connstep advantage, vol 2, issue 2
DESCRIPTION
The CONNSTEP advantage ispublished by 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 profitability. 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 field and in our state.TRANSCRIPT
Also
16 What I’ve LearnedChris DiPentima, Pegasus Manufacturing
18 All in the FamilyEmbracing continuous improvement and implementing Lean throughout the enterprise, Modern Woodcrafts is making plans for a third generation.
26 Waste WatchersArmed with new tools and a new approach to defi ning waste, Putnam Precision Molding has not only reduced their energy use, but has developed a team of waste detectives. w
ww
.con
nste
p.or
g
Vol 2, Issue 2VoVoVoVoVoVVVoVoVoVoVVVoVVoVoVoVoVoVVVoVoVVoVVVoVoVVoVoVoVoVoVoVoVoVVVoVoVoVoVoVoooVooVoVoooooVooooooooVoVVoooVVVVoVVoVoVVoVVoVoooVVVoVooVVooV llllllllllllllllll lllll l 2,2,2,22,22,22,2,2,22,2,2,2,222,2,2,2,22,2,2,2222,22,2,22222,2,,2,22,22,,, IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssueueueueueueueueueueueueuueueueuuuuuuuuuueuuuuuuuueuuuuuuuuuu 2222222222222
advantage
A Woman’s Place...... is in a factory.
These women embrace their feminine advantage and are outspoken advocates
for the next generation of female leaders.
Manufacturers 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
effi 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.
Operational Excellence
Business Growth
1.800.266.6672 | www.connstep.org
>>> CONTENTS
connstep.org 3
advantageVol. 2, Issue 2
4WOMANufacturingOur critical challenge is on-going - how do we attract young people to pursue manufacturing careers? How do we capture their interest and prove that manufacturing is a fi eld in which they can earn a respectable wage, have a sense of pride in what they do, and showcase the clean, pleasant manufacturing environments?
14 16
18 22
14On Your Mark, Get
Ready, Get Set...
CHANGE!Why is it just so darn hard to change?
4
6
30
6The Buzz Newsworthy trends, topics, statistics and an
opportunity to ask the experts.
30Balancing ActThere are few easy fi xes, certainly no
correct answers, and no point at which
we’ll offi cially cross some threshold to being
“sustainable”.
18All in the FamilyEmbracing continuous improvement and
implementing Lean throughout the enterprise,
Modern Woodcrafts is making plans for a third
generation.
16What I’ve Learned...Chris DiPentima talks candidly on why we need to
start educating kids as young as middle school on
the good career opportunities in manufacturing,
how manufacturing and law are similar and how
Lean is a growth strategy at Pegasus.
22A Woman’s PlaceThese manufacturers view being a woman as an
asset, not a barrier, to being a successful leader in
the male dominated industry.
27Waste WatchersArmed with new tools and a new approach to
defi ning waste, Putnam Precision Molding has not
only reduced their energy use, but has developed
a team of waste detectives.
WOMANufacturingI think we can all agree, that in 2012, there are still many obstacles facing U.S. manufacturing. Some, the same contributing factors that led to its decline over the past decades, still remain; and some of these hurdles - outside of the obvious global competition - include barriers to entry, new product development, taxes and regulation, and as equally important, the lack of an available skilled workforce.
Our critical challenge is on-going - how do we attract young people to pursue manufacturing careers? How do we capture their interest and prove that manufacturing is a fi eld in which they can earn a respectable wage, have a sense of pride in what they do, and showcase the clean, pleasant manufacturing environments?
It’s been apparent for many years now, on both national and local levels, that there is a need to develop a STEM educated workforce. Despite this, formulating a strategy on how to draw students into STEM education, particularly the manufacturing specifi c programs of technology and engineering, is the biggest challenge. And add to this the even greater task of how to make STEM programs an appealing option for women. Men continue to outnumber women participating in these programs and less than 7% of mechanical engineering degrees are earned by women.
Over the last 65 years, we’ve changed our perception of what a woman’s role is in the workforce, however, the acceptance of women in manufacturing - in the engineering and technology skills base - has moved at a pace less than desired. It’s understandable when you consider the experiences of “Rosie the Riveter,” the cultural icon built on behalf of American women working in manufacturing during WWII.
During our breakfast at the New Britain Industrial Museum for the “Women in Manufacturing” feature, I learned that Kris Lorch’s mother was a Rosie - a contributor to the war effort. But our discussion did not focus on the fact that her mother received inequitable pay for performing the same job as man... that was a given. We discussed how that, when the war was over, these women returned to their original roles as “housewives” or, in rare occasions, were moved into lower-paying clerical positions. This left me thinking about the deep-seated beliefs, begun at the end of the war, that manufacturing was not appropriate work for women when they were “no longer a necessity.”
So, it is on us to move forward, learn from the sins of the past, and actively encourage our students, with a stronger focus on girls and young women, to pursue STEM education. I am absolutely convinced that through the support of parents, teachers, guidance counselors and mentors, that we can improve the number of women earning degrees in engineering and technology related fi elds.
When you read about the young women from Mercy High School who participated in the FIRST program this past spring, you’ll hear fi rst-hand how important it is to stop the heresy that “girls aren’t good at science.” TechTigers team member Vicky Scott fi nds that whole notion
“ridiculous.”
Thanks to all those who tirelessly contribute to the FIRST competition. A strong program, it represents just one solution to the problem of inviting our youth into the manufacturing workforce through maximizing creativity, innovation and competitiveness.
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. 2
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 WritersPam Butterfi eld, Business Success Tools, LLC
Bill Caplan, CONNSTEP
Ken Cook, Peer to Peer Advisors
Caren R. Dickman, CRD & Associates
Pat Hayden, UniMetal Surface Finishing, LLC
Mark Paggioli, CONNSTEP
Michael Perrelli, CONNSTEP
Susie Zimmermann, Channel Z Marketing
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 three 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
Pam W. Butterfi eld is the principal of Business Success Tools LLC, working
with business owners, CEOs and organizational leaders to identify and eliminate barriers that impede business growth and performance.
Prior to founding her company, Pam was a senior principal in an international consulting fi rm. She was responsible for analyzing emerging trends in the fi nancial and technology sectors and developed profi table training and consulting operations to take strategic advantage of changes in these sectors. She assembled high functioning teams to develop innovative products and services and deliver them to market.
