Center for Competitive Change

Success Stories

Our success results from our clients' success in gaining the new knowledge and applying it back into their work places. A typical adult learns about 30% from a standard classroom instructor-lead course. They retain only about 10% after they return to work. Our goal is to quadruple these numbers. By teaching in a Learning Event environment, you will retain more of the information. By applying to your needs and organizations immediately during the learning event, you retain the new knowledge.

The Center continues to work on increasing this retention even more. It is our goal to include a depository of the materials for future access when needed, where needed. This format allows a participant to return to the scene of the information, review the information, reflect and even gain access to the facilitator or subject matter expert to ask questions. It is always true that most of your questions occur after you leave.
Results are measured differently across companies and organizations. How would you define results? Successful results? The Center defines both in terms of dollars and time, how we help our clients gain new and increased wisdom, compete better against the global measurement of time and eliminate waste.

The Center and Carol Shaw introduced lean to the United States using former Leaders from Toyota & Japanese Masters
The Center has trained over 20,000 Managers/Leaders in Lean Concepts and Principles (Developed the Courses, Facilitated the Learning Event)
The Centers' coaches have conducted over 3,000 Lean Improvement Events (Kaizen) nationwide

The Center has saved an estimated $25,000,000 to companies over our 21 year history in implementing lean into their companies and organizations
The Center has successfully helped many individuals and companies from small privately-owned businesses or large global manufacturing, financial, healthcare, public sector companies. To read about their experiences and results view the stories below.

Training in new tools is a required strategy for company survival in this global environment. But training is just a line item in the HR budget if the tools are not vigorously applied to the workplace. Leaders of lean companies have learned that training is not just for the salaried professional anymore, but the key for changing the culture of the entire organization. For lean to take hold and yield the substantial savings in your facility, hourly associates must also be an integral part of the training activity so they can release their vast, on the job knowledge and experience to the continuous improvement culture you are striving to develop. Companies starting down the lean road will eventually learn that training is a requirement for ongoing improvements and a budgeted line item fixed-in-concrete not to be cut - ever.

The Center has provided state of the art training workshops in lean manufacturing, lean office and lean reliability since 1988. We give participants the depth of knowledge to go back and apply the learning to their workplace. Because our facilitators are highly skilled, hands on experts, and not staff generalists, we bring more than just a surface awareness and definitions of terms.

Prepare your company with training for the present staff if you are just starting or as a base for new employees if you are well on the road. The Center presenters teach their workshops from problems participants bring to the classes and provide case histories of successful companies along with analytical tools they can take back to the workplace for application.

Benthos Teledyne

A company in Massachusetts had bought the plywood for boarding up the windows and closing up shop. The new president hired to turn the company around, called in the Center to help with training and lean applications for his organization. After four years of hard work, improvement projects in manufacturing and the office, and a complete revision of the new product development approach, the company became profitable. The controller paid off all bank loans and the company was later acquired by a larger, international company in a related industry as a perfect match for their business. For their turnaround work, the acquired company won an award for excellence from the state of Massachusetts.

Republic Wire 2006 - Turnover Reduction

Situation

This privately held copper wire manufacturing company, founded in 1982, was experiencing rapid sales growth, but was struggling because of excessive employee turnover of 113% per year. This negatively impacted productivity, quality, material yield, waste, on time delivery and profitability. The company did not have a professional Human Resources function and growth had outstripped the company's expertise in developing and maintaining effective human systems.

Engagement

Assessed the organization through interviews with individuals and groups, and the use of employee surveys. Developed 11 recommendations to impact successful retention of employees. 9 of 11 recommendations were accepted for implementation.
Redesigned the plant classification and wage structure from scratch to create more internal and external equity in order to attract and retain better talent. Recommended changes to the incentive plan to increase its effectiveness.
Modified the benefits program for plant employees to become more attractive to new hires and create a perception of greater fairness for first year employees.
Created a process for becoming more effective in selecting the best talent and best fit candidates. Reduced use of temporary services. Increased direct hiring. Developed and implemented improved selection criteria and tools.
Trained all leadership from the CEO to first line supervisor on the most up-to-date, effective and progressive practices for leading and supervising a high performance organization. Impacted the leadership style and culture of the organization through this training. Revised and implemented a more effective training program for hourly employees.

Results

Reduced employee turnover from 113% to 10%. Attracted and retained better talent having a significantly positive impact on productivity, morale, material yield, waste, cost and profitability.

A&P Technology 2005 - Productivity Improvement

Situation

A&P Technology is the world leader in manufacturing braided fabrics for composite reinforcement. They originated as the R&D division of a large corporation, but became independently owned in 1997. In order to maintain their world leadership position and increase profitability, they made a strategic decision to focus on productivity improvements in their braiding operations with a goal of increasing productivity by 100%.

