As Program Manager for New Product Implementation, I was responsible for fulfillment of requests by R&D, Marketing, and the Business-to-Business for custom samples of existing products. These requests were for new colors or new geometry and sometimes one component or complete assemblies.
The past track record had some problems with samples provided that did not meet customer expectations and my investigation revealed inconsistencies in our fulfillment process. We formed a team to review process and look at what went right most of the time and wrong in the cases that needed to be redone. Delays were common and that caused additional angst for the customer.
We found that although many of the requests were simple and done correctly, the procedures needed to be robust to identify more complex requests and assure quality. The team developed a project initiation request form to pinpoint the exact needs for each request. A standardized project execution schedule was also developed to get each request satisfied quickly.
As a result of the new "Custom Sample Request System," fulfillment satisfaction surged and average time to completion dropped by half.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Index Molding for Stick Pen Barrels
The Engineering Team had developed a process for using the Husky Index Press technology for injection molding of Papermate stick pen barrel components. The proposal had been developed over the course of 2 years through a period when company ownership changed and business goals were redeveloped. The production management team made several attempts to gain project funding approval without success.
Then I was suddenly given management responsibility for injection molding production. I reviewed the project proposals that were recently unsuccessful and found the project leader was looking to the past for selling this project. The pitch was crafted to highlight the technological innovation, quality and cost saving potential of the project. I recognized the new leadership team was all about profit and minimizing capital investment.
So I repositioned the project as a smaller capital investment for the custom tooling and a capital lease for funding the standard press and auxiliary equipment. This changed the project financials from a $1MM capital investment with 2.5 year payback, to a $500K capital, 1.4 year payback project. These "better" numbers increased attention favorably on the project and led to approval. As it turned out, the lease ultimately had to be approved as capital, so the project was about $1MM, but support for the project was developed by focusing on the financial possibilities and benefits.
We went on to successfully implement this project in 2002. Savings potential was fully realized at over $350K annually. The project was so successful that this technology was leveraged to other applications and nine additional index presses were in service by 2008.
Then I was suddenly given management responsibility for injection molding production. I reviewed the project proposals that were recently unsuccessful and found the project leader was looking to the past for selling this project. The pitch was crafted to highlight the technological innovation, quality and cost saving potential of the project. I recognized the new leadership team was all about profit and minimizing capital investment.
So I repositioned the project as a smaller capital investment for the custom tooling and a capital lease for funding the standard press and auxiliary equipment. This changed the project financials from a $1MM capital investment with 2.5 year payback, to a $500K capital, 1.4 year payback project. These "better" numbers increased attention favorably on the project and led to approval. As it turned out, the lease ultimately had to be approved as capital, so the project was about $1MM, but support for the project was developed by focusing on the financial possibilities and benefits.
We went on to successfully implement this project in 2002. Savings potential was fully realized at over $350K annually. The project was so successful that this technology was leveraged to other applications and nine additional index presses were in service by 2008.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Engineering Team Site Selection and Commissioning
Upon closure of the anchor manufacturing plan for PaperMate Pens, recruited a select group of 25 technical personnel to staff a support center; found a suitable lease space; prepared the site for occupancy; and led the satellite office to support international manufacturing operations.
I was faced with an organization that did not value the technical complexity of our business. To leadership, the technical team was an expensive part of overhead. I was mindful of this fact and kept costs low for the site and the move. Many compromises were required, like downsizing the toolroom and asking team players to take on new roles and responsibilities.
The team was under constant threat of downsizing. They had seen all of the other plant resources around them get laid off or relocated. My challenge was to keep morale positive and the team focused on the job at hand. I took the role of site champion to help leadership see the value being provided to the business by my team. I also spent a great deal of time helping my team to understand the goals and challenges of the business and leadership team. Pushing them to think creatively to contribute in new ways to the business.
The team went on to support relocated processes successfully, protecting sales of a $40MM product line from supply shortages. WIP inventories had reached zero and production backlog grew beyond capacity. My technical team stepped up to repair damaged processes, train operators and technicians and meet scheduled demand.