1
1
Ken Cook is the Founder and Managing Director of Peer to Peer Advisors.
His background includes over twenty years consulting with high growth and middle market companies, focusing on marketing, sales and growth strategies. Ken’s consulting includes fi ve years as a Senior Contract Consultant for Inc. Magazine.
He’s written three books, his latest being The Wisdom of Our Peers. His fourth book, The Wisdom of Relationships, is due out this fall. Ken also writes monthly columns for The Hartford Business Journal and The Worcester Business Journal, and has written columns for The Boston Business Journal and The American Marketing Association.
Bill Caplan provides consulting services to a variety of organizations
with a concentration in Lean Business Processes. He facilitates the design, development and implementation of Lean methodologies on an enterprise-wide basis. Bill is also a program leader for Continuous Improvement Champion Certifi cation.
Bill has more than 25 years of management experience with a focus on the applications of Lean Thinking principles. Past projects include providing facilitation and leadership for the successful implementation of point solution improvement projects as well as the development and implementation of improvements at the value stream and enterprise levels.
Caren R. Dickman has over twenty-fi ve years experience in marketing,
business and grant development, for trade associations, higher education institutions and nonprofi t organizations.
Currently the Communications and Grant Development Specialist at HRA, Inc., she was previously the Director of Marketing and Membership at EANE where she spearheaded the Strategic Marketing team project to re-brand the association, create a new logo, and standardize all communications. While at EANE and at CBIA she worked closely with numerous manufacturing companies throughout Connecticut on a variety of projects.
Patrick Hayden is the Senior Vice President of UniMetal Surface Finishing,
LLC, one of the largest commercial metal fi nishers in the Northeast.
Prior to UniMetal, Pat was the Vice President of Operations for Donham Craft and has sat on a number of local and state boards including the Smaller Manufacturers Association of Connecticut (SMA), Manufacturing Alliance of Connecticut (MAC), Connecticut Association of Metal Finishers (CAMF), and a board appointed seat on the National Association of Metal Finishers (NAMF).
Mark Paggioli works with CONNSTEP clients to build top line growth, focusing
on innovation, enhancing existing revenue streams, and resolving existing problems to remove barriers on the path to growth.
Joining CONNSTEP in the spring of 2012, Mark brings over ten years of experience and a wealth of knowledge with him, including strategic development, new product development, and plans and demand generation through both online and offl ine media.
Michael Perrelli is the Marketing Specialist at CONNSTEP where he is
responsible for developing the content, markets and promotions for CONNSTEP training, networking and outreach programs. Additionally, Michael works 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.
4
42 3
7
7 865
32
6 85
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 September 17th and
runs to December 3rd. Visit http://bit.ly/leanleader for complete program
information.
>>> calendar
Continuous Improvement Champion Certifi cation
The gist: CICC is a ten-session course providing intensive exposure to the
principles and practices needed to develop and sustain the Lean Enterprise.
Approach: You will receive immediate reinforcement of the classroom
learning by applying your training to a real-life project within your
organization. Together with on-site mentoring and knowledge assessments,
this approach dramatically reduces the time frame from training to bottom-
line results.
Who attends? Those tasked with implementing and sustaining a culture of
continuous improvement within their organizations.
The next CICC program begins October 2nd and runs to January 8th. Visit
http://bit.ly/CICCprogram for complete program information.
Connecticut Manufacturing Coalition RoundtablesOctober through May
The gist: The roundtables off er a confi dential forum where manufacturers
share and learn about common challenges as well as best practice solutions
to achieve sustainable continuous improvement and profi table growth.
You’ll gain an invaluable network of trusted peers, business development
opportunities, best practice presentations, as well as, industry related
resources.
Who attends? Manufacturing professionals interested in benchmarking,
networking and learning from their peers.
http://bit.ly/cmcroundtables
6 advantage Vol. 2, No. 2
The term ‘Lean & Green’ has become popular recently. Does Lean address environmental and energy wastes as well?
When I walk through a manufacturing plant, I typically notice that equipment is not making needed product, there are piles of excess inventory, there is poor work fl ow, and sometimes a reworking station with someone expeditiously working to repair defective material. I also notice that the building is well lit, the HVAC is working great and I can hear the hum of idling motors in the background.
The scene I just described is what Lean practitioners call identifi ed waste or non-value added activities. The good news is that all of these wastes can be addressed by applying Lean thinking methodologies to your business or manufacturing processes. By using the tools and methodologies of Lean and a scientifi c approach to effective problem solving, you can achieve improved results for your production or capacity problems.
Lean is about becoming more customer focused, value based and resource effi cient. The expected impacts are multi-faceted. A typical focused kaizen event (a team-based, multi- day event) using Lean methodologies will yield 15-20% additional throughput with the same resources, 25% less lead time, and will also have a positive impact on inventory.
Another benefi t of applying Lean thinking is that the additional throughput has a
direct impact on the energy consumed. Applying Lean thinking methodologies will lead to energy effi ciencies through energy avoidance, it will also improve your energy usage effi ciencies, and help with energy conservation. On average, we’ve seen a 15-20% throughput increase translate into a 5% reduction in energy usage or energy avoidance. The effi cient use of business processes is equal to energy savings, making more with the same amount of energy consumed.
Because Lean thinking is a business system, with a core philosophy of excellence, product or process waste is also an area of interest. The goal here is to ensure that the process yields less material scrap on start up and less rework during run times. As a result you’ll see less material going to the re-claimers or landfi lls.
The goal of Lean is to strive for perfection by continually eliminating the wastes in your processes. Remember waste is waste regardless of its form. Wasted energy or scrap is no different than excess inventory or overproduction.
If you’re interested in increasing throughput, capacity, quality and saving energy, then it’s time to get started on your Lean journey.
You have questions, Bill Caplan, fi nds the answers. An expert in Lean and continuous improvement, Bill answers your questions using his experience and the knowledge of industry’s top thought leaders.
Bill Caplan is a Lean Consultant with CONNSTEP. For over 12 years, Bill has been providing consulting services to a variety of businesses with a concentration in Lean Business Processes.
Reach Bill at [email protected].
>> > Ask the Expertssound off
Q: Have you built environmental and energy initiatives into your organization’s strategies? What barriers do you anticipate?
A: We have had CONNSTEP at Aerodyne Alloys to
conduct the Green Collar champion training session.
