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Ross Controls (Madison Heights,MI), an international supplier of standard pneumatic and hydraulic controls and systems, found itself facing difficulties in manufacturing efficiencies.
A couple of years ago, Ross investigated the implementation of lean tools. Through lean consultant Andy Carlino of Achievement Dynamics (Novi, MI), a management consulting firm, the company invested in Kaizen workshops at both its Madison Heights, MI, and Lavonia, GA, plants. Ross also started a lean learning laboratory where they focused on the assembly area of the plants with a specified team assigned to study the process.
Ross agreed to a structure of implementation designed by Achievement Dynamics for lean tools. They developed a shop-floor measurement scoreboard to monitor improvements in the processes, and they implemented methods such as 5S-sift, sweep, sort, sanitize and sustain. But, despite their new understanding of lean tools, Ross struggled to consistently incorporate the tools. They soon discovered that true lean incorporates principles, rules and tools.
It was around this time in 2001 when Carlino, along with partners Dennis Pawley and Jamie Flinchbaugh, founded the Lean Learning Center (Novi, MI). A provider of lean curriculum, the center believes that lean-at its most basic level-is defined as "a shared way of thinking." Its philosophy is based on the idea that lean tools largely are ineffective unless they are supported by the correct foundation of lean guiding principles and rules to help an organization understand how things work together and why.
The center provided Ross the opportunity to train several of its employees to become "lean leaders" who are responsible for maintaining lean tools across the various manufacturing disciplines at Ross.
With a base of trust already established via Carlino through Achievement Dynamics, Ross sent five employees from the Michigan plant and five from the Georgia facility to the Lean Learning Center for a five-day Lean Experience course. During the five days, students are exposed to a variety of learning methods including discovery, simulation, case studies, personal planning and journaling.
The center's methods of teaching represent a distinct departure from the norm. "Adults do not learn best by listening to...