connstep advantage vol 2 issue 1

Also 12 Manufacturing Quality:

The role of cyber security &regulatory compliance.

14 What I’ve Learned:Bob Luther, Lex Products

18 No Limits:Pauway has opened the door to

new markets and unlimitedgrowth opportunities.

26 A Higher Calling:AeroCision is turning the

aerospace market upside down.ww

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advantageQuality as a Growth Strategy

Improved ef ciency.

Faster ROI.

Higher pro ts.

Companies that move ahead and stay ahead choose CONNSTEP to guide their

continuous improvement and growth strategies. Through close collaboration

with our industry experts, CONNSTEP accelerates top line growth, operational

ef ciencies and long-term sustainability.

Ready to experience a new level of success with your company? Bring us your

business goals and we’ll work together to make them happen.

CONNSTEP. Your total business improvement resource.

www.connstep.org

CONNSTEP, Inc.

1.800.266.6672

>>> CONTENTS

connstep.org 3

advantageVol. 2, Issue 1

4We Expect it to be Great!

There are companies that have become

recognized as leaders in their market by

always commanding superiority through the

quality craftsmanship of their products. They

have earned this high degree of excellence

for their commitment to being the best.

12 14

18 26

12Manufacturing QualityQuality in today’s manufacturing environment requires management of more than specifi cations and tolerances. To remain competitive companies must use technology as a monitoring service and performance tool with the goal of improving both and eliminating waste.

4

6

30

6The Buzz

Newsworthy trends, topics, statistics and an

opportunity to ask the experts.

30Quality Community

The Bigelow family has set a high standard

for us to follow; the family’s history of

commitment to philanthropy is not only

inspirational, it creates an expectation for

each of the employees.

18No LimitsWith the AS9100C certifi cation secured, Pauway has opened the door to new markets and unlimited growth opportunities.

14What I’ve Learned...Bob Luther, CEO of Lex Products Corporation, talks about learning about leadership through OJT and why its vital to listen to the voice of the customer.

22Quality as a Growth

StrategyToday’s quality programs take a holistic approach, and help companies not only meet the requirements of their current clients but provide opportunities to enter new markets.

26A Higher CallingAeroCision is plotting a new course and with the latest quality registration and the development of a world class culture - they’re turning the aerospace market upside down.

We Expect it to be Great!

There are companies that have become recognized as leaders in their market by always commanding superiority through the quality craftsmanship of their products. They have earned this high degree of excellence for their commitment to being the best. This does not always translate as meaning lowest in price, and quite often, it is the exact opposite.

Take a segment of the automotive industry for example, where premium cars such as BMW and Mercedes do well in a market where consumers expect to pay a lot to drive the “ultimate driving machine” or one that claims to be the “best or nothing.” To play in this arena, quality must be an eminent part of the mix, as it is certainly expected by the consumer.

Unlike BMW or Mercedes, many companies, both young in industry tenure, as well as mature in their industries, are searching for their place in the market. In the vast and changing global economy, there are many forces driving immediate transformation - it is hard to keep up with international competition and diverse, emerging technologies. Despite this, there is great opportunity for growth and profi tability through new product development for both new and existing customers. Highly effi cient manufacturers are well-positioned to take advantage of the situation but realize that continuous improvement is not enough. With ever changing customer demands, and with such a crowded market, new products must be distinctive; total product quality is now not only expected, it is crucial, for competitive advantage.

Our two featured companies in this edition, AeroCision and Pauway, understand the importance and the power of quality performance. Obtaining and maintaining quality registrations opens doors to new markets - and they know that to drive top line revenues, it is smart business to build their companies on a foundation of quality.

Today, it is imperative to operate with quality as an integral part of your company’s growth and innovation strategy. As Bob Luther of Lex Products states on page 17, “to succeed, you must innovate, either in your product or

process to gain a competitive advantage. We are always asking ourselves, ‘can we do this better?’ and ‘what do

our customers think?’”

May your reading be satisfying,

Bonnie Del Conte is the president & CEO of CONNSTEP.

She can be reached at [email protected].

Bonnie

advantage

4 advantage Vol. 2, No. 1

Advantage Magazine is a publication of CONNSTEP, Inc.

For the small to medium size business that wants to remain competitive and grow in local and global markets, CONNSTEP provides technical and business solutions proven to have both immediate and sustainable long-term impact.

Unlike other professional consultants that focus only on a single component of your business, CONNSTEP’s multidisciplinary team uses a deliberate holistic approach, providing innovative results-driven top line growth solutions that impact the entire organization.

Since 1994, nine out of ten CONNSTEP clients have reported increased profi tability. In 2011 alone, data provided by an independent survey credited CONNSTEP with impacts of more than $160 million dollars, including new and retained sales, and the creation and retention of nearly 1,600 jobs. Our experience and network of local, state and federal resources, make us not only unique but unequaled in our fi eld and in our state.

PublisherBonnie Del Conte, President & CEOCONNSTEP

EditorRebecca Mead, Manager, Marketing & CommunicationsCONNSTEP

Contributing WritersRobert Kravontka, CONNSTEP

Bill Greider, P4 Executive Lean Strategy Consulting

John Boyd, P.E., Fandotech

Michael Perrelli, CONNSTEP

Susie Zimmermann, Channel Z Marketing

Jim Gildea, R. C. Bigelow

Contacts

To subscribe: [email protected]

To change an address: [email protected]

For reprints, PDF’s: [email protected]

For permission to copy: [email protected]

To pitch a story: [email protected]

CONNSTEP, Inc., all rights reserved. Reproduction

encouraged after obtaining permission from CONNSTEP.

CONNSTEP Advantage Magazine is printed four times

a year by CONNSTEP, Inc., 1090 Elm Street, Suite 202,

Rocky Hill, CT 06067. 800.266.6672

POSTMASTERSend address changes to:

CONNSTEP, Inc.

1090 Elm Street, Suite 202

Rocky Hill, CT 06067

>>> Contributors

connstep.org 5

Bill Greider has spent over 20 years at Dur-A-Flex, Inc. (East Hartford, CT) as Technical Director, Operations Manager

and Co-Owner. Over a seven year period, he led the company on it’s Lean journey, cut process times by eliminating non-value added activity and began Dur-A-Flex down the road to become a learning organization. During their Lean transformation, Dur-A-Flex was voted one of the “Best Places to Work” in CT four times and won national recognition as winner of the 2010 MEP Excellence in Innovation Award at the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) National Conference in Orlando, FL.

In 2012, Bill decided that he would like to help other company’s management teams and Lean champions as an independent consultant, hoping to help secure their future success by teaching them the tools needed to turn a “continuous improvement or lean sigma department” into a culture of continuous learning.

Robert Kravontka has over 35 years of experience in Connecticut manufacturing operations and technical

sales. His book, “Lean Selling,” illustrates to the sales professional the need to streamline the sales approach and general practices, which in turn leads to a more effective sales pitch and client relations strategy.

Robert serves on the board of directors for the Connecticut Green Building Council, and is chair of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) central Connecticut chapter. He is also a past regional chair of SME New England. A graduate of the University of New Haven, Robert holds a bachelors degree in Manufacturing Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration.

John W. Boyd, Jr. P.E. is General Manager of Fandotech, providing IT infrastructure support solutions from

the Cloud to the desktop.

Mr. Boyd graduated from URI with a BSME degree in Control Systems. He has over 30 years in process control, SCADA and corporate IT strategic management.

1

Michael Perrelli is the Marketing Specialist with CONNSTEP where he is responsible for developing the content,

markets and promotions of CONNSTEP training, networking and outreach programs. Additionally, Michael works with the Manger of Marketing & Communications on organizational market development, website maintenance and trade show efforts.

Before joining CONNSTEP at the end of 2010, Michael worked for the Alcone Marketing Group, a promotional agency based in Darien and for SourceMedical in Wallingford, where he controlled multiple direct marketing and trade show efforts for the leader in ambulatory surgery center management software.

Susie Zimmermann has more than 20 years of experience developing and managing marketing and

communications for corporations, non-profi t organizations, and government agencies. In her current work with clients from both the commercial and non-profi t sectors, she provides strategic consulting on branding, product launches, messaging, positioning, employee communications and comprehensive marketing programs.

Prior to launching her own consulting business, Susie managed marketing and communications programs for the Department of Commerce’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership, AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps. as well as for organizations specializing in commercial real estate, urban revitalization and health insurance.

2 3

4 5

1 2 3

4 5

Energy Management Workshop

The gist: With over 80% of your energy costs

generated in your manufacturing process,

learning to see energy waste and developing

energy effi ciency and conservation plans are

the fi rst profi table step in your sustainability

initiatives.