During this training program, we gained valuable
information regarding some of our everyday organizational
practices and procedures and have re engineered many of
them. Although the process is ongoing, we continue to
make great strides month in and month out.
Training our staff on these green principles provided
them with the needed foundation to ensure the proper
implementation and sustainability of our Green initiatives.
- Greg Chase, President, Aerodyne Alloys LLC
A: Bigelow Tea is very much invested in building
environmental and energy efforts into our organizational
strategy. In our mission statement, the Bigelow family
affi rms their commitment to being a “good corporate
citizen” and protecting the environment. Whether it is
through the great work of our “green” teams or individual
green goals for each employee, our environmental
and energy efforts are part of our daily culture. From
the installation of 900 solar panels to the utilization of
motion sensors or other energy effi cient equipment,
this philosophy has yielded more than a benefi t to the
environment, but it has also provided an economic benefi t
as well.
As with any worthwhile venture, there are always
obstacles to work through. As the economy has seen a
downturn, incentive money seems to have been affected.
Understandably, when it comes to incentive money,
most of the efforts are directed towards electrical usage
reduction. There needs to be a similar concentration on
other areas that affect the environment, such as water
conservation and waste reduction.
- Jim Gildea, Plant Manager, R.C. Bigelow
connstep.org 7
BUZZthe >> > Business Barometer
Numerous tax incentives are available in support
of businesses and their ‘green’ investment, but
many of these savings are left on the table - 37%
of respondents in a recent survey indicated they are
unaware that these incentives exist.
Ernst & Young’s recent report, Working together:
Linking sustainability and tax to reduce the cost
of implementing sustainable initiatives, unearths
the root cause of the problem. According to the
report, the lack of integration between sustainability
programs with tax and fi nance departments has led
to the neglect of such opportunities.
Through their experience, Ernst & Young believes
that a holistic approach, with management buy-in
and communication among all relevant departments
and external resources, is best able to identify
tax incentives and other opportunities that can
increase the ROI of a sustainability strategy. The
report shows that only 16% of companies that have
a sustainability strategy said their tax or fi nance
departments are actively involved in the initiatives.
Have you included your tax or fi nance departments
(or tax professionals) in your green initiatives? If not,
ask them to help uncover the tax benefi ts that are
there for the taking. Why not take advantage of
them while they are still there?
Are you aware of the incentives below? There is a
good chance that you aren’t.
The complete report by Ernst & Young LLP can be
viewed at ey.com/climatechange.
Green-er Pockets through Green-er Practices
Local tax credits & other incentives for environmental sustainability initiatives
Other federal grants for environmental sustainability initiatives
State tax credits & other incentives for R&D or manufacturing of environmentally friendly products
State tax credits & other incentives for other environmental sustainability initiatives
State tax credits & other incentives for energy-effi cient buildings & upgrades
Federal tax incentives for research & development of environmentally friendly products (IRC Section 41)
Federal tax incentives for renewable energy
Federal tax deductions for energy-effi cient buildings (IRC Section 179D)
Utility incentives for environmental sustainability initiatives
State tax credits & other incentives for renewable energy
Federal tax incentives for manufacturing of environmentally friendly products (IRC section 48C)
0% 100%80%60%40%20%
56%
50%
47%
45%
43%
41%
33%
30%
28%
21%
16%
44%
50%
53%
55%
57%
59%
67%
70%
72%
79%
84%
Unaware Aware
8 advantage Vol. 2, No. 2
PASSWORD
DOs &
OH NO YOU
DIDN’Ts
We need passwords for everything in these technology-riddled days. The easier you make them to remember, the easier they are to get hacked. Here are 7 helpful tips on how to make secure passwords.
1. Use Different PasswordsDon’t use the same password for everything. A hack into an easy account like Facebook will almost defi nitely lead to a higher risk hack.
TIP: If you are like me and have hundreds of passwords, come up with a formula that incorporates the website name. For example, you can take the last four digits of your phone number and the website name koobecaf7724, twit7724ter, or even e1b2a3y4.
2. Avoid Personal InfoDon’t use info like pet names, birthdays, kids’ names, or your last name, that can be looked up on Facebook. Secure passwords are something only you would guess.
TIP: Use the letters of your favorite song, poem, etc. to make an acronym out of it. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” would be SPLHCB. Add some numbers to this and it would be foolproof.
3. Default PasswordsSome websites will give you a default password on your fi rst login. Change that immediately or someone can get in and lock you out!
TIP: Use your favorite TV show, the fi rst car you bought, or your favorite book as a password idea. However, if you are obviously the biggest Aerosmith fan in the world, it may be best not to use “Dream On.”
4. Longer is BetterEach letter you add makes it exponentially harder to hack. Push your words together to make it more secure and add more characters if required.
TIP: If you use Apple 7, make it Apple7Apple7. Want to make it even harder? Throw that password in reverse. ElppaElppa is much harder to fi gure out.
5. Avoid Popular WordsThe most common words used in passwords are: God, love, lust, money, private, QWERTY, secret, sex, snoopy, and password. These are words that most hackers will try and often get right on the fi rst or second attempt.
TIP: Try using symbols and letters in your passwords. Some sites require a number....My$is@th3Bank
6. Use a Password GeneratorAdvanced Password GeneratorThis app will generate a creative password for you. Select criteria (Character count, numbers, caps) and it will whip one up for you and tell you how strong it is.
7. Keep Your Passwords ProtectedKeeper Password & Data Vault
This app allows you to store all different kinds of passwords in one secure place. It’s literally a digital safe. You can set up different folders for all of your passwords. Other features include an Auto-Logout and a Self-Destruct feature if too many attempts are made to access your information.
Bonnie Sharon, better known as 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 www.CellularChloe.com.
connstep.org 9
BUZZthe
If you’re like most businesses today,
you are looking for ways to grow and
sustain your business. In fact, according
to a recent poll of small and medium size
businesses (SMB Business Perspectives:
2011 Results and 2012 Projections) the
number one challenge in 2011 was
customer/client growth. The survey went
on to say that nearly half of SMBs don’t
plan to diversify or narrow the scope of
their business, suggesting business as usual
in 2012. What’s more, 60 percent plan to
focus on customer/client growth in 2012.
Fortunately, they also mentioned a focus
on “improving” in the area of customer
growth.
