AME Consortia: Tapped into a CI Network

Todd Schneider, CFO at Serigraph

One of the best things about participating in an AME consortium is being tapped into a network of companies traveling along the continuous improvement (CI) path, said Todd Schneider, CFO and lean champion at Serigraph in West Bend, WI. Serigraph is a market leader in printing decorative, functional and brand-related graphics used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products.

“It's a networking tool, where we can learn from companies that are in a similar position or may be further ahead or behind. We are people who are living and breathing CI, committed to this path," Schneider said about the benefits of membership in the AME Consortium Southeast Wisconsin Region. He added that sharing experiences with fellow change pioneers is energizing and affirming — helpful when inevitable challenges arise.

Networking with other consortium members in companies ranges from conversations during formal events to phone calls and breakfast get-togethers. Operations leadership and others gain greater understanding of others' goals and progress. For example, Schneider walked through Serigraph's strategic deployment (hoshin kanri) process with executives at another facility.

Members gain actionable ideas in such exchanges. Jeff Uitenbroek of Racine, WI-based Modine Manufacturing Co. shared “lessons learned" about the Toyota Kata model — leader standard work — during a consortium presentation and later discussions with Schneider.

“We've started using leader standard work now," Schneider said. “We're seeing intangible results, such as more efficient use of people's time and how my team thinks about issues. For me, it has brought big changes. For example, I get caught up in meetings during the day. Now I allocate a half-hour each day to get out to the shop floor and prioritize activities more effectively."

Hosting consortium events — generally including a plant tour — offers another route to shared learning. Members alternately host plant tours and visit others' facilities. “These are always fun. Typically you have a ‘go-see' focus on particular processes," Schneider said. “You get great feedback from the group. You have people who may think similarly to you about CI, but they are in different kinds of environments — a cheese factory or an assembler — a pretty diverse group. Getting their perspective helps us to see the trees in the forest, when we might have missed them."

Serigraph launched its lean CI initiatives more than eight years ago. Schneider commented that the company has made significant performance gains in this quest, “but we have a long way to go. We are committed to this journey."