This one-day CONNSTEP Energy Management Workshop will provide you and your team

with energy management skills, will establish

a baseline for your company and will help you

identify the major users of energy in your facility.

Held on-site and employing a unique nine-step

approach, the workshop will teach you how

to accurately analyze your utility bills, provide

you with a thorough understanding of energy

terms and defi nitions, and help you develop an

energy management plan.

Who attends? Designed for six to ten

participants, this workshop is suited for a diverse

team including purchasing, fi nance, operations,

quality, sales and facilities management.

http://bit.ly/energymanagement

Mastering Lean LeadershipTo commit to Lean, leaders must believe in Lean. To believe, they must fi rst understand Lean.

Lean is not about what you do, it is about how you think. Lean is a way of life, a management

system, a long-term strategy. Lean is about growth, not the accustomed cost-cutting.

The gist: Mastering Lean Leadership helps leaders understand Lean, believe in Lean and

commit to Lean so they can create, lead and sustain a Lean business model. The battle is

no longer the employee’s resistance to change, as much as it is the executive leadership’s

resistance to understanding what it takes to create a Lean business model, to create a Lean

culture.

Approach: In a small group setting, Mastering Lean Leadership is a series of six half-day

professionally facilitated, interactive roundtables for the top leader and his/her reports

to engage in meaningful dialogue about their specifi c business transformation to a Lean

management culture.

The next Mastering Lean Leadership program begins May 21st and runs to August 6th. Visit

http://bit.ly/leanleader for complete program information.

>>> calendar

NEW CONNSTEP 10:5 Webinars

The gist: 10 minutes, 5 new ideas.

The approach: We know you’re busy so we’ve developed a quick way for you to gain new

information on topics such as Lean Manufacturing, TWI: Training Within Industry, Six Sigma,

leadership and innovation. The CONNSTEP 10:5 series are recorded webinars that you can

watch at your convenience and in any location (iPhone and iPad compatible). Each episode is

no more than 10 minutes in length and the accompanying downloadable checklist provides

you with fi ve new ideas on the topic.

http://bit.ly/105series for more information.


Q: Should I outsource my internal quality auditing?

When I am asked that by companies, I try to put myself in the shoes of the person responsible for the quality management system and ask these four key questions:

Could my people be doing something more productive with their time? Often, as soon as plans are made to commence auditing duties, something comes up and all hands are required to tend to an urgent matter like getting a rush order out the door. My management doesn’t want to release a machine operator from a value adding machine operation to participate in an audit of another department.

As you know, you can’t audit your own department... and quality audits are important - they deserve time and attention - so if you fi nd yourself always trying to “squeeze in” the audits, getting assistance may be the effi cient and value-added way to go.

Are we spending more time than we have to on internal audits? I have great people here and they are trained properly to conduct the audits in a timely manner, but because we have to audit departments that are not our own, it takes time to get everyone up to speed and comfortable with the process. And it seems like just as soon as we have our auditor fully trained, wouldn’t you know they move positions and take on more responsibilities? Now I need to train another...

Does that scenario sound familiar? If so, external resources who can audit your processes without taking your staff’s time is an option that many companies choose.

Are we doing anything with the internal auditing results, other than satisfying a requirement? Our registrar is happy with our audits even though we’ve slipped on a date here and there. I would like to set up metrics so that we can measure and improve our processes because sometimes we have a non conformance and I’d like to fi gure out how to mistake proof the process. It would be great to Lean our quality management system, removing the waste, taking less effort to accomplish...

Internal auditing resources who have experience with Lean can assist you in applying Lean methodologies to your quality system, removing the waste and freeing your staff to attend to customer requests.

How busy are we? When business is slow, we have the internal resources necessary to manage our quality management system, including the internal auditing functions. But now that business is starting to pick up again, my people are fl at out with production and training new staff, we just don’t have time to focus on the auditing.

Bringing in outside resources to conduct the internal auditing and other essential quality duties allows your staff to focus on your customer requirements. These “outside eyes” also know what the registration auditor is looking for, so you’ll avoid the surprise non conformances on the registration audit.

You have questions, Robert Kravontka fi nds the answers. An expert in quality, Robert answers your questions using his experience and the knowledge of industry’s top thought leaders.

Robert Kravontka is the CONNSTEP Quality Business Consultant, helping clients attain registration in areas including ISO, Aerospace, Automotive, Medical, Environmental and NADCAP.

Reach Robert at [email protected].

>> > Ask the Experts

Be in Good

Company...

Congratulations to these companies who have recently

obtained a quality registration!

connstep.org 7

BUZZthe >> > Business Barometer


According to research, conducted in August 2011, Thomas Industrial Network found that manufacturers who hesitate to engage in social media, believing that their competition is not embracing the platforms, are risking losing business opportunities.

More than 3,000 responses were received on the online survey, Using Social Media to Market and Sell Industrial Products and Services. Respondents included presidents/CEOs/owners (28.1%), VP sales and/or marketing (13%), director sales and/or marketing (11.4%) and manager of sales and/or marketing (26.4%).

Seven out of 10 small and midsize suppliers (under $50mm) are engaging with prospects through the social media channels and feel they have a competitive advantage over those who have yet to start.

Buyers rely on social media to research companies and gain others’ perspectives on suppliers. In fact, 56% of buyers now recommend that all suppliers participate in social media if they want to do business with them. And in response, suppliers are using social media to provide information on their products and services (41%), fi nd prospective customers (27%) and listen to what people have to say about their company and products (20%).

“The industrial sector is awakening to the fact that social media isn’t just a passing consumer fancy, but an essential part of any branding and marketing program.” said Susan Orr, Senior Director, Strategic Marketing for Thomas Industrial Network. “Savvy suppliers also understand that the most effective social media programs need constant care and feeding. To infl uence prospective buyers, suppliers need to continually update their social media content, and to be actively engaging in and initiating conversations.”

To learn more about social media in the industrial sector, visit http://bit.ly/thomasnet.

According to the data, your peers are using social media for business... Overall 68% of companies surveyed have a corporate presence on social media.

53%LinkedInMore than half

indicated they have a LinkedIn profi le

for their company

42%Facebook

An estimated 42% stated that they have a company Facebook page

34%YouTube

34.4% of companies surveyed have a

YouTube channel

26%Twitter

Just over one quarter of

respondentsuse Twitter

Your competitors are using social media tothird of industrial suppliers polled said thasocial media channels.

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is the third most popular social

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We all love the ability to walk around toting our smartphone, a veritable encyclopedia at

our fi ngertips weighing less than your wallet. We feel empowered when we can quickly

provide the answer to a question such as “what movie was that line from,” or the ability

to tell someone how to get to a particular destination. Surely you’ve heard the expression

“knowledge is power.” The key word is power. If you don’t have any left in your battery,

you might be tempted to fl ing that encyclopedia from your fi ngertips!

Here are some tips to conserve battery power on your smartphone or tablet:

1. When not in use turn off GPS, Bluetooth and WiFi. Keep the on/off toggle switches on

your homescreen so you know they are off when not in use.

2. Turn off WiFi connections you no longer use. When you use WiFi, your device will

constantly search the stored connections. “Forget” any that you no longer use so it

doesn’t keep searching for them.

3. Take your brightness setting off auto and take it down a few notches. Auto is typically

much brighter than necessary. Settings> Display>Screen Brightness will let you change

that.

4. Set the screen to timeout faster than the default setting. The longer the screen is on the

more power it uses. Set it to turn off after 30 seconds or 1 minute.

5. Turn off vibrate.

6. Install Juice Defender. This app regulates data when not in use.

7. Disable live wallpaper.

If you are a long way from seeing your next wall outlet, here are a few ways to eke just a

little more power out of your Android device:

1. Check to see what is using up the most power. (Settings>Battery Use)

2. Turn off data. (Settings>Data Manager)

3. Turn off Widgets. Widgets are live feeds constantly pushing out data which uses

battery.

4. Set your background to black. Dark backgrounds don’t require as much battery to

render.

5. Shut off 4G / LTE. (Settings>Network Settings>Mobile Networks)

In the future, if you know you’ll be traveling or away from a plug for a long period:

1. Buy a battery bank. My Power Bank stores power until you need it and will double your

battery time for $50.