The top two areas that SMBs will “invest”
in are Marketing and Sales. That’s great
news, I say this because the survey now
implies they are getting serious about
results. They know they need to improve
and by using the word invest – it means
they are expecting a return on the
investment (ROI).
Leads, and specifi cally lead generation,
is critical to business, but in order to
grow, the business must have an effective
process for lead generation. This is a
must – a true, end to end process. Why
is this so important? Because budgets are
limited and because the time frame to convert
a lead in Business to Business sales is typically
12 months or longer. And if you don’t have
a process to stay on top of the leads you
are generating, you are wasting your limited
resources and under performing.
So what are the requirements for an effective
lead generation process? For the sake of this
article, I’m going to break it down into fi ve
basic steps.
1. Identify target customers and appropriate
contacts for your offering. This can
be based on an existing best or ideal
customer profi le, a similar market with
similar needs, or new regions to name
just a few.
2. Development of your message. This
should be in the form of a value
proposition and ideally, an economic
value proposition that is clear and
compelling. It sounds easy but it is not
and to complicate matters, a value
proposition is typically different for
those with different roles within a given
organization.
3. Determine how you’ll distribute the
message. How will you reach your target?
There are variables here that need to
be considered, including your budget.
Do you already have access to contacts,
what is the best way to reach the desired
contacts and will your value proposition
translate to that marketing medium?
4. Develop or confi rm you have a means
to capture the leads and follow up on
them in a timely manner. Capturing
a lead means that you have all of the
required information to follow up with
the person that inquired as well as the
ability to determine the source of the
lead. They should go into a database or,
at the very least, excel. Ideally, you have
enough information so that your follow
up is a continuation of the dialogue that
was started through the lead generating
activity. And follow up means contacting
and qualifying every lead in a timely
manner – today that often means 48
hours or less.
5. Measure. You must measure your lead
generation efforts. You need to know
what efforts produce the best results for
your business, this includes being able
to determine what message, medium,
market and contacts are delivering results
for your time and money.
Improving Marketing and Sales results happens
with a lead generation process, which will
create growth. The most important ingredient is
a willingness to do things differently.
In order for SMBs to achieve the improvement
they desire, they must measure existing results
and continue to seek ways to better those
results. And to consider dollars spent as an
investment in marketing and sales, a business
needs to tie performance expectation to that
investment.
Lead generation is a process and should
resemble a plan-do-check-act process or other
continuous improvement effort. When that
is the approach, how can results not get better?
Lead Generation: An Investment in Your Growth
Mark Paggioli
10 advantage Vol. 2, No. 2
Daniel Kahneman is a Nobel Prize winner in Economics out of Princeton University, and he is a keen observer of the human mind and how it makes decisions. In Thinking, Fast and Slow Kahneman lays out much of a lifetime of work he and his late partner Amos Tversky undertook to understand how and why humans make the decisions they make.
This is not a business book; if you go into a Barnes & Noble store and look for it, you will fi nd it in the Biology and Chemistry section. However, this is one of the best business books I have ever read. Throughout you will fi nd insights and “a ha” moments regarding yourself, your organization, and your customers.
The global “a ha” is the understanding you gain regarding how people’s decision making process unfolds, and recognizing the myriad of infl uences that impact those decisions. My most humbling insight is how I, and everyone else, make so many wrong decisions, yet how comfortable we all are with the illusion of being right.
Kahneman begins his non-fi ction work with fi ction, specifi cally the labeling of System 1 and System 2, the two parts of the brain that Kahneman calls “useful fi ctions” because they help explain the quirks of the human mind. As explained in the Introduction, “System 1 runs automatically and System 2 is normally in a comfortable low-effort mode, in which only a fraction of its capacity is engaged.”
System 1 uses association, intuition and metaphor to produce a quick take on reality. The often used acronym for System 1 operating is WYSIATI (what you see is all there is). Nothing more; nothing less. Most times this is suffi cient.
When presented with complexity, incongruity or a need to focus System 2 engages. System 2 makes sense of the nonsensical, and helps us form our more complex beliefs and reasoned choices.
There are two sections of the book – Heuristics and Biases, and Overconfi dence, that offer up fascinating examples of how the mind and decision making is infl uenced by intuition, memory, context and the need to be right.
One example is The Halo Effect coupled with luck, and their impact on what we believe to be true. An example Kahneman cites is Built to Last by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras, where they analyzed 18 pairs of companies and profi led the best practices of the more successful companies in the pairs. As Kahneman states:
• “Because luck plays a large role, the quality of leadership and management practices cannot be inferred reliably from observations of success.”
• “On average, the gap in corporate profi tability and stock returns between the outstanding fi rms and the less successful fi rms studied in Built to Last shrank to almost nothing in the period following the study.”
• “The average profi tability of the companies identifi ed in the famous In Search of Excellence dropped sharply as well within a short time.”
I could go on with many more examples that fascinate and challenge your thinking. Let me just say that every functional area of a business and the leadership in each of those areas will benefi t from reading this book. My suggestion, take the time to read this rich and insightful piece of work.
- Ken Cook, Peer to Peer Advisors
The Wisdom of Our Peers is one of those books that surprises in both its simplicity and richness. Cook runs a company called Peer to Peer Advisors, where he matches leaders of companies into groups, and these groups meet and function as board of advisors for each other. In the spirit of full disclosure, I have been a member of one of these groups for four years.
The book is a compilation of fi ve years of notes from those meetings. As you can imagine, the spectrum of topics covered in the book is as varied as the number of issues, opportunities and challenges that can arise over fi ve years running a small business.
Cook positions the book as “a book of stories.” In one way it is. Each chapter is a synopsis of a real life issue and the personal story of one owner and how he or she dealt with that issue. Each chapter also summarizes the input and advice the advisory group offered on the issue.
Besides telling stories, the book is a wonderful reference tool that should be on the bookshelf or better yet at hand on the credenza of every small business owner. The table of contents is six pages long and outlines discussion items under all of the important areas business leaders deal with – leadership, people, strategy and growth, marketing and sales, operations and fi nance.
Some of the solutions are what you would expect; common sense answers based on experiences of the people that have been there and dealt fi rst hand with the problems.
There are also quite a few insights you can gain from the experiences other leaders shared. Discussions on Lean practices, key performance indicators, and motivating employees are just some examples of areas that offer unique insights. Over four years of participating, there are very few meetings where I have not gained some value that has made a difference for me and my company.