Diving deeper into one example, we relocated a precision machining process to India. My team was very disappointed in this decision to move a low labor, highly technical process to a low cost labor country. Morale was low, especially after the first processes were failing to deliver on quality and cost requiring extensive visits by technicians and engineers to repair machines. My team wanted to isolate the process from the people, fix the process, and show that this was a bad idea and they should move the process back to the US. I worked with both teams to increase training as designed by the technicians and give them voice in how to make positive changes. We set up tracking systems to identify progress and problems and improved communications when we were on opposite sides of the world. Performance improved but continued to lag US standards. The team however, was working constructively together.
I was faced with an organization that did not value the technical complexity of our business. To leadership, the technical team was an expensive part of overhead. I was mindful of this fact and kept costs low for the site and the move. Many compromises were required, like downsizing the toolroom and asking team players to take on new roles and responsibilities.
The team was under constant threat of downsizing. They had seen all of the other plant resources around them get laid off or relocated. My challenge was to keep morale positive and the team focused on the job at hand. I took the role of site champion to help leadership see the value being provided to the business by my team. I also spent a great deal of time helping my team to understand the goals and challenges of the business and leadership team. Pushing them to think creatively to contribute in new ways to the business.
The team went on to support relocated processes successfully, protecting sales of a $40MM product line from supply shortages. WIP inventories had reached zero and production backlog grew beyond capacity. My technical team stepped up to repair damaged processes, train operators and technicians and meet scheduled demand.
Diving deeper into one example, we relocated a precision machining process to India. My team was very disappointed in this decision to move a low labor, highly technical process to a low cost labor country. Morale was low, especially after the first processes were failing to deliver on quality and cost requiring extensive visits by technicians and engineers to repair machines. My team wanted to isolate the process from the people, fix the process, and show that this was a bad idea and they should move the process back to the US. I worked with both teams to increase training as designed by the technicians and give them voice in how to make positive changes. We set up tracking systems to identify progress and problems and improved communications when we were on opposite sides of the world. Performance improved but continued to lag US standards. The team however, was working constructively together.
Global Project Manager for Manufacturing Plant Relocation
In Feb 2005 I was selected to plan and execute the closure of the Santa Monica Manufacturing Center and relocate manufacturing process to other locations. The plant was a $45MM budget operation with 250 FT people that had operated at that location for 50 years and had a senior population which required careful team management. The project saved $5MM in annual operating cost.
Closure required production inventory build for all ongoing operations; preparation for manufacturing process relocation; building system decommissioning; excess material and equipment disposal; city permit closure; and hand-off to Real Estate Operations.
Manufacturing process relocations consisted of assembly operations to Mexico; plastic injection molding to US and Mexico; and metal micro-machining to India.
Organized manufacturing support to relocated processes to meet demand for all products.
One of the greatest challenges was to maintain a productive workforce after announcing the closure. We still had inventory build to complete. Some of the most capable employees quickly found other jobs and left our company. I had to identify new players to step into larger roles and keep the project on schedule. We changed some work rules and streamlined procedures to get things done quickly and with reduced staff. It was amazing to see the new ideas that came from a team newly empowered.
Closure required production inventory build for all ongoing operations; preparation for manufacturing process relocation; building system decommissioning; excess material and equipment disposal; city permit closure; and hand-off to Real Estate Operations.
Manufacturing process relocations consisted of assembly operations to Mexico; plastic injection molding to US and Mexico; and metal micro-machining to India.
Organized manufacturing support to relocated processes to meet demand for all products.
One of the greatest challenges was to maintain a productive workforce after announcing the closure. We still had inventory build to complete. Some of the most capable employees quickly found other jobs and left our company. I had to identify new players to step into larger roles and keep the project on schedule. We changed some work rules and streamlined procedures to get things done quickly and with reduced staff. It was amazing to see the new ideas that came from a team newly empowered.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
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