Check out what others are saying about their experience with the AME Consortia Program!
Jim Parejko, VP engineering and quality of an electrical equipment producer
“There are many benefits to being a member of a lean consortium, some of which are not readily apparent to outsiders. An abbreviated list of lean journey benefits during our consortium involvement includes:
• Access to like-minded companies striving to improve
• A richer exposure of lean applications to a wider audience in our company via share showcases, best practices, 5S auditor sharing, shared training, etc.
• A consistent measure of progress and benchmark against similar organizations
• Vast practical knowledge within the consortium companies that extends well beyond the books
• Consistent meetings and report-outs help keep our focus on our CI initiative even during those busy times
• Constant feedback from outside eyes is always available
• Access to many of the great Lean thinkers in industry
• Networking and relationships that have spanned multiple career changes"The consortium was one of the key enablers of our continuous improvement initiatives. The companies and facilitators involved helped us maintain a consistent pace for many years on our lean CI journey.”
Bruce Bechtel, President of a holding company division
“For several years I was with a company that participated in the Chicagoland Lean Enterprise Consortium (CLEC). As a private company with a 100-year history and international customers, we "woke up" one day and realized we had not been keeping current with lean and CI best practices — a risk many companies share while fighting day-to-day battles. Our team joined the CLEC Consortium populated with other companies in the same situation. That consortium of companies led us on an accelerated journey of learning A3s, Leader Standard Work, the fundamentals of gemba walks, and the many other lean-flow best practices. The consortium also served as a collegial environment for sharing best practices and getting feedback on our own operations from other professionals."
“About the consortium facilitators: I have worked with Michael Bremer and Brian McKibben from The Cumberland Group for 17 years. A good majority of what I learned about lean and CI techniques came from Brian and Michael. They have a great skill their competitors lack: They are there to listen and not to tell. To help the consortium members reach their goals better and faster. This coupled with their pragmatic approach to problem solving sets them apart from their competition. Their facilitation skills are simply outstanding! I use many of their techniques in the work place every day. And it’s those collaboration techniques that consortium companies most want from their facilitators.”
Sujata Easton, Director of Strategic Projects, Kaiser Permanete Diablo
"The consortium has provided a perfect balance of go and sees, interactive discussion and perspectives from different industry leaders on the practical application of lean concepts and lean strategy. It helps to have an engaged and knowledgeable facilitator and the consortium membership pays for itself with the generous AME conference discounts. It is also fun from a social networking perspective."
Anita Shah, Operations Director, Parmatech
"The consortium provides a forum for collaboration and learning. It has provided opportunities for shared training, benchmarking at member facilities, and tapping into the groups lean experience. It has allowed all involved to advance in their lean journeys."
Dan Burton, Global Lean Lead, Genentech / Roche
"One of the most important components of lean is learning. Being part of the consortium allows us to learn from other local companies' lean journeys while getting valuable feedback for the approach we're taking. "
Shawn Carner, Head of Operational Excellence (Vacaville), Genentech / Roche
"I get new ideas and validation on what we’re trying with our lean transformation from the peer companies in the AME Bay Area Consortium. I particularly like connecting with people across different industries who are facing similar challenges as we are and how they’re approaching solving them. The gemba walks of lean implementations also keep my skills of 'seeing' sharp."
