American Variseal Corp, Broomfield, CO
Training in Lean Manufacturing basics and Value Stream Mapping helps lower inventory and reduces costs.

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp, Westminster, CO
Production increased by 33 percent and cycle time reduced 300 percent after implementing improvements from Value Stream Mapping exercise.

Cramer Inc, Kansas City, KS
Cellular manufacturing, JIT, and visual inventory control system all helped cut delivery time in half.

Heatron Inc, Leavenworth, KS
Implemented cellular manufacturing improvements to accommodate larger customer demands.

Ionics Instrument Business Group, Boulder, CO
Reconfigured production layout, emphasizing cells and Kanban methods, and reduced materials and inventory costs.

Stewart & Stevenson Pamco, Denver, CO
Incorporated changes recommended from Value Stream Mapping on three product lines, leading to enhanced efficiency.

Sunflower Manufacturing Co, Beloit, KS
Eliminated non-value-added activity and made ergonomic improvements to cut costs and cut cycle time in half.

Volant Sports Inc, Wheat Ridge, CO
Applied Pull/Kanban and continuous flow methods to streamline production, cutting scrap and rework.

American Variseal Corp ­ Broomfield, CO

After American Variseal was purchased by a proponent of Lean thinking, the company decided to adopt Lean Manufacturing techniques to improve productivity. American Variseal, which makes spring loaded seals for use in high pressure or temperature environments, started with MAMTC's Lean Manufacturing 101 training course for its entire staff. The company then worked with MAMTC to conduct a Value Stream Mapping assessment of one division, and as a result immediately changed its procedures for order paperwork and processing. In addition, American Variseal modified its production into three lines, ranging by volume. The increased efficiency from these changes led to decreased inventory costs, which the company plans to translate into lower consumer prices and overall sales increases.

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp (BATC) ­ Westminster, CO

BATC designs and manufacturers a variety of technology products, including complete spacecraft systems, communications systems, and video products. The company began its Lean journey in order to become a preferred supplier to Boeing, but advanced its journey when BATC found many other benefits. Following MAMTC training in Lean Manufacturing 101 and Value Stream Mapping, BATC implemented production changes that increased production on some high volume products by as much as 33 percent and reduced one seven-day product cycle to two days. More Lean projects are in process, leading to additional productivity enhancements.

Cramer Inc ­ Kansas City, KS

Cramer Inc manufactures office chairs, computer keyboards, ladders and stools. After months of planning with MAMTC's assistance, the company took its first steps toward Lean Manufacturing with cellular floor configurations, just-in-time supply distribution, and a visual inventory control system. Already, Cramer has cut delivery time to its office chair customers by half. Such success is only the beginning.

Heatron Inc ­ Leavenworth, KS

Heatron Inc, a leader in innovative heating element design and manufacturing, received a request from one of its customers for large batch sizes, ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 pieces. Never having received an order of this size, management turned to MAMTC for help. MAMTC engineers, recognizing the advantages of cellular manufacturing layout, started by delivering training on the concepts of cellular manufacturing to Heatron employees. Following this education phase, the team laid the plans for process improvements and implemented the transition and ongoing support of the cellular layout. As a result, the order was met and Heatron continues to look at additional Lean improvements to complement its operations.

Ionics Instrument Business Group ­ Boulder, CO

Ionics Instrument, which makes scientific instruments for chemical analysis, wanted to streamline inventory and production processes, while improving responsiveness to customers. Lean Manufacturing techniques, particularly cellular manufacturing recommended from a Value Stream Mapping analysis with MAMTC, were just the ticket to meet the company's objectives. In one cell, 254 raw materials were organized into a two-bin Kanban. Ionics Instrument now produces to customer demand rather than forecasted sales and responds more quickly to customer needs, while also finding significant costs reductions from reduced inventory and work-in-process.

Stewart & Stevenson Pamco ­ Denver, CO

Value Stream Mapping (VSM) has been an important tool to help this manufacturer of snow removal equipment and wheel chair lifts improve its efficiency. Pamco was familiar with VSM since other divisions of the company had implemented the analysis with good results. In Denver, MAMTC and Pamco worked together to conduct a VSM assessment of the entire division, from beginning to end. Through the assessment, the groups uncovered a few non-value-added steps, particularly in moving parts to production, and made changes to reduce processing time. They also more accurately measured the time for production of a subassembly that had become a bottleneck. Pamco estimates that the process resulted in a 7 to 10 percent labor savings, but also in the creation of new jobs to cover the subassembly.

Sunflower Manufacturing Co ­ Beloit, KS

Lean Manufacturing concepts were not new to Sunflower, which had begun its own Lean training program for its employees before deciding to partner with outside expert MAMTC. Eighty employees received intensive Lean Manufacturing 101 training from MAMTC and then applied the training to two assembly areas. In one area, the company saved nearly $10,000 and 416 hours of labor annually by replacing wooden pallets with reusable steel stackers. In the other, the assembly line was rearranged into a sequential straight-line production line, reducing space needs and cycle time, and saving $30,000 annually. Ergonomic improvements were also made in both areas, and energized employees continue to look for additional ways to improve productivity.

Volant Sports Inc ­ Wheat Ridge, CO

This manufacturer of high-performance skis became interested in Lean Manufacturing techniques to improve overall company operations when its manufacturing director studied the concept. Work with MAMTC included Lean Manufacturing 101 training for all management and a Value Stream Mapping assessment of the entire plant. Volant implemented many of the assessment recommendations and has reduced large quantities of raw material, reduced clutter and required floor space, and better matched production with customer demand. The manufacturing director has applied Pull techniques and continuous flow in some areas to streamline production.