2. Buy an extra battery and keep it charged. Most smartphone batteries cost about $25.

3. Buy an extended battery for approximately $40.

Cellular Chloe is the “Gadgetista” of Wireless Zone. She is an advocate for the end user and spends her time pushing the envelope on all devices so she can honestly report her fi ndings. She likes to help you get to that “a ha moment” so you and your gadgets can live happily ever after! You can fi nd her at http://www.cellularchloe.com

28.7%LinkedIn

is slightly favored by industrial suppliers

connstep.org 9

28.5%Facebookcomes in a close

second for marketing products and/or

services

o market their products & services... Almost a at they market their products and services using

onnect with prospective and existing customers... of social media for marketing industrial products and media to research before selecting suppliers, enterprising rewards in their marketing and sales eff orts.

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help potential customers gain information about the company’s offerings

help the company interact with customers

enerate sales leads

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Recently, the Offi ce of International and Domestic Affairs at the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development completed a review of Connecticut’s 2011 exports for The Connecticut Economic Digest. With exports representing approximately 7% of the gross state product (state GDP), exporting is an important indicator of Connecticut’s economic health as exports sustain and create jobs, having a multiplier effect on the economy.

At a high level, Connecticut’s export commodities (excluding services) increased 0.88%, from $16.05 billion in 2010 to $16.19 billion in 2011. Exporting to 206 market

Sending Overseas:Connecticut Exports in 2011

Connecticut Exports by Commodity(Annual 2010 / Annual 2011)

destinations in 2011, Connecticut ranks 28th with a 1.09% share of the U.S. commodity export total (Connecticut ranks 10th on a per capita basis).

With 95% of the world’s consumers living outside the United Sates, it makes sense for Connecticut companies to pursue foreign market opportunities and reach those consumers, generate new business, create jobs and spur economic growth and recovery.

Data comes from DECD’s subscription to WISER. For the complete article, please visit http://1.usa.gov/DECDexport.

Connecticut Export by Partner Country 2011(U.S. Dollars)

France$1.971 billion

China$982 million

Mexico$1.098 billionGermany

$1.377 billion

Canada$1.718 billion U.K.

$684 million

U.A.E.$541 million

Japan$578 million

Netherlands$551 million

Belgium$548 million

The challenge for a lot of Lean journeys or quality management system implementations isn’t in eliminating the waste, becoming registered or generating positive outcomes; it is sustaining the gains and continually improving after the fi rst few projects. On occasion, companies I have visited over the years are unable to keep the momentum from their original launch and are left wondering what’s next or ask where do we go from here? All too often, companies and people alike fail to see that quality management systems and Lean principles are benefi cial to each other and can help sustain both initiatives for the long haul.

In Lean ISO 9001, Mike Micklewright explains that Lean and ISO are two complimentary forces. One of the key examples provided is that Lean principles can offer the tools needed to eliminate wastes in your documentation system, which is one of the key components in the registration process. Similarly, items such as utilizing 5S in your fi les and folders, integrating TWI into your job competency requirements, and the use of A3s in your quality management system are all ways Lean and quality can dovetail with one another. It can be said that quality registration supports Lean efforts just as much as Lean efforts support quality registration. After all, standardized tasks are the foundation for continuous improvement and quality management systems.

ISO says you must continuously improve; Lean gives you the tools to accomplish it. Studies acknowledge that ISO registered companies are continually outperforming their non ISO registered counterparts by growing faster in sales, employment, and payroll. Registered companies are also more likely to remain in business and are more likely to report zero injuries for workers compensation. The aforementioned benefi ts are many of the same qualities that drive companies to become Lean organizations; all outcomes any business can embrace.

The principles covered by Micklewright, can help Lean out your ISO quality management system, and add sustainability to your Lean efforts. This is a quick and easy read that can help get your quality and continuous improvement groups on the same page. The examples provided should help usher you down the path of generating your own creative ideas for implementation.

- Robert Kravontka, CONNSTEP

If I could only pick one book to recommend to anyone interested in Lean or the Toyota Production System, this is the book. Throughout the 88 detailed, well-thought-out pages in Follow the Learner: The Role of a Leader in Creating a Lean Culture, Dr. Sami Bahri, DDS, captures the true essence of what being a great Lean leader requires.

First is his humility. It requires a total lack of ego to involve everyone in his practice to improve conventional processes for the sole benefi t of the customer - Dr. Bahri believes conventional processes were for the benefi t of the dentist, not the customer.

Second is the never-wavering, laser-like focus on the customer. This focus screams at you throughout the text.

Third is his persistence. Dr. Bahri was fascinated by the potential of TPS some 17 years ago. It took 13 years of experimentation (PDCA) to begin to truly impact his customer’s experience, but he and his staff worked together and are still at it. He proves that the only way to do it wrong is to do nothing. There was no manual on how to do Lean dentistry!

Fourth, Dr. Bahri validates that good Lean is market disruptive via operational excellence. I’ve spoken to one of his patients, and the experience is extraordinary. Imagine if you are a competitor in Jacksonville and you fi nd out Dr. Bahri’s patients don’t wait? At all? He does give details on some of the business results (numbers) in the book.

Fifth, he validates once and for all that Lean is not about cars. That notion can no longer be argued. It’s dead.

Pick this book up. You will fi nd yourself, like me, reading it more than once.

- Bill Greider, P4 Executive Lean Strategy Consulting

Biz Lit

connstep.org 11

By John Boyd, Jr., P.E.

Quality in today’s manufacturing environment

requires management of more than

specifi cations and tolerances. To remain

competitive, companies must use technology

as a monitoring service and performance

tool with the goal of improving both and

eliminating waste. However, the introduction

of technology as that tool to improve

visibility into control networks creates new

challenges; Cyber threats, lost data, loss of

confi dential information, cyber espionage

and simple down-time due to the complexity.

Additionally, the risk of having protected

information in electronic format has

created regulations in the form of HIPAA,

PCI, NERC CIP and ISO, creating new

management challenges. State legislation

such as 201 CMR 17.00 affect the ability

of companies, across the country, doing

business with Massachusetts clients, to

comply or face fi nes. The reality is industrial

automation now requires a unifi ed approach

across security, compliance, and change

management functions to achieve quality.

One key factor is the growing control

system complexity. Since most automation

The Gartner Group* sites in a recent report

that industrial down-time typically costs US

companies $300,000 per hour of down-

time. A lost laptop with 15,000 personal and

confi dential information (PCI) records cost a

company over $450,000 in notifi cation, legal

and restoration fees. And most insurance plans

explicitly exclude cyber liability. Operators of

automation environments must resolve these

risk elements as they seek ways to monitor,

manage and protect their critical systems. It

underscores the fact that, with all the changes

occurring in their environments, operators

need technology and tools that enable them

to achieve a more integrated and intelligent

approach to security, compliance and change

management.

Technology must be part of your QA/QC

strategy to compete in the complex area of

manufacturing.

Key areas of focus:

1. Cyber security for the shop fl oor:

Operating systems, applications and

hardware that have vulnerabilities that

did not exist in earlier systems. As a result,

automation systems now need the same

levels of management and security that

have been seen in enterprise networks for

the past two decades.

2. Governance and regulatory compliance:

Many companies now must document

their compliance with regulatory

requirements, such as the North American

Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) Critical

Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards,

Personal and Confi dential Information

Security Act (PCI), Health Information

Privacy and Portability Act (HIPAA),

Sarbanes/Oxley Act (SOX), 201 CMR

17.00. To effi ciently meet external and

environments were developed over decades

without a master plan, they now contain

heterogeneous systems that are diffi cult to

manage. Another factor is resource constraints;

with today’s business conditions, operators

are being asked to do more with less. A third

major market driver is the exponential growth

of intelligent devices deployed in automation

environments. These networked and IP-enabled

devices are creating management requirements

with which operators have limited experience.

All of these elements can lose data and

confi gurations. If we set aside the implications

of how the data was lost for the moment, we

realize that the ability to restore operations

dependent on that information is critical to

cost of goods sold and quality. So a plan for

backup of all the automation process, along

with confi guration control, is needed to ensure

the latest specifi cations are being restored.

IT must be a key component of your QA/QC

process.

If you have lost information, that event may

also trigger several regulatory and disclosure

mandates. Once triggered, these mandates

can be highly disruptive to your business,

your clients and your ability to get funding or

insurance in the future.

BUZZthe

Manufacturing Quality: The Role of Cyber Security & Regulatory Compliance

Technology must be part of your QA/QC

strategy to compete.


sound off

Q: What drove you to become registered to a Quality Standard and what were some of the unexpected benefi ts from going this route?

A: ISO 9001:2008 certifi cation for the design and manufacture of cable assemblies and sheet metal is critical for Lex Products, as it helps to ensure excellent service and the manufacturing of superior products. Providing a strong platform for business growth, the certifi cation demonstrates a proven framework for managing many processes, which helps to guarantee the production of products that meet or exceed customer expectations in a timely manner.