I recommend you pick up this book. You will fi nd yourself referring to it time and time again.
- Pat Hayden, UniMetal, Inc.
Biz Lit
connstep.org 11
BUZZthe
This past March, CONNSTEP President, Bonnie Del
Conte had the privilege to serve as a judge for the 2012
Northeast Utilities Connecticut Regional FIRST Competition.
For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology
(FIRST) was founded in 1989 with a mission, “to inspire
young people to be science and technology leaders, by
engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that
build science, engineering and technology skills, inspire
innovation, and foster well-rounded life capabilities including
self-confi dence, communication, and leadership.”
The FIRST competition is also sponsored by United
Technologies Corporation, Connecticut Business & Industry
Association (CBIA), Connecticut Technology Council and the
Connecticut Science Center, among many.
One of two all-girl teams out of about sixty teams statewide,
Mercy High School’s TechTigers, a team of 22 young women
with representatives from all four classes, won the Rookie
Inspiration Award in 2011. Although, they did not win
an award at the Hartford Regional Competition this year,
they continue to increase their skills and promote robotics
through their outreach program providing demonstrations to
younger children throughout the summer.
They’re Grrrrreat!
Don’t mess with these ladies -
the Mercy High School TechTigers
are fi erce, fi red up and a force to be
reckoned with - proving that the
technology and engineering fi elds aren’t
boys clubs any longer.
12 advantage Vol. 2, No. 2
2012 marks the second year that the
TechTigers competed with thanks to the
help of generous sponsors including Carrier,
Loctite, JC Penney, Bentley, and 4H through
the UCONN Cooperative Extension. We
caught up with a few of the girls to see
how their experience on the robotics team
infl uenced their future education goals.
Sophomore, Melanie Dworak, joined to see
if she could understand the concepts, make
new discoveries, and fi nd out if it interested
her, is now planning on pursuing a career as
an engineer, “I’ve always enjoyed building
things, learning how it all works, and being
able to implement my knowledge is probably
one of the most enjoyable things in my life. I
can’t imagine going on to do anything else.”
Rachel Dziatko, a junior at Mercy, will not be
an engineer; instead she is looking to pursue
a career as a physician. Rachel joined the
TechTigers for the opportunity to learn more
about modern technology since, “The world
is becoming more technologically advanced
every day and much of the success of medicine
is dependent on technology…I think it is very
important for me to learn about technology
and understand how it works.”
We also asked the girls about their favorite
aspects of the competition. For several,
it happened to be one of the FIRST core
values, “Coopertition”, the philosophy that
teams can and should help and
cooperate with each other even as
they compete. According to senior
Vicky Scott, “Everyone is helpful
and it’s a wonderful time. It’s a safe
environment for people to grow in the
fi elds of science, math, friendship, and
teamwork.”
The girls also shared their opinions
on how to better encourage young
women to pursue education and
careers in technology and mathematics.
Recent graduate Celine Coleman,
who will be pursuing a major in
biochemistry this fall believes,
“Robotics does a great job in
encouraging
young girls to
possibly pursue careers
in engineering, computer
science, or even software
development.”
Melanie Dworak
added that, “there is
a difference between
using these skills in a
classroom and using
them in real life, closing
that gap is instrumental
in encouraging girls to
pursue higher education,
and hopefully, careers
in technology and
mathematics.”
According to incoming
senior, Vicky Scott,
“Girls are stereotyped as unintelligent or
inadequate when it comes to the subjects of
math and technology. I fi nd this ridiculous!
During WWII, many women were working
in manufacturing factories doing the
“men’s” jobs…with a little encouragement,
girls can do anything.”
It’s clear that these girls are inspired to
be tomorrow’s science and technology
leaders, which is a good thing... a recent
report issued by the President’s Council
of Advisors on Science and Technology
concluded that if the United States is to
maintain its historic pre-eminence in the STEM
fi elds—science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics—and gain the social, economic,
and national-security benefi ts that come with
such pre-eminence, then we must produce
approximately one million more workers in
those fi elds over the next decade than we are
on track now to turn out.
At current rates, American colleges and
universities will graduate about three million
STEM majors over the next decade, so an
additional one million graduates would
require a 33% increase in enrollment. With
the continued help of programs like FIRST and
promotion of robotics and STEM subjects at the
secondary school level, hopefully we will reach
this goal by engaging the next generation - of
both male and female students -to pursue
STEM fi elds at the college level.
Dr. Woodie Flowers FIRST Executive Advisory Board Chairman; Pappalardo Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, speaks with the TechTigers at the 2012 FIRST Competition.
Mercy TechTigers Celine Coleman and Vicky Scott at the 2012 FIRST Competition.
connstep.org 13
If only it was that easy. Becoming “change-
ready” is so critical to the success and survival
of any organization today. It’s essential when
it comes to leading change that affects your
organization’s culture. But why is it so diffi cult
and time consuming?
You know that Lean practices are the way
to go. After all, your major competitor
implemented Lean manufacturing seven
years ago and their effi ciencies have become
legendary in the industry.
You and a handful of trusted employees
are working very hard to “direct” people in
your workforce to do things differently. You
explain why it is important. You send people
for training. You might cajole. Despite what
you do to lead the charge, you are faced with
fear, possibly silence, blank stares, mutterings,
foot-dragging and potential subtle sabotage,
leaving you feeling like you are trying to herd
cats.
You can have the best plan on paper
for implementing changes within your
organization but your plans will fail miserably if
you can’t get the people in your organization to
cope with the changes and actually get them to
move forward and take actions in new and/or
different directions.
If your company or organization has undergone
signifi cant changes in recent years, or you, as
a leader, are facing diffi culties implementing
changes within your organization, please read
on.
This article is meant to explain some of
the things that must happen within your
organization, to help you and your workforce
transition more quickly and effi ciently. We will
look at culture and why culture is important;
climate and why your organization’s climate is
so important; and, provide a recommendation
and starting point for beginning the process
of creating a change-ready culture and
organization.
What is culture and what causes it to change?We use the word “culture,” but what does
that word really mean in an organizational
setting? Every organization has “a culture” and
On Your Mark, Get Ready, Get Set...CHANGE!
Why is change so hard?
