Silfex Inc. Boosts Its Performance with AME Consortia

Participants in a consortium session hosted by Silfex.

Continuing participation in AME lean consortium activities — trading ideas and learnings with fellow members — can help you to ratchet up your organization’s performance improvements. That’s the counsel from Mike Snell, general manager at Silfex in Eaton, OH. The company is the world’s largest provider of high-purity custom silicon components and assemblies for solar, optics, semiconductor and semiconductor equipment markets. Silfex joined the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the AME Consortium for Business Excellence several years ago, and also participates in the Dayton Chapter.

“Consortium activities are certainly recommended for anyone on a lean journey who doesn’t have a corporate-wide improvement program,” Snell said. “Many companies don’t have opportunities to expand their learning otherwise. Through the consortium, you can reach out and see what others are doing. There’s no better way than to go out and see firsthand what others are doing in your neighborhood. When you meet with others sharing similar problems, you begin to develop a lean network.”

Networking and benchmarking among consortium members provide solid value, according to Colleen Friedsberg, Silfex continuous improvement manager. “You learn from others who are better and worse off than you,” she said. “With benchmarking, you get lots of opportunities to go into other facilities, getting or ‘stealing’ new ideas from others.” Friedsberg noted that standard work boards posted in the company’s customer service department were revamped after consortium members shared alternate methods. TPM-related and other Silfex improvements were inspired by visits to fellow consortium members’ plants. Because the consortium doesn’t include any direct competitors, such informal swapping works well.

Plant tours and benchmarking activities are reasonably close. “So, it’s possible to send hourly folks to visit area plants,” Snell said. “It keeps people excited and making improvements.” When many people from different disciplines within a company participate in various consortium activities, engagement in continuous improvement rises. As Silfex continues to work on tools and best practices — in mixed model leveling, for example — learning from other companies’ lean simulation activities and practices sparks creative, needed changes.

Attendees participated in earning exercises during a consortium meeting at Silfex.

Silfex has hosted consortium events, including a plant tour once a year, for the past several years. Through these shared learning activities, Friedsberg and others expand their network of local lean practitioners. “We send people as often as we can to the group’s training in lean simulation, TWI, 5S, TPM, etc.,” she said. Sam Matsumoto, consortium facilitator, teaches many of these sessions.

Matsumoto also updates an Excel spreadsheet listing consortium “go to” resources for TPM, quality, HR and other areas of expertise. “We network, sharing ideas and best practices on leadership, continuous improvement and other areas,” Friedsberg said. “When we are struggling with an issue, we can gain fresh ideas that we can use.” Members from Fidelity, LeanCor and other service organizations offer perspectives on administrative lean tools and projects. Outside speakers, such as Mike Hoseus from Toyota/Georgetown and reshoring guru Harry Moser, add to the range of learning opportunities for consortium members.

Editor’s note: To learn more about AME Consortia and how you can share, learn, coach and improve with fellow lean/continuous improvement practitioners in your area, visit ameconsortia.org.

You are invited to participate in informative, engaging consortium special activities during the AME Toronto 2013 Conference. On Tuesday, Oct. 22, consortium global companies will share best practices during 12 special sessions held during networking periods. All conference attendees are welcome to hear the storytelling presentations by practitioners throughout the day. Each presentation will be scored by a panel of lean experts; the three top-rated teams will present again during Lean Consortia Night. Well-known lean practitioners and consortium member companies will provide timely counsel and “lessons learned” during the evening session. Use these experiences and consortium connections as building blocks for discussion with your teams.