- Mike Scala, President, Lex Products Corporation

A: We decided to register under ISO guidelines for strategic reasons; we were getting some push back from larger potential customers, and we were under scrutiny from some major existing accounts who were coming out to audit on a regular basis. Furthermore, our growth strategy depended on registration in additional areas of the standard for licensing/acceptance.

The single largest unexpected benefi t was (and still is) the high level of commitment from our workforce. In our situation (we were closely compliant to the standard beforehand) a large component of registration relates to documenting process. Small teams were meeting to defi ne how we work. Once those teams understood the complete process, they were not satisfi ed with documenting what was done; they wanted to fi x what we do to improve!

We have better processes today because those who are responsible for the work were required to document (and approve) how they work. We have better record keeping. The internal audit process has turned out to be a process improvement generating machine. Finally, we are now part of a business system community whose participants favor relationships with other like-minded companies.

- Steven Giamundo, President, Fiberoptics Technology Inc.

A: Most of our automotive customers were mandating it in order to obtain “new” business and to obtain “preferred supplier” status. We wanted to optimize our systems and reduce our scrap rates in which we had great success. We also wanted to reduce our impacts on the environment to as little as possible.

Some of the unexpected benefi ts included the CONNSTEP personnel that were on-site helped us seamlessly integrate our old standard system with the new systems resulting in a single documented quality and environmental management system that encompassed ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and TS 16949. We also saw to it that the time Metallon personnel spent integrating and incorporating systems was kept to a very minimum.

- Roger Porter, Quality Assurance Manager, Metallon, Inc.

internal requirements, while minimizing

administrative burdens, compliance

systems must become more automated.

3. Control system operations: Control

networks are typically large and

complex, as are the technologies used to

automate them. Point solutions in these

environments make them more complex.

To increase effi ciency, operators need

to integrate their disparate systems.

But these integration projects are often

costly and time consuming. They also

require the attention of key staff people

who could otherwise be focused on

other initiatives more strategic to the

organization.

Questions:

1. Do you have a written information

security procedure (WISP)?

2. Do you have a monitored version

control plan as part of confi guration

management?

3. Do have a business continuance (BC)

plan that is independent of your internal

resources?

4. Do you have a security policy for mobile/

personal devices?

5. Can you afford to be without your

information systems for more than a few

hours?

If you have answered “no” to any of the

above, quality may be at risk.

Solution: Integrate three key functions of IT

security, compliance and change management

within a single platform.

Referenceshttp://www.mass.gov/ocabr/idtheft/compliance-checklist.pdf

The Future of Business Continuity: How to Stay Ahead of the Curve, Gartner Group

Convergence in Automation Systems Protection, Pike Research, Senior Analyst Bob Lockhart

connstep.org 13

What I've Lear

>>> Bob Luther, Founder & CEO, Lex Products Corporation

Shelton, Connecticut, 52 years old


While I worked at an electrical

company before starting Lex, I learned

about manufacturing by running a

manufacturing fi rm.

We were successful and grew, and quickly

got out of control. Written processes

alone weren’t enough to keep us effi cient

and smart. ERP was absolutely essential.

It forced us to look at our entire process,

and you can’t build anything

properly unless you identify and

examine every step.

The second essential program for

all manufacturers is Lean. We’ve

implemented dozens of projects over the

years, and fi rmly believe we cannot be

successful if we’re not Lean.

I enjoy seeing a product come together

from nothing. And I really appreciate

the journey of continuous

improvement. Nothing’s ever

done, nothing’s ever perfect.

There’s always more you can integrate in

or deeper you can delve. This ultimately

provides the maximum control over your

product, and your destiny.

To succeed, you must innovate, either

in your product or process to gain a

competitive advantage. We are always

asking ourselves, “can we do

this better?” and “what do our

customers think?”

If you’re building the same thing

as the next guy, you’re vulnerable.

You’re easily substituted. I much prefer

being in the opposite position: customers

understand the strong benefi t for our

product and want to work with us.

When you communicate regularly with

your customers, you rarely have to “sell”

them on your products or services. If

you’re creating what they need or

want, demand takes care of itself.

Our company grew as we were able to

prove that companies that used to build

our product themselves would be stronger

if they focused on their core business and

avoided being distracted by making some

of the products they need to operate.

Today, few companies in the industries we

serve make these products any more. They

outsource to us.

I’m impatient. I’m too

entrepreneurial to follow the

rules. That’s what led me to start my

own business and probably to succeed.

But I also know I’m not easy to work with.

I’m demanding and have high standards,

and realize I’m not the best boss. So I

only have one person reporting to me and

managing the operation. He’s great with

people and excels at getting teams to work

on complex problems.

I may have good ideas and drive, but I

needed him to put controls and

processes in place for us. I get to

focus on ideas and the customer.

The best advice I ever got: get out of your

offi ce (which at the time was in my house)

and visit your customers. That’s even

more on-target today than it was back

then. Talking with your customer

and getting their input is all that

matters. Everything else will take

care of itself.

In college, I sold dictionaries door-to-

door. I learned two things. First, if a dog

charges, hold up your sample case in

front of you, and for some reason, he will

stop. Second, keep knocking on doors.

Someone will let you in eventually and you

will sell something. So I learned to just

keep knocking. Also—to this day, I buy

anything from anyone who comes to my

door.

My future? I just want to keep meeting

my customer needs and talking with the

customer to continue to innovate. It’s fun.

Keep dreaming up ideas. Don’t let one

bad idea stop you. The next great idea

is just down the line.

My dad was an electrical engineer, so what

I’ve done in my career doesn’t surprise me.

What does surprise me is how much

I enjoy it.

I really appreciate the journey of continuous

improvement.

Nothing’s ever done, nothing’s ever perfect.

rned

connstep.org 15

YES? Good decision! Move ahead to the training off-ramp.

NO? Time for a U-turn! Make sure everyone’s on board

before you hit the roadto quality certification

YES? Great start ~ motor on...

NO? Pull over and rest awhileuntil everyone is up to speed

Time to form key process teams.

Perform gap analysis.

Don’t forget to trainyour process users.

Develop standard compliant processes & document them.

Training is key to success — Have you trained your key process leaders

and management team in quality?

Now entering Continuous Improvement & Corrective Action Valley

Ma

Ma

Ma

Ma

Our special thanks to John Grice of J

NO? Better hit the motorway services trefuel and implement corrective action

Is your management team committedto obtaining a quality registration?

ABCManufacturing

start

Hope you’ve got serious horsepower There’s a good amount of work to do! Now’s the time to develop your implementation plans, quality policy and manual, and determine your quality objectives. Perfect time to also appoint a management represen-tative to be your company’s guide for the journey.

The Journey To


anagement Review

anagement Review

anagement Review

anagement Review

CHECK YOUR SPEED! Slow down and document a complete, compliant quality management system.

Now’s the time to train your employees & implement your quality management system

PIT STOP! Fine tune your QMS with an internal quality audit & set your schedule for on-going quarterly audits.

Is your system compliant?GO RIGHT

YES? Rock on! Motor on to select a quality registrar for your external audit.

Time for your registration audit!

John Grice & Associates for translating quality into English. © 2012 CONNSTEP

EZ Pass Registrar Ur Best Registrar My-T Fine Registrar

tons

STOPPay Toll

finishPASS! No non-conformances! Congratulations and welcome to the elite group of manufacturers who are

registered to a quality standard.

C O N N S T E P. O R G

desi

gn: g

ari

phic.com

MISSED THE MARK? Get out, stretch your legs and fix those non-conformances, gas up, perform an

internal audit to ensure your QMS is compliant - and then take on that registrar to pass that next external

audit opportunity!

Quality Registration

connstep.org 17

>> for more examples of companies leveraging Quality Management Systems for growth and business sustainability, visit www.connstep.org.

No

Limitsby Michael Perrelli


n a daily basis, businesses are affected by internal

and external factors - industry, economy, natural

disasters, workforce, suppliers, and customers. While some of

these factors are part of the business cycle - more predictable

and able to be prepared for - some events are so unexpected

and so impactful that they alter the course of the company.

For Pauway Corporation of Wallingford, their defi ning

moment came in 2002 when three of their largest customers

left Connecticut for Mexico and Asia. Complicating matters,

this business shift occurred when the family-led business was

transitioning from President Wayne Rydzy to his son Mark,

“We were predominantly providing high-end fi nishing for the

commercial and medical sector for the better part of 20-plus

years,” says Wayne. “It was a wakeup call, but ended up an

opportunity for Mark to move the company along.”