Pam Butterfi eld
14 advantage Vol. 2, No. 2
the words that I hear people use to describe
their company’s culture are often words such
as “good or bad”, “healthy or unhealthy”,
“strong or toxic”, “dynamic or stagnant.” An
organization’s culture is an accumulation of all
the overt and covert rules, values, and principles
that guide people to act and behave. Culture
is strongly infl uenced by your organization’s
history, customs, policies, rules and practices.
And, when changes in the way people do their
work, or when a change in top leadership
occurs, or when your organization participates
in mergers and/or acquisitions, the existing
culture is bound to be challenged to change.
A word about company valuesMany organizations have written value
statements framed and posted on their walls.
The statements usually say something about,
“how highly customers and employees are
valued, regarded and treated.” If you really
want to know what an organization truly
values, look beyond these written statements.
The true values that are supported within your
company are refl ected more accurately by
how people act and behave on a daily basis.
Do people honor commitments and follow
through on what they promise? Behaviors start
at the very top, with your top level executives,
and move on down through the organization.
True values are not necessarily articulated and
published. They are often unconscious so they
cannot be written down. “It’s just the way
we do things here” is often a more accurate
refl ection of an organization’s “actual culture.”
When a company is not able to follow through,
move through barriers, and learn to successfully
implement new ways of doing things,
employees become cynical and learn to wait
out “the next fl avor of the month,” knowing it
will go nowhere.
Key Point – When top leadership is not
fully engaged in leading a signifi cant change
initiative, the existing culture is bound to be
challenged to change and the initiative will
either fail or become a reality very slowly and
painfully.
Strategic Lean requires successful culture changeWhen you have an organization that is proud
of its strong, long-standing culture and that
culture is about to be changed in some way or
another, there are two important questions
to ask regarding the culture and what should
change:
1. Which aspects of the organization’s
culture aid the organization in meeting
today’s goals?
2. Which aspects do not?
Any attempt to change the culture must be
tied to improving your organization’s outcomes
or the change will fail.
Bottom-line benefi ts of a healthy, changing cultureCompanies that are unable to change, in
today’s world, cease to exist. An adaptive
culture, one that is able to change, has a
greater likelihood of achieving higher fi nancial
performance and organizational viability. If
your company somehow discourages change,
it is very possible your company will cease to
exist.
Today, any condition or situation outside
an organization that can infl uence the
performance of that organization is considered
a potential threat or opportunity. Changing
marketplaces, world fi nancial/economic
conditions, political and governmental
circumstances, ecological conditions, social
trends, and technological innovations must
be identifi ed and handled. Depending upon
the alteration in one or more variables in the
external environment, it might require entirely
new behaviors on the part of the organization’s
members. The collective new behaviors mean a
change in culture.
Climate and your organization - What is climate?Have you ever walked into a place of
business and spent a few minutes observing
the interactions and exchanges between
employees? In doing so, have you gotten a
strong impression that either this would be a
great place to work or that you wouldn’t want
to work there for fi ve minutes?
This is the idea behind an organization’s
climate. The climate can be “friendly, warm
and sunny” like the weather or it can be “cold
and dangerous” like a bad ice storm. The
next time you are sitting in a waiting room,
standing in a company’s lobby, or standing
in line, notice the interactions and exchanges
between people. And, notice what kind of
impressions you form as you observe the
interactions around you.
An organization’s climate is an accumulation
of all of the human interactions that take place
each and every day. If you want a warm, sunny
climate, your entire management team from
the very top to all entry level supervisory levels,
must model the behaviors that produce a
warm, sunny and productive climate.
RecommendationIn a well-established organization, one whose
culture is entrenched in tradition (“this
is how we do things, we’ve always done
things this way”), it is practical to draw a
distinction between culture and climate. My
recommendation is not to try to directly change
the culture; to do so is simply too disruptive.
Instead, begin by changing managerial
behaviors and practices. This will change the
climate. Arm your managers with essential
supervisory skills and team facilitation
capabilities. When you strengthen how the
management ranks behave and communicate
and you hold them accountable for applying
those newly learned behaviors consistently and
persistently, over time, the wind will pick up
and the climate will begin to shift. Any climate
changes will eventually impact the culture,
leading to changed customs, policies, rules and
practices, both overt and covert.
Final note from the Author - The
approach described in this article is one of
several approaches we use when helping an
organization deal with change. Changing
climate in order to affect culture change
works well with organizations that have some
time to make necessary changes. It allows an
organization with a strong culture and proud
history to build on the aspects of its history
and legacy without throwing “everything that
was, away.” It allows leadership to do what
they have to do and continue a company’s
proud history by writing a new chapter instead
of throwing the company’s history book in the
trash.
Note - The concepts of organizational culture-climate come from the Burke-Litwin Model of Organizational Change.
connstep.org 15
>>> Chris DiPentima, President, Pegasus Manufacturing, Inc.
Middletown, Connecticut, 40 years old
What I’ve Learned
16 advantage Vol. 2, No. 2
I was a trial attorney for six years before
joining the family business. My father coaxed
me in by saying, “think about the opportunity
you’d get to craft strategy, operations and
watch the business grow.” I realized it could be a nice idea to design my “art,” rather than be a cog in the wheel at the fi rm.
I started gradually with a company we
acquired from California, but soon got more
involved with all aspects of the company, from
operations to HR, legal and fi nancial. The learning curve was huge. I always liked
math and science and am very analytical, but I
still had a lot to learn.
The fi rst few months in a new business is all
about learning the terminology—the language
and dialect of the business. Once you understand the lexicon, things open up.
I’m more transparent with data and metrics
than my father, who started Pegasus, was, and
like sharing this information with the entire
organization so everyone understands our
hurdles and we can address them together.
It was by analyzing data that we realized in 1996 that most of our customers were only generating 20% of revenue—and
to serve them we were juggling multiple quality
systems, addressing a wide range of customer
requirements and lacking sales direction. Ours
was a reactive approach, because many felt
we were a job shop with no control over our
destiny since we didn’t control product design.
So we shifted away from those “one hit
wonder” clients to be more vertically integrated
with the small number of customers generating
the bulk of our business. That shift has enabled
us to make signifi cant process improvements
and understand where to invest. As a result, we
really grew in two years, from 56 employees
and $9 million annually to 90 employees and
$15 million annually today.
Our job shop is like a law fi rm. We sell hours—
the more effi cient we are, the more we can
do and the more we can bill. But managing
the business is very different. In the law, I
worked with a small team and we managed
all sides of the business—the fi nancial, the
technical, and customer service. Pegasus’
different departments and divisions meant that
I needed to learn to relinquish control, listen and learn from my co-workers, and delegate more.
