Continuous improvement program designed to make manufacturers and suppliers more competitive in the wind industry to boost bottom-line. A key takeaway from GLWN's "Making It Here" Wind Summit last July was the oft-stated fact that global competition is forcing U.S. manufacturers to rethink the way they produce products and push those products through the OEM supply chain. OEMs are demanding better quality, more efficient production processes and improved customer service. As one OEM representative put it, "If you're not doing Lean, you're not doing business."

Through an initiative funded in part by the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD), GLWN is making the transformation to Lean attainable by offering a Lean Mastery Program to Ohio manufacturers. The program has been developed to help manufacturers enter Ohio's burgeoning wind industry and successfully compete for OEM bids that favor those operations that can demonstrate a continuous improvement initiative.

The course Ð conducted over two periods in January and February, 2012 Ð is an intensive six-day program (two three-day sessions) covering the elements, rules and tools needed to develop and maintain a Lean Enterprise. Participants learn how their organizations can deliver superior customer service and significantly improve bottom line results by employing Lean concepts throughout the entire production process.

The Lean Mastery Program goes well beyond theoretical principles by equipping participants with practical skills that are learned through interactive participation, educational breakout sessions and successful completion of assigned projects. At the end of the course, participants will have acquired the level of knowledge needed to fully participate in, and contribute to, a Lean Enterprise transformation.

GLWN's Lean Mastery course will be facilitated by Brian Furlong, partner at Lean Enterprise Inc., a business process improvement consulting and e-learning firm based in Canton, Ohio. Furlong, a noted expert and published author of several works devoted to Lean processes, specializes in helping organizations create excellent processes that result in substantial profitability improvements.

Dee Holody, director of operations at GLWN and coordinator of the January Lean Mastery Program, commented on the Ohio Department of DevelopmentÕs continued efforts to assist businesses that are seeking entry into the wind industry.

"The state's commitment to growing alternative energy related industries will continue to benefit Ohio manufacturers that seek a greater presence in the wind industry and provide guidance in the key areas that drive industry competitiveness," Holody said. "GWLN has been working with the ODOD for close to a year to identify and qualify Ohio manufacturers and service providers capable of supplying a rapidly expanding wind industry. Through this program organizations can meet much of the criteria required on the Lean certification front to supply OEMs in the wind industry and successfully compete on the many wind development projects in the planning and development phases throughout Ohio."

The drive to Lean manufacturing is a key component that OEMs look for to ensure well-built, high quality and low cost products. Lean organizations can successfully demonstrate continuous improvement programs that identify waste, reduce redundancy, establish standardized processes and improve the cost-effectiveness of their organization. Additionally, Lean organizations are equipped with the necessary metrics and visual indicators that show evidence of continuous improvement in how their operations run.

GLWN's six-day Lean Mastery certification program begins with Part One on January 24-26, 2012. Part Two is scheduled for February 21-23. The cost for the entire program is $2,500 for up to two associates and includes copies of all the course's lean training aids (more than 800 training slides), and read-to-use spreadsheet forms and templates designed for immediate program implementation.

For more information, view a detailed Course Outline or contact Dee Holody at 216.920.1959. You may also contact Dee if you would like to register.

GLWN is fortunate to have Brian Furlong conduct the Lean Mastery Program in January and February. Furlong is well-regarded in the field of Lean principles and offered these words to encourage potential program participants:

"OEMs in the wind industry are constantly looking for suppliers who can consistently manufacture at a competitive price while providing low to medium volume serial production capability and excellent quality. They are favoring suppliers who clearly have a continuous improvement process in place.

Applying Lean Enterprise concepts helps wind industry suppliers to improve cash flow, lower inventories, reduce lead times, improve quality and service levels and decrease overall cost.

Lean seeks to maximize employee involvement in the identification and elimination of each of the eight types of waste (overproduction, transportation, inventory, waiting, over-processing, scrap/rework, motion, intellect) in both the manufacturing and administration operations.

Suppliers who do not have a continuous improvement process in place are finding it difficult to compete as waste can consume between 15% and 40% of revenue.

As companies reap the benefits of Lean, they may also be able to reap the benefits of additional business. For example, one Ohio company, who was at capacity, received an order for over $4 million and would not have been able to complete it had they not freed up enough space and resources as a result of their Lean initiatives. Another business was able to get smaller volume new business in new markets after they had made significant reductions in set-up times. And recently, a local company that had begun an aggressive Lean implementation was able to retain business that their customer was planning on moving overseas due to price.

GLWN is helping to match suppliers with OEMs, and their Lean Mastery program is a key component in helping these suppliers to compete effectively in the Wind Energy market and other markets as well."