While some companies may not survive the loss of three

major customers, the younger Rydzy saw it as a marketable

opportunity for the family business, “Entering a new market

and succeeding in it are two totally different things. You can’t

just say we serve this market and that market now and expect

the business to pour in,” explains Mark, now Vice President,

“I wanted to get us into the aerospace and defense markets

because they are tightly regulated industries as far as using

domestic suppliers. With Connecticut being the hub of the

aerospace industry, it made perfect sense for us to move in

that direction.”

O

With the AS9100C certifi cation secured, Pauway has opened the door to new markets and unlimited growth opportunities.

connstep.org 19

process was implemented.

It provided a level of

accountability to the

staff which has led to an

increased pride in their

workmanship.”

Original equipment

manufacturers within

the aerospace industry,

including Pauway’s

customers like Sikorsky,

consider quality certifi ed

suppliers a valuable link

in their supply chain,

“Years ago, before these registrations,

your customers would send a team down

to check on you. During the visit, they

would complete a facility audit to make

sure you aren’t some ‘fl y by night’ team.

Now when you approach a new customer,

they see you are registered to the AS 9100

standard so they know you are being

audited by a 3rd party on a regular basis.

It alleviates some of their concerns. They

know that you are a legit operation,”

explains Mark.

Registered to the latest standard and

fi rmly entrenched in the market with

long-term contracts secured, the strategic

decision to pursue and maintain their AS

9100 registration has the family business

coming off their best year on record in

2011, eclipsing $2 million dollars in sales

for the fi rst time. However, the record

numbers don’t allow the company to

rest on their laurels. They plan to stay

aggressive and increase sales 4 to 6% this

year. “The registration gives us an added

level of confi dence when going after new

customers. It’s a feather in our cap, a

level of credibility that puts everyone on a

level playing fi eld,” Mark says. “It opened

up a big world for us. In the aerospace

and defense markets, it’s all about your

accreditations; customers want to see your

registrations before reviewing a quote

“The registration gives us an added level of confi dence when going after new customers. It’s a feather in our cap, a level of credibility that puts everyone on a level playing fi eld.”

“It opened up a big world for us. In the aerospace and defense markets, it’s all about your accreditations; customers want to see your registrations before reviewing a quote package.”

Mark Rydzy

As a fi nisher who was experienced at

offering class 1A fi nishes , complex

coating systems and multi-color fi nishing

to a variety of substrates varying from the

tops of screws to 2-ton I-beams, Pauway

had the capability and available capacity

to enter these new markets. However,

the fi rst step on this growth path wasn’t

purchasing additional equipment or hiring

new talent, it was securing the requisite

credentials. The ammunition needed

to compete in the aerospace market

for Pauway was obtaining AS 9100

registration.

Opening the Door with Quality

Similar to the automotive standard of TS

16949, and the medical device standard

of ISO 13485, the aerospace standard of

AS 9100 is built off the well-known ISO

9001:2000 quality management system

standard and incorporates sector specifi c

supplier requirements.

“Our initial quality management system

only contained the ISO 9001 registration

and that wasn’t enough,” Mark says.

“The AS 9100 registration is similar to a

college degree in today’s terms. You won’t

even get to that proverbial fi rst interview

without it. There are some businesses that

won’t even look at you unless you have

AS 9100 as a minimum requirement.”

In 2010, Pauway was one of the fi rst

organizations to be registered to the

‘C’ revision of the AS 9100 standard.

Companies registered to the AS 9100

standard, must be registered to the

new ‘C’ revision by the end of June

2012 or risk losing their registration and

subsequently, the business attached to it.

As a requirement of the risk management

aspect of the AS 9100 ‘C’ revision,

companies were required to develop a

training matrix to illustrate gaps in their

skill deployment. “Not only did it help us

allocate internal resources properly, but

it showed us where some cross training

was needed,” says Mark. “As we began

to cross train our staff, a formal sign-off


package. Next on the docket may be our

NADCAP registration which will open the

door for more defense contracts.”

The processes and culture are in place

for Pauway to attain their NADCAP

registration, or any other sector specifi c

required registration for that matter. This

latest initiative, moving from AS 9100B

to the AS 9100C registration not only

resulted in $100,000 in increased sales,

$250,000 in retained sales, the expected

addition of 6 new employees and an

additional $50,000 investment in new

plant equipment, but it paved the way for

the company to be proactive instead of

reactive when making their next strategic

plan.

Adjusting for the Future

Installing a quality management system

and maintaining registration isn’t a

do it and your done type of process.

It takes effort, precise documentation

and a commitment to the workfl ow

and processes to ensure the end result

of customer-specifi ed quality goods,

continuously delivered on time. “When

the CONNSTEP team came in to help

us prepare for the registration, they

understood the whole picture. They

understood what the end result of this

system was supposed to be. It was

going to help our effi ciency, minimize risk,

and help with employee safety, now and

in the future,” says Wayne.

“At the end of the day, we are a niche

company that tries to keep evolving. We

continue to expand for the future of the

company,” explains Mark when describing

the 40,000 sq. ft building his family owns

that houses Pauway Corporation. “We

recently expanded to accommodate larger

parts on the top fl oor of the facility. We

developed a new area that houses a new

overhead bridge crane that can handle up

to two tons. The area also has a large-part

paint booth that can accommodate parts

up to 16 feet long. If we can get an item

in the building safely, we’ll fi nish it.”

The physical building owned by the

Rydzys may have evolved with additional

equipment or new cell designs since 1979,

but the way potential customers search

for and analyze the fi nishing service at

this central-Connecticut location has

gone through a complete overhaul since

Pauway’s inception. Print media, sales

calls, and expensive direct marketing

initiatives have, in some ways, become

obsolete. “When my father was in

charge, we were heavy into ThomasNet

regional books. A big chunk of our small

marketing budget was dedicated to print

media and those types of publications,

that I’m now trying to eliminate,” Mark

says. “A lot of companies of our size and

makeup don’t have a valuable internet

presence so we have tried to explore that

to the best of our ability. We continue to

work on our web presence with outside

help on the redesign of our website and

improved search engine optimization.

We feel these adjustments will give us

the best bang for our buck and enhance

our internet marketing focus. The quality

registration, in particular, has opened

up business for us across the country by

drawing people to our website. The old

saying of ‘go where your customers are’

is still kind of true today. We need to be

active marketers where our customers are

searching for companies like ours.”

Stepping Up

With 23 employees and counting,

Pauway continues to leverage available

resources to continue the evolution and

growth of their business. In addition to

their quality management system, new

market penetration and an upgraded

web presence, Pauway has joined the

Small Manufacturer STEP Program which

helps promote job growth and worker

opportunity for Connecticut’s small

businesses and unemployed workers.

Through this program provided by the

Department of Labor, Pauway will be

subsidized over the course of six months

for hiring and training a previously

unemployed worker. The grant requires

the company to have less than 50 full-

time employees, be based in the state

of Connecticut, have the ability to train

the new employee on-site, and been

registered to conduct business in the

state for no less than 12 months.

“We run our business like a family

business. It’s named after us. Pauway is

a combination of my name (‘way’ from

Wayne) and my wife, and Pauway CFO,

Paulette’s name. Since the company’s

start, we have tried to treat everyone

here as family and Mark intends to keep

it that way,” Wayne explains. “We have

a very low turnover rate as most of our

employees have been here for fi ve plus

years with many being part of our team

for more than 10. The fi rst employee I

ever hired, Bill Uva, is still here. I hired

Bill, who is now our Foreman and Quality

Manager, over 30 years ago and he still

remains an integral part of business.”

Not just used to describe their registration

to the AS 9100 standard and the

fi nished goods they produce, the term

‘Quality’ also describes the owners and

the company-wide family the Rydzy’s

have cultivated at Pauway over the

past 30-plus years. With the steps this

small Wallingford-based manufacturer

has taken to maintain and grow their

business, a new hire should be prepared

to be a member of the Rydzy family for

the long haul.

connstep.org 21

by Susie Zimmermann

Quality as a

Growth

Strateg22 advantage Vol. 2, No. 1

“For us, it’s simple,” says Robert Evans, president of Vitek Research

Corporation. “We wouldn’t be in business without it.”

What is it? Evans credits quality certifi cation for maintaining clients and

adding some key new accounts for his company. “For his Naugatuck-based

coatings business, which primarily works in the medical industry, certifi cation

had become a requirement. Seven years ago they became accredited, and

continue today to maintain certifi cation. “It defi nitely requires a commitment

of resources, but we wouldn’t be in business without it.” Not only has it kept

Evans in business—in just the last few years, Vitek’s business has jumped by

65%.