Like most managers, my biggest weakness is
time management. I like to roll up my sleeves
and help out to get the job done, wherever
help is needed but I also need to learn to take better control of my day and focus more strategically—to look at the forest and beyond rather than the trees. It’s always a balancing act to ensure that
the day-to-day tactical is accomplished, while
also understanding and preparing for what’s on
the horizon three to fi ve years out.
I have dabbled a bit in politics, serving on the
land use board in Durham and getting involved
in various campaigns and industry groups.
I want to ensure manufacturing has a voice at any and all tables. This is critical for Connecticut and for the U.S.—not just for Pegasus but also to grow our
amazing industry so we can weather any future
downturns.
The key to growing manufacturing is
increasing productivity and increasing the
workforce pipeline. We have to embrace
Lean and continuous improvement, and
we must start educating students in middle school about the real and exciting opportunities in today’s manufacturing. We are at a critical time,
needing to replace retiring skilled workers and
hire even more people to grow and meet the
demand for our work.
Lean is the foundation of our growth strategy and the only way we will double our business by 2014. Lean
doesn’t eliminate jobs. Becoming more effi cient
doesn’t mean that we lay off workers. In fact,
it’s just the opposite. When we become Lean
and more effi cient, our capacity increases,
and customers have been immediately fi lling
any additional capacity we create. I need to replace every retiring worker with two new employees to keep up with demand. That’s great opportunity.
We have to educate teachers and guidance
counselors about the great opportunities in
manufacturing. It’s not the dark, dirty and
cyclical business people think it is. Instead, we
offer great fi nancial potential, terrifi c challenges
and diverse positions. No other industry has such diversity in one business and the chance for employees to move around and learn new aspects of a business in one place.
That’s still what’s so exciting for me. I wear
different hats each day and always have more
to learn, from operations to strategy to fi nancial
to customer service to technical skills. I don’t think I could ever get bored here.
Life is a continuous education. Maybe
that’s why I’m always tinkering with change.
And why we have created a culture of
continuous learning at Pegasus with minimum
annual training requirements, continuous Lean
education and more.
As much as I love change, though, I’ve learned
through training and experience, that my own
need for speed to get things done—even if I
have to do them myself—isn’t always what’s
best for my company. Instead, the only way Pegasus will realize its true potential is if we have a learning organization where everyone has ownership of the processes and overall company performance—a team of people constantly
planning and tinkering with change, analyzing
the results and then making adjustments as
needed. This has forced me to become more
patient rather than trying to solve everything on
my own, and we’re building a culture of problem
solving that’s a part of everything we do.
I’m always reading—and alternate between a
non-fi ction book that will build my skills and
knowledge and a getaway fi ction book.
I thank my Dad all the time for the opportunity he gave me, and for convincing me to try it. I also admire how
he stepped back when he retired and truly
turned the business over. That’s not always the
case in family businesses, but it’s critical to have
seamless direction and clarity.
I’m very transparent and some might say too direct and honest. While I may
some day try my hand at politics, I’m not sure it’s
for me. Even though I was a trial attorney, I really
don’t like spending time negotiating and prefer
to get right to the bottom line. As a result, I may
be too direct and outspoken for some people.
connstep.org 17
>> for more examples of Lean Manufacturing transformations, improving the performance, quality and profi tability of Connecticut companies, visit www.connstep.org.
All i
the Fam
18 advantage Vol. 2, No. 2
Embracing the common sense principles of Lean came naturally to Gerald Pelletier,
founder of Modern Woodcrafts, Inc. His daughter, current President Lisa Pelletier-Fekete, notes
“Dad kept his business very Lean – it was in his nature.”
Gerald’s four core company values are the essence of continuous improvement. Treat each
customer as if they are your only customer. Always look for ways to improve process and
product. Focus on quality and hire the best team of employees.
That was 1959. Today, these four core values continue to drive this second generation family
run business. Modern Woodcrafts, LLC is a full service custom manufacturer of high end
architectural interiors for the retail, institutional, corporate and hospitality markets. Each job is
engineered and manufactured to order.
Gerald Pelletier launched Modern Woodcrafts in his garage in 1959. Six months later, after
cutting a large hole in the wall to get a job out, he decided it was time to move. This was the
fi rst of many moves, each one driven by the need for more production space. By 1970 he
bought the current building – a 65,000 square foot warehousing and production facility in
Plainville.
The company’s fi rst 50 years were all about growth – increasing sales, production capacity and
profi t. It purchased the CT plant then bought another 95,000 square foot plant in Maine. It also
invested in equipment capacity – buying an AutoCAD System to replace traditional drawing,
installing the fi rst of three CNC machining centers and later making a $1 million investment in
equipment and software. Poised for continued growth, it entered the 21st century using modern
equipment in full-scale production and inventory facilities.
But entrance into the 21st century brought on a “silver tsunami” with many top executives
and shop fl oor workers retiring, leaving behind waves of transition in their wake. In 2008 Lisa
Pelletier-Fekete was promoted to President. Simultaneously, Joe Legere was promoted to Vice
Embracing continuous improvement and implementing Lean throughout the enterprise, Modern Woodcrafts is making plans for a third generation.
by Caren DickmanPhotographs by Jennifer Fiereck
in
mily
connstep.org 19
During the kaizen “…we
collectively stumbled upon
a way to create one piece
fl ow that could be adapted
to our organization. We
took products and divided
them into eight categories.
Each category contains
products that have consistent
manufacturing processes and
similar capacity loading for
each work cell.” The team
created a matrix and derived
the optimal work order size
for consistent fl ow of every
product category through the
shop. Prior to this kaizen, Joe
says cycle time “...varied wildly
from job to job and work order
to work order.”
Standardizing cycle time created a consistent
fl ow rate, decreasing cycle time from 54.6
hours to 46 hours. They also decreased lead
time from 15 to 10.6 days; jobs in process
changed from 19 to nine and they identifi ed
work fl ow controls.
The success of this fi rst kaizen proved the
value of CONNSTEP’s approach to Enterprise
Wide Lean (EWL). CONNSTEP’s John McCarroll
says “Without a holistic approach, continuous
improvement becomes the program of the year.