Engagement

Assessed and evaluated the current braiding process in a typical department to be used as a pilot process for the total operation. Determined that a Kaizen event would be the appropriate process for solving the productivity issue. Formed and oriented the Kaizen team. Facilitated the team.
Conducted the current state analysis with the Kaizen team. Assigned tasks to team members to research and collect facts and data to complete the current state analysis.
Benchmarked the future state of the process which included quality and productivity improvement goals of 100%.
Performed root cause analysis utilizing the fishbone diagram technique and pareto analysis to identify and prioritize root causes of productivity and quality issues.
Identified through brainstorming techniques the solutions to productivity and quality issues.

Results

The team was highly committed and focused throughout the Kaizen event which took 6 days, 2 days a week for 3 weeks. The end result was a solution that would increase productivity by a minimum of 100% with corresponding improvements in quality. The team reached full consensus on the solution which would work on the three lines within the pilot department and be transferable to all other departments in the company.

Robbins, Inc. 2001 - Labor Management Cooperation / Interest Based Bargaining

Situation

The Robbins flooring plant in Wisconsin was the only union organized facility in the company. Negotiations had always been conducted in the traditional manner in which each party, management and labor, established their respective positions and then used their bargaining power to either prevail, compromise or loose. With the survival of the company and its employees hanging in the balance, the parties elected to employ a new and highly effective problem solving style of negotiations known as IBB (Interest Based Bargaining).

Engagement

Introduced the company to the concept of IBB (Interest Based Bargaining). Initially proposed the process to the CEO. Subsequently proposed the process to the whole executive team, including the VP/GM of the Wisconsin plant. The proposal was accepted by management.
Developed a strategy to present and propose the interest based problem solving approach to union leadership to be use in the upcoming labor negotiations.
Conducted the presentation to the union which was also accepted.
Utilized the services or the FMCS (Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service) as IBB trainer and mediator..
Provided leadership for the IBB training and negotiations which were conducted successfully.

Results

The Interest Based Bargaining process was conducted with total cooperation of both management and labor. The negotiations process was conducted in 50% of the usual time and at 50% of the usual cost, ratifying the contract while improving the labor/management relationship. The most significant outcome was the mutual win-win solution that improved healthcare benefits for the employees while reducing company healthcare costs by 25%.