More than meeting requirements though, Evan’s attributes the quality

process for increasing his management processes. “Quality has helped us

address problems effi ciently when they arise, and identify issues that we can

address before they become problematic.”

The Evolution of Quality

Quality certifi cation has come a long way. When it was fi rst introduced

decades ago, the focus was on quality control in product inspection and

paper documentation of manufacturing processes. “ISO got a bad rap,” says

Norm Schaefer, manager of business services for CONNSTEP. “It didn’t affect

value or any continuous improvement.”

gy

Today’s quality programs take a holistic approach, and help companies not only meet the requirements of their current clients but provide opportunities to enter new markets.

connstep.org 23

But it has evolved dramatically since

then. Elaine Rampone of RAMP

Enterprises agrees. “ISO moved from

basic QC to quality assurance, to

examine how to handle customer

requirements and instill quality

within both your manufacturing and

business management practices.

Today, quality assurance compliance is

assumed. Now we make sure that your

practices are solid and that you have

the measurement tools to truly track

performance and effectiveness.”

Tim Butler of Benchmark Registrar

Representatives explains that the

system now looks at such factors

as continuous improvement, on-

time delivery, effi cient systems and

mandates business practices to

increase productivity and output.

“Each time the standard is revised it

addresses the best business practices,

and has increasingly looked at business

management systems beyond the plant

fl oor.”

Examining the Value

Today’s quality program takes a holistic

approach, and is helping companies

not only meet the requirements of their

current clients but also move into new

industries. Schaefer recalls working

recently with a small family-owned

business that sold electrical connectors

to the telecommunications business.

As wireless systems became the norm,

the company needed to reconsider its

business model. CONNSTEP helped

the fi rm achieve ISO certifi cation, and

with that the business was able to

move into the auto industry, selling

electrical connectors for box trucks and

diesels. The company has grown from

130 to 230 employees in response

to increased demand. “Without the

quality system, they never would’ve

been able to even talk with those new

customers,” recalls Schaefer.

Paul Parent, continual improvement

coordinator and ISO management

representative at Sterling Sintered

Technologies in Winsted is also an

advocate of the benefi ts of quality

certifi cation. His company uses ISO

9001 as a platform to lead continuous

improvement. “As customer needs change

and their demands increase, ISO helps

us to keep up. It identifi es weaknesses,

insists on customer feedback, and enables

us to move in the same direction as our

customers. With ISO, we’ve managed to

avoid most customer surprises and keep

up with their needs.”

Out of Connecticut’s approximate 5,000

small and mid-sized manufacturing

enterprises, approximately half have

achieved accreditation in at least one

quality standard. CONNSTEP worked

with 63 companies in FY11 on 78 quality

projects. Measuring the ROI for those

companies who focused exclusively on

quality—noting that the impacts can be

even higher when additional improvement

projects are implemented—the impacts

are impressive: $5.15 million in increased

sales, 42 jobs created and 256 jobs

retained, and $21.5 million in retained

sales.

The Process

Companies beginning a quality

program should expect 6-12 months in

implementation work, which includes

some or all of the following: gap

assessments, management reviews,

internal audits, reports and technical

writing, employee training, and

management coaching. This stage also

includes allowing time to gather the data

The Myths about Quality

Given the benefi ts, what is holding

the others back? Some of the most

common misconceptions about quality

systems are:

Quality is a heavy procedural burden.

Rampone simply says, “not true - there are

only six required procedures for ISO 9001

compliance.”

Quality only asks that you do what you

say and say what you do. Today’s quality

registration includes documentation, but

is more focused on helping companies

to do things well - eff ectively, effi ciently,

on-time and by managing costs.

You have to hire someone to keep it

going. While some companies do have

designated employees, like Parent, who

manage their quality program, it’s not

essential. “If you teach all employees the

requirements for quality in their process

and have everyone involved, extra staff

are not needed, “ says Rampone.

It’s costly. A quality program certainly

requires an investment of resources,

yet it need not be out-of-reach, “If

everyone embraces their part and if

senior management is on board, you

can keep costs in check, and the return

will far exceed the investment,” explains

Rampone.


AS 9100C for the aerospace industry, TS

16949 is the automotive standard, ISO

14001 covers environmental management

standards, OHSAS 18001 covers

occupational health and safety standards,

TL 9000 is for the telecommunications

industry, ISO 1345 is specifi c to the

medical industry and ISO 27001 and

22001 address information technology

and food safety, respectively, to name a

few.

The philosophies of each are similar, while

the details and focus areas will differ. For

example, AS 9100 C includes attention

to legal, regulatory, traceability and risk

management, while medical standards

focus on tighter manufacturing process

controls, FDA regulations, composition

and consistency, traceability, and

sterilization. “Some companies become

registered to multiple standards,” says

Rampone. And while this requires

a quality management system that

allows the company to fl ex effi ciently,

“companies can become players in more

than one industry,” opening up new

markets.

Future of Quality

The changing needs of OEMs and their

supply chains will drive the continued

evolution of the standards. Rampone

predicts that future iterations will

address the more detail in the supply

chain, the procurement of raw materials

and electronics to ensure against

counterfeit materials, and more quality

in engineering. Risk management, more

tightly defi ned product characteristics and

cost-effi ciency will also continue to gain in

importance.

For certifi ed companies, the process has

been well worth the investment. Especially

for small companies without the internal

governance that large companies receive

from management or headquarters,

quality systems provide the framework

for continuous improvement and ever-

increasing growth in effi ciency and

effectiveness, benefi tting the customer,

a company’s internal operations and the

bottom line. And while some may have

doubted the effi cacy of quality initially,

Sterling Sintered’s Parent says, “Even the

naysayers have now become converts.”

needed to document that systems are

being followed and corrective action is

taken as needed, and to measure the

outputs and impacts of those measures.

Next, the company must bring in

a certifi ed registrar to review the

implementation and interview employees

to ensure that the minimum standards

have been met. Certifi cation has two

initial stages: 1) document review

of manual and procedures, and 2)

assessment audits, which include a start-

to-fi nish review of the production process,

from the front offi ce to the shipping

dock, to ensure all steps follow the

documented requirements. These steps

typically take six to eight weeks. After

that initial certifi cation, the company must

maintain certifi cation for 6 months or 12

months (depending on the standard) to

become accredited and then have annual

maintenance audits.

A Logical Array of Standards

ISO 9001 for overall quality accreditation

may perhaps be the most well known

of the quality certifi cations, but many

industry-specifi c or topical certifi cations

are also growing in use and importance.

“As customer needs change and their demands increase, ISO helps us to keep up. It identifi es weaknesses, insists on customer feedback, and enables us to move in the same direction as our customers. With ISO, we’ve managed to avoid most customer surprises and keep up with their needs.”

Paul Parent

connstep.org 25

>> for more examples of companies leveraging Quality Management Systems for growth and business sustainability, visit www.connstep.org.

A Higher Ca

by Michael Perrelli


The pride associated with receiving an award or

honor is a feeling that isn’t easily forgotten. At AeroCision,

an aerospace engine parts manufacturer in Chester, the

glow is still easily recognizable from the certifi cate of export

achievement the Department of Commerce bestowed upon

them in early 2012.

Coming off a year in which they doubled profi ts, aided by a

large increase in export sales, AeroCision has cemented their

relationship with their customers through a “cultural overhaul”

that began just over four years ago. The task of changing an

entire culture can’t be achieved by picking up a business book,

fl ipping through the pages, and implementing an idea. It takes

hard work and discipline to actively cultivate the culture to

the point where it becomes a tangible asset. In the case of

AeroCision, the successful transformation has led them to a

position where their future is secured with long-term contracts

in hand both domestically and abroad.

AeroCision is plotting a new course and with the latest quality registration and the development of a world class culture - they’re turning the aerospace market upside down.

alling

connstep.org 27

With a mission statement that is much

easier said than done, all of AeroCision’s

current and future success hinges on the

continuing effort the staff puts towards

supporting the company’s mission and

vision. “Our mission statement is very

simple. It is 100% on time delivery,

100% quality, and the lowest possible

unit acquisition costs for our customers,”

explains the company’s CEO, Andrew

Gibson, “I know this sounds like simple

stuff, but every person here lives by those

rules and every investment we make has

this mission in mind, that’s why we are

continually successful. We are all average

people who work together to do amazing

things. We make aerospace parts and we

take that very seriously.”

