Lean Series will provide participants with the skills to begin a lean transformation.

IMEC is teaming up with Selsius Corporate and Career Training, the business and industry center for Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC), to put on a Lean Manufacturing Series. By experiencing the six course simulations in the Lean Manufacturing Series, participants will have the knowledge, tools and application examples required to begin a lean transformation. Attending companies will also receive a free on-site Lean Assessment.

Ideas about how to get the most out of your Lean tools

These days, we are overloaded with information about Lean -- what it is and what Lean tools do. Despite that, it's difficult to find truly practical information on how to execute Lean Transformation and lead real change. Every company's Lean journey starts under a different situation, so there can be no single prescription. One size does not fit all. But, to sustain improvements and ensure success, there are many factors to consider before launching your Lean journey.

Many people know about Lean but aren't doing anything with that knowledge. They don't know where to begin or see too many obstacles preventing them from making the commitment. Even more discouraging, many companies that do implement Lean don't consider their efforts to be a great success. So, why is it that such a small percentage of firms that know about Lean convert it into a success? The leadership, cultural, organizational and implementation hurdles are much greater than they expected.

Here are some helpful tips for your Lean Journey (in part from lessons learned along the way from those who have been there) to help you on the road ahead:

Disconnect Switches, Vacuum Interrupters, and Automation Accessories in Edwardsville, IL

 Turner Electric is the only manufacturer of a complete range of air break switches, from 15.5kV to 800kV. For more than 50 years our products have been 100% factory assembled and tested, earning us a reputation as the highest quality switch supplier to the world’s largest utilities. Equally known for our creative designs for complex switching requirements, Turner has become the “go to” company for utility engineers worldwide.

WTTW Chicago reports on central Illinois manufacturer Excel Foundry's methods to fill high skilled, high-tech jobs. The video also explores why other advanced-manufacturing companies are facing similar problems as parents and students shun manufacturing jobs over perceived stigmas and concerns about the long-term viability of the industry in America.

Long lead times, missed delivery times, demanding or nonpaying customers, too many unsuccessful quotes, too much shop overtime—life isn’t always smooth for job shops.

The term "job shop" refers to custom manufacturing and make-to-order businesses. These firms share some common characteristics that differ from repetitive manufacturing settings, for example using a quoting process to secure work, and producing work on an order-to-order basis to meet customer specifications. While some job shops do purely custom work, many manufacturing firms have a mix of custom and repeat orders.

Value Stream Mapping

One of the most valuable improvement tools for job shops is also a simple one - Value Stream Mapping - this technique involves drawing a visual representation – a map– of every step in the product’s path, or "value stream," from "quote to cash"– from quote/bid, through engineering, to the shop floor and out the door. Given the significance of front-end processes in securing orders, it is particularly critical for job shops to include them in their value stream map. The resulting map helps companies scrutinize each aspect of their operation and identify areas for improvement.

Precision Gears and Gearing Systems in Naperville, IL

Brad Foote Gear, a subsidiary of Broadwind Energy, is this week’s featured manufacturer. Broadwind Energy (NASDAQ: BWEN) applies decades of industrial expertise to innovate integrated solutions for customers in the energy market. Broadwind’s expertise in areas from gears and gearings systems for wind, oil, gas, mining applications, and wind towers, to comprehensive remanufacturing of gearboxes and blades, operations and maintenance services, and specialty weldments, means Broadwind has solutions for the energy needs of the future. With facilities throughout the U.S. Broadwind Energy’s talented team of 800 employees is committed to helping customers maximize performance of their investments-quicker, easier, and smarter.

It's time to get serious about marketing and sales.

The impact of the recession seems to have served as a wake-up call for manufacturing leaders who for so long have deployed the few-company/limited-industry approach to growing their businesses.   They tell me that they are actually thinking about what it will take to diversify and spread the risk among more than just one key customer.    

Diversifying – truly diversifying – is not something that will come without some measure of initial pain.  At a minimum, the surge in diversifying companies floods markets with new competitors who have capabilities, services and approaches to relationship management that have often been neglected by the market leaders.

So, what do you, as an industry leader, need to consider as your competitive landscape grows? Here are a few considerations:

IMEC's new website launched by Modern Marketing Partners with Web 2.0 Technology.

IMEC's new website was the focus of a case study by Modern Marketing Partners (MMP) detailing Web 2.0 Technology in practice. MMP launched the site for IMEC with state-of-the-art Web 2.0 techniques.

Built-in Ironing Centers in Morton, IL

IRON-A-WAY is the Illinois manufacturer featured this week. IRON-A-WAY was established in 1956 as the leading manufacturer of quality built-in ironing centers for the ironing center industry. A variety of premium built-in ironing centers are offered and each is built with the commitment to quality and performance that makes IRON-A-WAY a true market leader. Today, IRON-A-WAY is well known by dealers, architects, designers, builders, remodelers, and consumers. IRON-A-WAY continues its dedication to provide value to its customers.

...Center helps manufacturers increase sales and boost productivity.

Despite lingering challenges from the economic recession and intense pressure to shave costs, manufacturers assisted by IMEC in 2012 reported significant increases in sales, productivity, and employment.  Manufacturing clients surveyed by an independent third-party indicated that the assistance provided by IMEC was expected to help them achieve a total of $139 million in improvements, or an average of nearly $900,000 for each client project.  Overall, IMEC services led to the creation or retention of about 1,398 high-wage manufacturing jobs.

“The manufacturing sector is leading the economic recovery in Illinois, and the companies we assisted last year showed remarkable resilience in making necessary changes in their operating and market strategies,” said David Boulay, IMEC President.  “Progressive leaders are doing what it takes to be more innovative and responsive to their customer needs in order to compete and win.