Lean Testimonials	Six Sigma Testimonials	Workshop Testimonials

Success Stories Our success results from our clients' success in gaining the new knowledge and applying it back into their work places. A typical adult learns about 30% from a standard classroom instructor-lead course. They retain only about 10% after they return to work. Our goal is to quadruple these numbers. By teaching in a Learning Event environment, you will retain more of the information. By applying to your needs and organizations immediately during the learning event, you retain the new knowledge. The Center continues to work on increasing this retention even more. It is our goal to include a depository of the materials for future access when needed, where needed. This format allows a participant to return to the scene of the information, review the information, reflect and even gain access to the facilitator or subject matter expert to ask questions. It is always true that most of your questions occur after you leave. Results are measured differently across companies and organizations. How would you define results? Successful results? The Center defines both in terms of dollars and time, how we help our clients gain new and increased wisdom, compete better against the global measurement of time and eliminate waste. The Center and Carol Shaw introduced lean to the United States using former Leaders from Toyota & Japanese Masters The Center has trained over 20,000 Managers/Leaders in Lean Concepts and Principles (Developed the Courses, Facilitated the Learning Event) The Centers' coaches have conducted over 3,000 Lean Improvement Events (Kaizen) nationwide The Center has saved an estimated $25,000,000 to companies over our 21 year history in implementing lean into their companies and organizations The Center has successfully helped many individuals and companies from small privately-owned businesses or large global manufacturing, financial, healthcare, public sector companies. To read about their experiences and results view the stories below. Training in new tools is a required strategy for company survival in this global environment. But training is just a line item in the HR budget if the tools are not vigorously applied to the workplace. Leaders of lean companies have learned that training is not just for the salaried professional anymore, but the key for changing the culture of the entire organization. For lean to take hold and yield the substantial savings in your facility, hourly associates must also be an integral part of the training activity so they can release their vast, on the job knowledge and experience to the continuous improvement culture you are striving to develop. Companies starting down the lean road will eventually learn that training is a requirement for ongoing improvements and a budgeted line item fixed-in-concrete not to be cut - ever. The Center has provided state of the art training workshops in lean manufacturing, lean office and lean reliability since 1988. We give participants the depth of knowledge to go back and apply the learning to their workplace. Because our facilitators are highly skilled, hands on experts, and not staff generalists, we bring more than just a surface awareness and definitions of terms. Prepare your company with training for the present staff if you are just starting or as a base for new employees if you are well on the road. The Center presenters teach their workshops from problems participants bring to the classes and provide case histories of successful companies along with analytical tools they can take back to the workplace for application. Benthos Teledyne A company in Massachusetts had bought the plywood for boarding up the windows and closing up shop. The new president hired to turn the company around, called in the Center to help with training and lean applications for his organization. After four years of hard work, improvement projects in manufacturing and the office, and a complete revision of the new product development approach, the company became profitable. The controller paid off all bank loans and the company was later acquired by a larger, international company in a related industry as a perfect match for their business. For their turnaround work, the acquired company won an award for excellence from the state of Massachusetts. Republic Wire 2006 - Turnover Reduction Situation This privately held copper wire manufacturing company, founded in 1982, was experiencing rapid sales growth, but was struggling because of excessive employee turnover of 113% per year. This negatively impacted productivity, quality, material yield, waste, on time delivery and profitability. The company did not have a professional Human Resources function and growth had outstripped the company's expertise in developing and maintaining effective human systems. Engagement Assessed the organization through interviews with individuals and groups, and the use of employee surveys. Developed 11 recommendations to impact successful retention of employees. 9 of 11 recommendations were accepted for implementation. Redesigned the plant classification and wage structure from scratch to create more internal and external equity in order to attract and retain better talent. Recommended changes to the incentive plan to increase its effectiveness. Modified the benefits program for plant employees to become more attractive to new hires and create a perception of greater fairness for first year employees. Created a process for becoming more effective in selecting the best talent and best fit candidates. Reduced use of temporary services. Increased direct hiring. Developed and implemented improved selection criteria and tools. Trained all leadership from the CEO to first line supervisor on the most up-to-date, effective and progressive practices for leading and supervising a high performance organization. Impacted the leadership style and culture of the organization through this training. Revised and implemented a more effective training program for hourly employees. Results Reduced employee turnover from 113% to 10%. Attracted and retained better talent having a significantly positive impact on productivity, morale, material yield, waste, cost and profitability. A&P Technology 2005 - Productivity Improvement Situation A&P Technology is the world leader in manufacturing braided fabrics for composite reinforcement. They originated as the R&D division of a large corporation, but became independently owned in 1997. In order to maintain their world leadership position and increase profitability, they made a strategic decision to focus on productivity improvements in their braiding operations with a goal of increasing productivity by 100%. Engagement Assessed and evaluated the current braiding process in a typical department to be used as a pilot process for the total operation. Determined that a Kaizen event would be the appropriate process for solving the productivity issue. Formed and oriented the Kaizen team. Facilitated the team. Conducted the current state analysis with the Kaizen team. Assigned tasks to team members to research and collect facts and data to complete the current state analysis. Benchmarked the future state of the process which included quality and productivity improvement goals of 100%. Performed root cause analysis utilizing the fishbone diagram technique and pareto analysis to identify and prioritize root causes of productivity and quality issues. Identified through brainstorming techniques the solutions to productivity and quality issues. Results The team was highly committed and focused throughout the Kaizen event which took 6 days, 2 days a week for 3 weeks. The end result was a solution that would increase productivity by a minimum of 100% with corresponding improvements in quality. The team reached full consensus on the solution which would work on the three lines within the pilot department and be transferable to all other departments in the company. Robbins, Inc. 2001 - Labor Management Cooperation / Interest Based Bargaining Situation The Robbins flooring plant in Wisconsin was the only union organized facility in the company. Negotiations had always been conducted in the traditional manner in which each party, management and labor, established their respective positions and then used their bargaining power to either prevail, compromise or loose. With the survival of the company and its employees hanging in the balance, the parties elected to employ a new and highly effective problem solving style of negotiations known as IBB (Interest Based Bargaining). Engagement Introduced the company to the concept of IBB (Interest Based Bargaining). Initially proposed the process to the CEO. Subsequently proposed the process to the whole executive team, including the VP/GM of the Wisconsin plant. The proposal was accepted by management. Developed a strategy to present and propose the interest based problem solving approach to union leadership to be use in the upcoming labor negotiations. Conducted the presentation to the union which was also accepted. Utilized the services or the FMCS (Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service) as IBB trainer and mediator.. Provided leadership for the IBB training and negotiations which were conducted successfully. Results The Interest Based Bargaining process was conducted with total cooperation of both management and labor. The negotiations process was conducted in 50% of the usual time and at 50% of the usual cost, ratifying the contract while improving the labor/management relationship. The most significant outcome was the mutual win-win solution that improved healthcare benefits for the employees while reducing company healthcare costs by 25%.