Turning Things Upside

Down

Four years ago, everyone at

AeroCision was asked to vote on

whether or not they wanted to

work for what Andrew termed

an ‘A+’ company. “Before people

answered, I told them this task

would require everyone to work

two jobs. We would all have our

regular day-to-day jobs making

parts and we would have the

additional job of doing the

requisite things needed to become an

‘A+’ company, including shrinking the

company down to only the core people

who believed in creating a positive,

customer-centric culture.”

It was only a year after this vote that

AeroCision’s transformation had taken

hold and was getting the company

noticed in a positive manner. “Being

the best is hard work. You know those

people who try out for the Olympic team?

They are up at 3 a.m., run for 3 hours,

eat and then do it all over again. It takes

dedication.” To AeroCision, being an ‘A+’

company means living and delivering on

the company’s mission statement day in

and day out.

The creation of the mission statement was

based on what every customer, regardless

of the product or service offered, expects

from every purchase they may make. “We

went to Rolls-Royce and Honeywell and

asked them to tell us about their vision

for a perfect supplier. They both said they

wanted 100% quality, 100% on-time

delivery, and a supplier that is constantly

looking to improve costs. That’s exactly

what we, as a team, decided to do,”

Andrew explains. This action of fi nding

out directly from the customer their wants

and needs has resulted in a trend of three-

plus years of near perfect quality and

delivery scores.

One of the unique traits that allows

AeroCision to continuously work towards

achieving their mission and empower

their workforce is their “upside down”

management structure. It’s not a term

you will fi nd in any business book, but it

is a concept that works for AeroCision.

“’Upside down’ means all of the

managers and support staff are here to

serve the people of the shop fl oor, not

the other way around,” Andrew says,

“We manufacture parts for a living.

The key word is manufacture. We don’t

administrate, nor do we engineer for

a living. We manufacture parts and

everyone here has an integral role in the

production of those parts. With that said,

we know that the people on the shop

fl oor are the ones who count the most. If I

go on vacation, it would be a while before

people noticed I was gone. If one of our

people in the factory is out for half a day,

we suffer. Who really has the higher value

to the customer? We know who does at

AeroCision. Supporting the factory with

resources and technology is the most

critical function and responsibility we

all have. This works hand in hand with

the AeroCision philosophy of the entire

management team being part of the pulse

of the shop fl oor at all times.”

Similar to AeroCision’s mission statement,

the theory of the “upside down”

management structure is much easier

said than done. It is easy for a

management team to say they

are there to serve the people

of the shop fl oor and then hide

in their offi ces, leaving staff to

fend for themselves, but that

just wouldn’t be the AeroCision

way. “When an employee wants

to do something, whether it is

switching positions or adjusting

the processes they execute

every day, we’ll move heaven

and earth for them to try and

accommodate their plans,”

explains Andrew, “My business

partner and I wanted to develop

a place where people can be heard,

where they can experiment, and where

it is ok if people fail. As long as they go

through the proper quality channels,

and everything is documented properly

with the appropriate sign-offs, then they

have the freedom and are encouraged

to try different things in an effort to

continuously improve our processes and

systems.”

The offi ce layout within the 25,000 square

foot facility centers on building open lines

of communication and generating points

of interaction among the 64 employees.

None of the employees, including the

CEO, have their own offi ce where they

can easily detach from the rest of the


maintaining or growing their position

within that industry. For AeroCision,

a heightened focus was placed on

their quality management system and

upgrading their AS 9100 registration by

the end of 2011.

All companies currently registered to the

AS 9100 standard are required to comply

with the latest ‘C’ revision by June 30,

2012. Companies who fail to upgrade

will lose their registration and any business

attached to it. “Not having the latest

registration was not an option for us,”

says Christina. “We, as a company, always

push for what we know is the best option

even if it is the harder option.”

As a new addition to the company last

summer, Christina arrived at AeroCision,

from a Quality Division of UTC, and was

tasked with upgrading the AS 9100B

registration to

the new ‘C’

revision. “We

were scheduled

for our ‘C’

revision audit

at the end of

the summer so

we only had a

couple of weeks

to prepare.

CONNSTEP was

recommended

to us as a

resource that

could help ensure that we had all of

correct modifi cations and updates in place

for the upgrade,” Christina explains,

“Most companies faced with a task of

this size would have opted to recertify to

rev B and reschedule the upgrade, but

not AeroCision. We pulled in everything

we needed to make it happen and that

included the additional resources from

CONNSTEP.”

The company’s efforts to maintain their

position within the industry and foster

strong relationships with customers and

suppliers are recognized, “Being up to

date with our registration well in advance

of the requirement deadline shows our

customers that we’re dedicated to putting

the initiative in ahead of time to do what

we know is right.” says Christina. With a

project completion netting zero non-

conformances and with a certifi cate and

banner proudly displaying the success of

their new upgrade, the company is set to

add an additional fi ve employees to the

64 they have retained as a result of their

growth due in large part to AeroCision’s

unique company culture. The company

also expects to increase sales by almost

20% over the next year due to initiatives

like early completion of the AS 9100

revision upgrade, their recently obtained

NADCAP Wire EDM certifi cation, and

their current investments in technological

upgrades.

Open door policies, shared workspaces,

team collaborations, a hands on

management team approach, and an

upside down management structure may

not be ideal for all organizations, but it

works for AeroCision and sets it apart

from other companies in the industry.

Since the transformation began over four

years ago, upside down has led to a right

side up sales trajectory that is expected to

yield positive gains in 2012 and beyond.

staff. Offi ces have been enlarged to house

multiple employees in a team approached

work environment. “We all work together

on parts so it’s not just engineering,

production, or quality on their own. We

work together as a whole and talk to each

other about problems in a very cross-

functional fashion,” explains AeroCision’s

Quality Improvement Director, Christina

Lazarin, “An employee on the fl oor has

no problem going right to the engineering

manager with a concern or an idea. We

are proud that this is a unique place in

that we don’t have such a strict chain of

command that people feel like they can’t

make a difference.”

Business Secured

For an organization that exclusively

produces products for one industry, every

effort is strategically directed towards

“Not having the latest registration was not an

option for us. We, as a company, always push for

what we know is the best option even if it is the

harder option.”Christina Lazarin

connstep.org 29


Building a Quality Community

Jim GildeaR.C. Bigelow

Here at Bigelow Tea we believe it is our responsibility to build a quality community and we’re committed to the region in which we live and work. The Bigelow family has set a high standard for us to follow; the family’s history of commitment to philanthropy is not only inspirational, it creates an expectation for each of the employees.

Our community service goes beyond monetary donations. While fi nancial support is crucial to all non-profi t organizations, we at Bigelow strive to go further, forming true partnerships with our community leaders.

There are numerous initiatives undertaken each year at Bigelow - whether it’s the Bigelow Road Race, held on the last Sunday of September each year that supports so many great organizations, or our annual involvement with the Town of Fairfi eld where our employees work to maintain and make improvements to the Sandcastle Playground, located near our facility. In addition, we send tea to our troops overseas, collect diapers for new parents, participate in local school read-aloud days, and donate tea and food to local shelters and food pantries.

We’re also working to forge partnerships with our community leaders. We extend invitations to local organizations offering opportunities to visit our facility and spend time with our staff at our employee meetings, so that they may meet all three shifts. We feel it’s a perfect setting for their leadership to showcase the organization and the services they provide the community, and discuss the volunteer opportunities available. It raises awareness on both sides - our employees learn about the services available and the non-profi t gets an opportunity to recruit new helping hands. We see this as a unique win-win situation for both the participating non-profi t organizations and Bigelow Tea.

While this is a fairly new initiative, based on the interactions and feedback, it has been well-received. We’ve hosted the United Way and their Wi-mentor Program, the Bridgeport Rescue Mission and the Wakeman Boys & Girls Club. They are all successful organizations whose goal it is to serve others, improving lives.

We believe in building a quality community and it’s our hope that by becoming involved with the communities in which we live and work, and through learning about the great organizations which support these same communities, we carry on the Bigelow family’s strong tradition of public service.

Please share the ways in which your company builds your local community - we’re always looking for new ways! I can be reached at [email protected].

Jim Gildea has been with Bigelow Tea since 1996.

He began as the Facility Supervisor responsible for

the maintenance and upkeep of the Fairfi eld Plant

and Corporate facility. In 2001, he was promoted to

Maintenance Manager in which he managed the facility

and production maintenance departments. He held this

position until 2006 when he was promoted to the position

of Plant Manager of the Fairfi eld Plant where he currently

manages the Fairfi eld Manufacturing facility including the

Direct Marketing operations.

Jim is involved locally in his town where he has previously

served as Chairman of the Board of Education for 14 years.

