Topic(s)
- Operations improvement
Faced with high volume spikes, capacity limitations and high scrap rates, Greene Tweed undertook a lean manufacturing transformation to drastically reduce waste. This session will go in depth on the company's multi-year journey, including how it implemented lean manufacturing principles to address these critical issues in a compressed timeframe. Leveraging years of specialized events and Alder’s over 10 years’ experience conducting rapid improvement events (RIE’s), Greene Tweed focused on waste reduction as the key driver for change through the organization and to respond to the increasing customer demand.
In this session, you will learn how Greene Tweed selects and applies different lean tools in focused, three- to five-day rapid improvement events. The presenters will provide a case study example of how the company used this method to keep downtime low, throughput high and reduce waste on multiple production lines across various plants.
The results tell the story: Since being disciplined and committed to running rapid improvement events, on average, Greene Tweed has raised capacity by at least 50% for the capacity targeted events, reduced scrap by a minimum of 30% for scrap reduction events and improved on time delivery by a minimum of 20% for on time delivery targeted events. This session will share a clear understanding of how these successes were accomplished by achieving world-class manufacturing and making breakthrough process improvements using lean and rapid improvement event techniques.
Key learning objectives
- Understand the key steps involved in planning and executing a rapid improvement event.
- Learn how to identify specific tools and techniques applicable within RIEs to effectively analyze processes, identify root causes of waste, increase productivity and improve on-time delivery.
- Discover strategies for sustaining the gains achieved through RIEs and integrating them into ongoing continuous improvement efforts within your organizations.
Company
Greene Tweed is a leading global manufacturer of high-performance thermoplastics, composites, seals and engineered components that outperform and outlast in the world’s harshest environments. For 160 years, the company has served clients in semiconductor, oil and gas, aerospace, defense, chemical and pharmaceutical processing, and other industries where failure is not an option.
With over 200 engineers in labs throughout North America, Europe and Asia, Greene Tweed delivers custom-engineered sealing solutions, connectors and structural components that deliver certainty for client’s crucial operations. The company's innovative material portfolio, comprising Chemraz®, Fusion™, Arlon®, Avalon®, AR®, WR®, Orthtek® and Xycomp®, is engineered to withstnd extreme temperatures, pressures, chemical corrosion and mechanical wear. https://www.gtweed.com/
Presenter
David Alder has over 16 years of hands-on metal and elastomer manufacturing experience. He has worked with Global Fortune 500 companies, including Halliburton, National Oilwell Varco and Cameron International. He currently works with Greene Tweed saving over $11 million dollars in continuous improvement. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M and a master’s in interactive design from Savannah College of Art and Design. His certifications include Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Prosci Change Practitioner, Lean Leader, Internal Auditor and Value Engineer. Alder has held multiple engineering, materials and Lean Six Sigma-based positions, as well. 
