Driving Lean for Year-end Savings
Posted by: meikah | 14 December 2009 | 9:04 pm
An article on Industry Week talks about how to achieve savings at the end of the year, and as you close your books. The formula is:
Minimizing Tax Liabilities + driving Lean Manufacturing = Year-end Savings
Opportunities for tax savings have never been better. In fact, many manufacturers are minimizing tax liabilities by identifying depreciation and R&D tax credits as they continue their pursuit of lean initiatives.
*Photo from iStockPhoto
Filed under: Benefits and Savings, Finance, Lean Manufacturing, Lean, Six Sigma
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The Benefits of Implementing Six Sigma in Education
Posted by: meikah | 7 December 2009 | 8:41 pm
Last month, I shared with you how Six Sigma can be incorporated in education in terms of instilling in the minds of the students this quality mindset.
Today, I will share another article about the benefits of implementing Six Sigma in education. This time the focus is on getting the players (teachers, parents of students, and students) into the Six Sigma initiative. The idea is quite interesting really.
How then can Six Sigma be incorporated in education? The workforce in the academic industry would be the teachers while the customers are the parents. The parents are the ones that pay fees, all the while expecting their wards to procure positive qualitative results. Through the improvement of teaching techniques, teachers can then foster positive changes in the performance of the students. This change is actually expected to last all throughout a stipulated time period, for acquired profits to remain consistent.
*Photo from Stock.Xchng
Filed under: Benefits and Savings, Training, Six Sigma, Education
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Lean Six Sigma and Kaizen Can Work Together To Improve Processes
Posted by: meikah | 5 November 2009 | 8:15 pm
If Kaizen and Six Sigma (or Kai Sigma) can work together successfully, then Lean Six Sigma and Kaizen, too.
A Japanese philosophy, Kaizen focuses on continuous improvement in all aspects of life, while Lean Six Sigma is a combination of Lean and Six Sigma incorporating the voice of the customer (VOC).
An article on News Journal Online says that Sea Ray Boats, which experienced low sales in the past, combined Lean Six Sigma and Kaizen to improve efficiency and safety while cutting costs and eliminating wasted time and materials. The programs are still ongoing.
Zack Chehaitli, director of continuous improvement at Sea Ray’s local plant, said the use of the “Kaizen” and “Lean Six Sigma” approaches has saved the company nearly $400,000 so far this year. From 2006 through 2008, the company saved $574,000 to $776,000 a year.
Filed under: Benefits and Savings, Lean Six Sigma, Six Sigma Organizations, Kaizen, Lean, Six Sigma
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Good News For Six Sigma
Posted by: meikah | 14 September 2009 | 8:15 pm
An article on BusinessWeek says that Six Sigma is making a big comeback. As companies try to ride the economic crisis, many of them are looking at Six Sigma to help them.
In fact, the methodology can help the companies boost earnings without putting more people on the payroll.
Companies as varied as drug giant Merck, British confectioner Cadbury, and doughnut maker Dunkin’ Brands are increasingly turning to Six Sigma to lift their bottom lines. Capital One says it has launched a Six Sigma initiative to “drive continuous improvement” in its operations, while Pfizer this year embarked on 85 Six Sigma projects to lower the cost of delivering medicines to patients in its pharmaceutical sciences division.
This is good news for Six Sigma, and Six Sigma practitioners indeed!
Filed under: Benefits and Savings, Six Sigma Organizations, Six Sigma
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Six Sigma Reference Feature: ‘Quick Wins’ vs. the ‘Mile Deep Thinking’ of Six Sigma
Posted by: meikah | 5 January 2009 | 12:29 am
Which do you prefer, a quick win or a quick solution or the mile deep thinking approach to things?
Well, I know most of us want a solution to a problem. Period. And in our desire to get a problem solved right away, we sometimes settle for quick fixes, whose impact are short-lived. Also, many of us don’t want to go through some process and spend along the way, if we know there’s an easier, faster, and cheaper way of doing things.
However, in these trying times, I think it’s about time that we think of long-term solutions to our problems. We need to shift to the mile deep thinking to enjoy long-term benefits and savings.
The Six Sigma Group put out an article detailing the difference between ‘quick wins’ and ‘mile deep thinking’ of using Six Sigma.
Read: ‘Quick Wins’ vs. the ‘Mile Deep Thinking’ of Six Sigma
Filed under: Benefits and Savings, Six Sigma References, Six Sigma, SIPOC
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Lean Six Sigma to Product Development
Posted by: meikah | 15 December 2008 | 6:16 pm
An article on IndustryWeek mentions that by first optimizing the product with the company’s Design For Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) software, the subsequent lean/Six Sigma initiatives can proceed from a more refined level.
With Lean Six Sigma and DFMA, product development will:
- simplify a wide variety of other manufacturing steps
- reduce assembly time
- have potentially fewer suppliers
- reduce production floor space requirements
- enable a first pass part count reduction as high as 50%
Reduced, fewer steps could mean bigger savings. So Lean Six Sigma can be good to your product development, too. 