He currently serves on his town’s Water Pollution Control

Authority. Jim represents Class 22 on the Leadership for

Greater Bridgeport Board of Directors. As a participant of

the Leadership for Bridgeport Class 22, his project team

received the Bridgeport Rescue Mission’s Compassion in

Action Award at their fall 2011 Restore Hope Reception

for work done on updating and renovating a sunroom /

meditation room at their Women’s Center. Jim was also

recently nominated as a Bank of America Local Community

Hero by the Bridgeport Rescue Mission.

connstep.org 31

You’ll Be in Good Company

Since 1998, CONNSTEP has assisted 288 Connecticut companies in their quest to obtain a quality standard. When you work with CONNSTEP to gain a quality certifi cation, you’ll belong to an elite group of companies that are operationally agile, customer-focused and better able to face the competitive challenges of today - and tomorrow.

ISO 9001A. O. ShermanAbbott BallAeroswissAerotech FastenersAirex Rubber Products CorporationALTA Precision, Inc.Alto Ambel Precision ManufacturingAmerican Molded Products AmtechAnco Tool & ManufacturingApplied Rubber & Plastics, Inc.Argo Transdata CorporationArthur G. Russell CompanyAtlas Hobbing & ToolB & A Company, Inc.Barlow Metal StampingBauer Howden, Inc.Ben Hughes Communication ProductsBurke Precision Machine CompanyCarbon Products, Inc.Carwild CorporationClassic Coil Cogent PowerColt’s Manufacturing CompanyComponent Engineers, Inc.Connecticut PlasticsControl ModuleCorru-SealsCT Fiberoptics, Inc. Davensharpe Screw ProductsDavis StandardDean Machine ProductsDemsey Manufacturing Detotec North America, Inc.Dexil CorporationDonham CraftDow Cover CompanyDynaSys International EFC/WescoEastern ConnectorEastern Metals TreatingEckert & Finard Economy SpringsElectric Motion CorporationE-Lite Technologies, Inc.Eppendorf ManufacturingEyelet Tech, LLCFarmington Engineering, Inc.Fiberoptics Technology, Inc.Floyd ManufacturingFlyte Tool & Die CompanyFoster CorporationFrank Roth CompanyGAR ElectroformingGiering Metal Finishing, Inc.Goodway TechnologiesGreenwald IndustriesGriswold Rubber CompanyThe Guest CompanyHanson & WhitneyHartford TechnologiesHigh Precision of Stratford Horvath Molded ProductsICDI IMSISPGIndeco North AmericaIndestructible Paints, Inc.Innovative ComponentsInterproInterspiroIntersurface DynamicsISOPure Fluid TechnologiesJ & J PrecisionJ K B Tool Company

James L. Howard CompanyJamestown MarineKMPK-TecKendro Laboratory ProductsLabel Systems Laticrete InternationalThe Lee CompanyLex Products CorporationLight Metals ColoringLoos and CompanyLyons Tool & Die Company Macton CorporationMadison CompanyMetal Finishing TechnologiesMicrophase CorporationThe Miller Company Mirror PolishingMirror Polishing & PlatingMott CorporationNational ConveyorNaugatuck Glass NEOPERL, Inc.NerjanNewmark IndustriesNexus, Inc.Northeast Carbide Northeast Quality ServiceNortheast Shaped WireNorwalk Powdered MetalsOEM Controls OSDA, Inc.PCI Medical, Inc.PDQ, Inc.Pall ex CompanyPalmero Healthcare Peabody EngineeringPeck Spring CompanyPenmar IndustriesPetron Automation Pharmco ProductsPIC Design, LLCPlainville Special ToolPlastonicsPrestige Industrial FinishingPreycoPutnam Plastics CorporationQNPQ-TranQuality EngineeringQualtron, Inc.RAM SpecialtyRSL Fiber Systems, LLCRTR TechnologiesReliable Tool & DieRel-Tech ElectronicsRisdonRotair IndustriesScan Tool and Mold, Inc.Schneider Electric MotionSeconn FabricationSiri WireSpring eld SpringSouthington SpringSouthington Tool & ManufacturingStanley Works Access TechnologyStebco Printers CompanySterling SinteredStevens CompanyStraton IndustriesSuperior ElectricSwift Textile Metalizing, LLCSYNTEX Rubber CorporationTEK IndustriesThomas G. FariaTLD-ACETornik, Inc.

TorqMaster InternationalTranstech Airport SolutionsTri-Mar Manufacturing CompanyTri-Town Precision PlasticsTurboCare - Gas TurbineUnited Wire VBrick Systems Vision Technical MoldingVitta CorporationVitekWeb IndustriesWind Corporation Windham Machine CompanyWurth EasternWyre Wynd

AS9100AGC, Inc.AMKO, LLCA. O. ShermanAdvantage Sheet MetalAeroCisionAerospace Alloys, Inc.Airex Rubber Products CorporationAlloy SpecialtiesAmbel Precision ManufacturingAtlas Stamping & ManufacturingAtlantic Inertial SystemsB&A CompanyBNB Manufacturing Company, Inc.BST Systems, Inc.Corru-SealsCursor, LLCCV Tool CompanyDelta RayDi-El Tool & Manufacturing CompanyEmpire ManufacturingFMI Chemical, Inc.Frank Roth CompanyGK Mechanical SystemsGar Kenyon TechnologiesHabco IncorporatedHaydon Kerk Motion Solutions, Inc.Hawk Integrity PlasticsICDIIntegral IndustriesJ.T. Tool CompanyJ & L Machine CompanyJoining TechnologiesJonal LaboratoriesThe Lee CompanyLoos & CompanyMicroboard ProcessingMicrophase CorporationMoore ToolNerjan Northeast Fasteners CorporationOmega CorporationPauway CorporationPhoenix ManufacturingPrecision SensorsPrecision Threaded ProductsPrestige Industrial FinishingProjects, Inc.QNP Quality Engineering ServicesQuality NameplateRadial Bearing CorporationRamar-Hall, Inc.Reno Machine CompanyRotair IndustriesSaar CorporationSpectrum AssociatesSoldream, Inc.The Sousa Company

Stevens ManufacturingStraton IndustriesT&J ManufacturingTachwa EnterprisesTimken CompanyTri-Mar Manufacturing CompanyUnited AvionicsValley Tool & Manufacturing, Inc.Vitta CorporationWestminster ToolYardney Technical Products, Inc.

AS9120AnixterEckert & FinardFaxon Engineering Company, Inc.Simtech, Inc.

ISO 13485Century Spring Manufacturing CompanyComponent Engineers, Inc.Delta RayDiSanto Technology, Inc.Microboard ProcessingPromold PlasticsSandvik Medical SolutionsScott TechnologiesTarry Medical Products

ISO 14001Algonquin Industries, Inc.Dell Manufacturing Companyebm-pabst, Inc.MetallonSchneider Electric MotionSuperwinchWhitcraftWind Corporation

ISO 17025CT Calibration LabsGlastonbury Gage CompanyIndustronics Service Company, Inc.

TS 16949Abbott BallBuswell Manufacturing Company Engineering SpecialtiesFloyd Manufacturing CompanyHartford TechnologiesImperial SpringITW Nutmeg KVT Koenig, LLCMetallonPrime Screw Machine ProductsSouthington ToolStewart EFISummit Corporation of AmericaTele ex Fluid Systems

NADCAP AeroTek Welding Company, Inc.Chem-Tron AnodizingLight Metals Coloring,Whyco Finishing Technologies

Tel 860.529.5120Fax 860.529.5001www.connstep.org

CONNSTEP, Inc.1090 Elm Street, Suite 202

Rocky Hill, CT 06067

For the small to medium size business that wants to remain competitive and grow in local and global markets, CONNSTEP provides technical and business solutions proven to have both immediate and sustainable long-term impact.

Unlike other professional consultants that focus only on a single component of your business, CONNSTEP’s multidisciplinary team uses a deliberate holistic approach, providing innovative results-driven top line growth solutions that impact the entire organization.

Since 1994, nine out of ten CONNSTEP clients have reported increased profi tability. In 2011 alone, data provided by an independent survey credited CONNSTEP with impacts of more than $160 million dollars, including new and retained sales, and the creation and retention of nearly 1,600 jobs. Our experience and network of local, state and federal resources, make us not only unique but unequaled in our fi eld and in our state.

NONPROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE PAIDHARTFORD, CTPERMIT NO. 518

connstep advantage vol 2 issue 1

Documents

new markets

quality craftsmanship

unlimited growth opportunities

line growth

growth strategies

competitive companies

bob luther

manufacturing qualityquality