Sealy Corporation is the largest bedding manufacturer in North America, producing a diversified line of mattress and foundation products for every segment of the market. Sealy manufactures to order and introduced lean manufacturing in October of 2003, with the support of TBM, to more efficiently serve dealer and customer needs. To that end, most bedding orders are scheduled, produced and shipped to retail warehouses within 48 to72 hours of receipt. This rapid delivery capability allows Sealy to better satisfy customer demand. Before the introduction of lean, Sealy’s manufacturing system was based on a pay-per-piece incentive system which conflicted with the company’s goals of building quality, safety, teamwork and associate involvement into performance. The incentive system rewarded the associate for building WIP and brought unpredictability and instability to the associate’s pay. In addition, the system was difficult to manage and was viewed as the number one obstacle in implementing lean.
Lennox Industries has maintained a manufacturing operation in Marshalltown, IA since 1895. Today, this facility manufactures a broad range of residential HVAC equipment for both the replacement and new home construction markets. This facility is approximately one million square feet under roof on a 34 acre property. The primary product lines are Gas Furnaces, Air Conditioning Condensers, Heat Pumps, and Coil Blowers. Peak volumes in 2006 grew the facility to approximately 1500 employees.
Lennox has been on its lean journey with TBM since 2003, focusing primarily on assembly systems and significant changes in production planning and scheduling systems during the early years. These changes have enabled Lennox to reduce replenishment lead time from 21 days to 5 days and reduce inventory to achieve 37 – 40 turns. In 2007, focus shifted to a full supply chain focus utilizing value stream maps to coordinate and drive activities. This effort has increased our attention to internal fabrication, external raw material and component suppliers, and building a culture to support and accelerate the lean transformation.
Vermeer Corporation of Pella, Iowa, U.S.A., employs more than 2,100 men and women in seven production facilities and offices totaling 1.5 million square feet, in addition to the Global Pavilion training center and museum. Founded in 1948, the company is celebrating its 60th Anniversary, manufacturing a full line of industrial and agricultural products under the vision of “Taking Care of Customers Worldwide with Better Solutions.” Vermeer offers sales, parts and services through a worldwide dealer organization. The Vermeer lean journey began in 1997 and has since delivered significant safety, quality, cost, and delivery improvements. From 1998 to 2007 the company has executed hundreds of kaizen events worldwide with the following results:
– Productivity improved 26%
– Total inventory decreased 12%
– Total of potential savings of over $29.7 million
– 70% of the total employees have participated on a kaizen team
– 98% of their corporate management staff has participated on a kaizen team