesterday. The subject of the meeting was “engagement”. In a people based system, like continuous improvement, gaining allies is the most important thing we can do. Without allies, and lots of them, making and sustaining improvement is nearly impossible. This subject will be further discussed at our next meeting, March 12th at Four Seasons Produce.
In attendance:
Inclinator
Restek
Adhesives Research
Four Seasons Produce
Thanks to everyone at Misco who helped make the morning interesting, informative and fun.
The Lean Thinking Network welcomes 2015 by announcing our first meeting of the year.
Where: Misco Products, 1048 Stinson Drive, Reading PA 19605, phone 610-926-4106
When: Thursday February 5, 2015 from 9am until Noon.
What: The subject and the tour will focus on Employee Empowerment
Who: Three per member company (we will have some additional room, please contact me for additional attendee registration)
Safety: No opened toed shoes, safety glasses required and available
Registration is required. To register please go to:
We last visited Restek in November of 2013 and in that year attendees noticed significant improvement and involvement. Good work Restek! Renewing the energy of continuous improvement program is not easy. Leadership pushed and the people responded very well.
For the first time, we were able to see the entire operations in the facility. Improving workplace organization and gaining space has been accomplished through the renewed efforts of Restek’s team.
Attending companies:
Misco
Adhesives Researeh
Green Leaf
Our first meeting of 2015 will be in early February at Misco. The date and subject will be determined in the next few weeks and you will be informed.
Adhesives Research and Green Leaf have agreed to host in 2015. We need more hosts to make this our best year yet. I will be contacting all members to discuss.
Happy Holidays
Where – Restek Corporation, 110 Benner Circle, Bellefonte, PA: phone 814-353-1300
When – Thursday December 4, 2014 arrive 8:30, begin 9:00am end noon
Who – max of 3 attendees per member company
What – Will be looking on the mfg floor where focus is renewed on 5S, and beginning the lean journey
Safety – Closed toe shoes
Long pants/slack etc, – no shorts, skirts, half length pants
Safety glasses required
No photo’s
Why – Let’s go see and discuss how Restek is “recharging” their lean/continuous improvement efforts
to register go to:
http://dwightbowen.com/contact/
700,000 square feet, over 500,000 sku’s, 11,000 line items shipped per day, 40 hours of training, yearly, for all employees.
Some of the eye catching facts we witnessed. Fast, accurate, competitive and an engaging culture.
A great morning for all in attendance:
I am delighted to official announce two new members to our network:
The network was very impressed by the amazing job Chad Enck and his team preformed in preparation and implementation of their department move. In addition to getting everything in the best location to support flow and reduce process waste, the department missed ZERO shipments during the move. Yes, they moved an entire department and missed no shipments with little overtime. Applied logistics and hard work at its best.
Thank again to Chad and everyone at Fenner who participated or supported their move and then hosted our network.
Member companies in attendance:
Prospective members/guests
I am truly delighted to announce October 29th as our date to visit the world-class MSC distribution center
Where – 100 MSC Drive, Jonestown, PA 17038 phone (717) 865-5888
When – Wednesday October 29, 2014 – arrive 8:30am, begin at 9am depart at noon
What –
9 – 9:30am – Each attendee introduces themselves, their company and what aspect of continuous improvement they are currently engaged.
9:30am – 10am -Host company presents, brief background info, then more specific description of their selected lean/continuous improvement subject (such as 5S, Kanban, TPM, Pull/Flow, etc)
Brief discussions and stories of lean practices, issues, approaches, and creating a favorable environment for continuous improvement