Filed under: Benefits and Savings, Lean Six Sigma, Productivity
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Transplace Launches Lean Six Sigma Program
Posted by: meikah | 9 December 2008 | 9:11 pm
During this critical times, Transplace is launching Lean Six Sigma Program. They had started with the initiative in 2005, and is into it till now.
To date, Transplace has sent to training 12 Black Belts and 65 Green Belts that lead and provide support on projects. As a result, the program has made Transplace realize savings in excess of $5 million, allowing the company to continue investing in people, processes, and technology; all to bring value to its customers.
What’s good about Transplace’s Lean Six Sigma initiative is that it is supported by top management. According to its CEO, Tom Sanderson, the main objective of the program is to equip employees to make decisions based on statistical analysis and drive waste out of processes.
In this note, Transplace suggests the following to make your Lean Six Sigma program successful:
- Provide executive support and leadership. Programs have a better chance of positively influencing the culture with sustainable results when there is sponsorship and support from the highest levels.
- Dedicate qualified individuals. Commit employees with the appropriate skills and not just those that are available. It is important to have solid leadership driving the program and teaching these critical skills to others.
- Practice what you preach. Using Lean Six Sigma principles internally drives experience and knowledge on the program and strategies.
- Fully develop your program. Companies should consider committing 1 percent of their employees to a full-time Black Belt role and engage 10 percent of their employees part-time for leading Green Belt projects.
- Learn from others. Discussing successful Lean Six Sigma strategies with peers paves the way for building best practices and aids in avoiding common pitfalls. Continue to benchmark your Lean Six Sigma program with others.
- Do not practice on customers. Becoming proficient at Lean Six Sigma strategies before engaging customers is critical in order to ensure positive results occur and problems are avoided during implementation.
Filed under: Benefits and Savings, Lean Six Sigma, Technology, Transplace, Leadership
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Tocquigny Leads in Six Sigma Marketing Practices
Posted by: meikah | 7 December 2008 | 9:47 pm
Tocquigny, a leading interactive advertising agency, recently received two recognitions during the 3rd Annual Global Lean, Six Sigma and Business Improvement Summit & Industry Awards Improvement Summit: an award for the “Best Achievement of Organizational Business Improvement by a Small Organization” and a finalist certificate for the “Best Project Achievement in Sales, Marketing or Customer Experience.”
The company got awarded for its deployment of business improvement programs for agency client, Regent University.
The project was to create a data-driven marketing approach, specifically a cost-effective approach to acquire new students for the Regent’s online undergraduate degree program. The campaign began in December 2006, and after applying the five principles of Six Sigma methodology — define, measure, analyze, improve and control — Tocquigny implemented a highly effective search engine and database marketing program for Regent. Tocquigny also introduced rich media advertising to supplement the initiative and increase user interactivity.
Within six months of the launch, Regent University experienced a 250 percent increase in online undergraduate recruits and a 30 percent increase in applications. The campaign simultaneously reduced the cost per acquisition by 75 percent.
Both companies, Tocquigny and Regent University attribute their success to Six Sigma.
Yvonne Tocquigny, CEO of Tocquigny Advertising says, “Our aim is to be the leader in Six Sigma marketing practices, and I see this as a sign that we have achieved that goal. We believe this award is further proof that Six Sigma research methods lead to excellent results far outside the manufacturing realm.”
Tracy Stewart, Vice President of Information Technology at Regent University says, “Tocquigny’s Six Sigma approach was a fantastic revelation for our school and enabled us to generate the leads we needed to increase our undergraduate enrollment.”
Filed under: Benefits and Savings, Six Sigma Organizations, Deployment, Marketing, DMAIC, Six Sigma
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Kenworth’s Chillicothe Plant Now a Certified Six Sigma Company
Posted by: meikah | 26 October 2008 | 7:39 pm
In the recently concluded Global Six Sigma & Business Improvement Awards, Kenworth Truck Company plant in Chillicothe, OH, received the Global Six Sigma Award.
According to the news:
Kenworth-Chillicothe was recognized for successfully reducing the paint department’s impact on the environment and significantly enhancing paint quality. A 10-person team used Six Sigma methodology and analysis to annually eliminate 21,000 gallons of paint waste from the landfill and reduce volatile organic compound emissions by more than 15 tons. The project helped to significantly enhance paint quality on the main production line, while increasing process efficiencies in hood paint preparation by nearly 85%.
At Kenworth, Six Sigma is not only improving process, but it is also helping the company be sustainable.
Congratulations Kenworth!
Filed under: Benefits and Savings, Manufacturing, Six Sigma Organizations, Awards, Six Sigma
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Auto Suppliers Benefit fron Six Sigma
Posted by: meikah | 16 October 2008 | 12:18 am
The Birmingham Post reports:
Eight automotive suppliers from the West Midlands have retained or won more than £37 million of business with the help of an industry supply chain network initiative.
… In addition to the contracts secured, the innovative project has also helped firms save nearly £800,000 and safeguarded close on 500 jobs, not to mention improving 43 processes, ranging from invoicing and stock control to quality and product design.
This is yet another proof that Six Sigma not only improve proceses beyond the shop floor, but also allow companies to enjoy a lot of savings.
