Increasing Management Team Productivity
Profile
Wolf Robotics is a robotics integrator specializing in robotic welding and material handling. Founded in 2003 as a spin-off of ABB Robotics, they have decades of experience in robotic automation, specifically in the mining, construction, agriculture, and energy industries. Manufacturing is located in Fort Collins, but projects span all over the globe.
“We met my goal to achieve a 50% reduction in the time spent by our management team in the weekly production meeting.”
– Brandan Greeley, Supply Chain Specialist, Wolf Robotics
Challenge
Wolf Robotics is experiencing record sales. With increased business, long standing business practices, meetings, and processes are starting to bog down productivity. The weekly production meeting involves 12-15 members of the Wolf pack; lasting three to five hours each Wednesday morning. That was a very expensive meeting!
Lean is a new idea to Wolf Robotics, but is a must do as they increase sales. With the goal to double revenue in the next couple years, the team at Wolf needed to evaluate all processes.
Brandan Greeley, a Supply Chain Specialist at Wolf, took on the challenge to implement Lean practices to better leverage the company leadership and project management roles.
The goal was a 50% reduction in time spent by the management team in the weekly production meeting.
Engagement
Brandan enrolled in the Certified Lean Master (CLM) program to pack his tool box to drive a successful transformation. The CLM program, consisting of 3 days of class per month for 3 months, was utilized in order to implement the project during the training course. Lean experts from Transformance Advisors provided education, support, tools, and guidance to successfully implement a Lean project in a company in the infant stages of Lean.
As the project leader, Brandan and his team created a business case, a current state map that identified key areas of waste, and opportunities to leverage the leadership team better. The team created a project plan with a focus on the five principles of Lean and the seven types of waste. They leveraged Lean methodologies such as the 5S System, Kaizen Blitz, and creating flow in order to streamline a weekly meeting that was wasting an enormous amount of time.
Results
Wolf Robotics newly improved production meeting now runs 50% faster due to information flowing more smoothly to the management team. With the improvements, Wolf is redirecting thousands of dollars of leadership time into more valuable activities for the company.
The estimated reduction of lost time productivity is expected to be $52,500.00 per year.
“With this big win, the Wolf pack is looking to spread the success to other meetings and continue to gain productivity to make the company’s growth goals a reality. Lean is beginning to spread across other departments in the organization and the level of excitement continues to grow.”
– Brandan Greeley, Supply Chain Specialist, Wolf Robotics
“Brandon has excelled at learning and applying Lean concepts from the Certified Lean Master program. His dedication, enthusiasm, hard work, and desire to affect change has resulted in a significant reduction of waste at Wolf Robotics. Now that he has become a Certified Lean Master, Brandan is eager to continue driving change through the systematic application of Lean tools.”
– Mark Lindberg, Vice President, Transformance Advisors
Lean Transformation Program
A Lean Transformation program is one of the best investments any organization can make. The return on investment (ROI) is better than many other strategic initiatives. Eliminating waste will improve customer satisfaction, increase revenue (or impact), and reduce costs.
The best Lean programs will contain three critical components:
- Lean Projects: Our research and experience has revealed the key to success is executing well-defined Lean projects. These projects must engage employees to eliminate waste and deliver significant improvements.
- Continuous Improvement: Lean projects will provide you better and stable processes. This is the time to leverage continuous improvement to keep getting better and respond to the constant change swirling around you.
- Program Management: Maintaining a portfolio of improvement projects, communicating the exciting accomplishments, dealing with change management, and providing educational events for everyone are just some of the requirements for a successful Lean Transformation. You need a champion focused on your Lean Transformation program.
Learn more about the program, from Transformance Advisors, at: Lean Transformation Program.
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