It makes more sense to zero in on the Lean
solutions that best support the company’s vision
and business strategies.”
John began EWL by coaching the steering
committee through the process of developing
their vision statement. Lisa claims “John’s
integrity and perseverance helped us stay on
track, despite the many opportunities to take
the easy route and just quit. CONNSTEP was
instrumental in guiding us through this.”
At the same time, CONNSTEP introduced all
employees to Lean principles with introductory
training. As with most companies, employees
were resistant to change at fi rst. It was hard for
some of the long-time shop fl oor workers to
understand why things that worked so well for
50 years and made them top in their fi eld now
had to change for the company to survive.
Even some of the newer employees, like Scott
Thibodeau, were initially skeptical. “I had
some previous exposure to Lean principles,
but was, frankly, a non-believer until I joined
the Modern Woodcrafts team. Here I’ve seen
results both on the shop fl oor and in the offi ce
that have dramatically increased fl ow and
organization. My father taught me the tools for
my success in the woodworking industry and
CONNSTEP taught me the Lean principles to
achieve greater success through fl ow, 5S and
continuous improvement.”
Modern Woodcrafts used their second NU
PRIME kaizen, Production Flow-II, to create
consistent fl ow in the shop. CONNSTEP led this
project which uses a universal ship date to drive
all operations. The team established a fi rst in,
fi rst out system driven by ship date, in which all
resources are focused on one job at a time and
getting it out the door.
By digging deeper into their production fl ow
processes, the team achieved even stronger
results. Lead time decreased further, from 10.6
days to fi ve days. By re-designing the shop fl oor
into modular work areas the company freed
up 5,000 square feet that they used to house
equipment from the Maine plant. Cycle hours
per release dropped from 262 hours to 208
hours. In addition, they identifi ed an average
21% improvement in machine effi ciency.
Had we not engaged in our Lean journey, we very
well might be like so many other businesses in our
industry that did not make it through this recession.Joe Legere
President of Operations. The next year Modern
Woodcrafts made a second major $2 million
investment in equipment and software.
Business remained strong, but the company
was carrying too much overhead, too much
capacity and too much duplicate equipment.
Joe turned his attention to operational
ineffi ciencies to improve workfl ow and
production.
Modern Woodcrafts’ 50th anniversary in 2009
was a bittersweet milestone. The recession
hit hard - they had to close the Maine plant,
laying off 43% of the workforce and selling
or consolidating equipment. They kept the
Connecticut plant because it’s a newer building
better suited for modern day manufacturing
than the Maine plant which was a 1920’s mill
building. Connecticut is also centrally located to
serve a larger regional market in the Northeast.
Lisa used this anniversary to confi rm her
commitment to the company’s future.
Modern Woodcrafts set out on its continuous
improvement journey. “With new management
and enthusiasm, we want to carry on a legacy.”
CONNSTEP’s Continuous Improvement
Champion Certifi cation (CICC) deepened
Joe’s knowledge of Lean principles. He
undertook a high level project on shop fl oor
layout and workfl ow process. With funding
from Northeast Utilities (NU) PRIME, Modern
Woodcrafts implemented its fi rst kaizen,
Production Flow-1.
CONNSTEP led the project, using value stream
mapping to view their process and set the
direction. As a full service custom manufacturer
that engineers and manufactures each job to
order, it was diffi cult to establish a good system
that consistently produced all products because
of the number of variations. The fi rst kaizen
changed this.
CONNSTEP’s John McCarroll speaks with Modern Woodcraft’s Joe Legere (center) and Scott Thibodeau (right).
20 advantage Vol. 2, No. 2
In the next kaizen, the team worked on Joe’s
CICC kaizen Project – Assembly Flow/5S. They
divided the fl oor into three color coded teams
of fi ve with one being a cell leader. This system
put fi ve people on one job until they got it
done before they moved on to the next job. To
be successful, this also required cross training
so that expertise was available on demand to
complete a job.
Cellular based assembly teams established one
piece fl ow, dramatically improving the work
fl ow. Fewer people produced twice the volume
at less cost. The team reduced WIP by 50% and
reduced space utilization by 30%. They also
reduced production paperwork by 50%.
Prior to this kaizen, work was assigned
by expertise - often leading to production
interruption. Joe calls it “…production by
chaos because it was driven by who could
do what when. Projects were set aside while
they waited for the right person to do them.
Sometimes projects got lost in the shuffl e,
which created chaos and sometimes overtime
to get a project out on time.”
Offi ce backlogs delayed response time because
of inconsistent procedures and how long
something sat on someone’s desk. In the Project
Management Flow kaizen, the team identifi ed
areas where they could develop a universal
system with policies, job descriptions and work
instructions. They established standard work for
the management of all projects from kick-off
to completion. Engineering and purchasing
created a system that is 100% driven by ship
date as is the plant fl oor.
Sales reduced the gap between bid award and
production start time from one week (or more)
to 24 hours. Overall, the team decreased lead
time from 100 to 74 days.
Adding a plant manager was another key
business strategy. Within one month of
his promotion, Scott Thibodeau began
CONNSTEP’s CICC program and work on his
kaizen project. His goal was to perform a 5S
in the Finishing Department to better utilize
space. By modifying cart design he gained 800
square feet. He created visual sample boards
for all active jobs which identify all fi nishes and
current status. Scott also created 5S standards
and audits for the Finish Cell.
Modern Woodcrafts has executed three
signifi cant operational improvements since
they began their Lean journey. Two of these
have very clear fi nancial impacts. Physical
inventory levels have decreased from $500,000
to $100,000. Secondly, manufacturing space
utilization has increased 100% from its previous
level. In 2007, they produced $21 million
in revenues using 130,000 square feet of
manufacturing space in a single shift.
Today, they are confi dent they can produce
$20M in revenues out of 55,000 square feet.
This number could go higher with the addition
of a second shift in certain cells. Joe attributes
this to tighter WIP management, reduced
inventory space and the removal of waste from
the shop fl oor. They took out oversized work
benches, excess scrap and under used machines
and they reorganized the workstations for
maximum use of space.
The third signifi cant operational impact is
diffi cult to put a dollar sign on. However,
decreased lead time has also
contributed to improved
production fl ow and better
space utilization.
The company has invested in
state-of-the-art equipment
but has also invested in
their employees. Every
craftsperson is cross-
trained which has not only
increased their skills but
has given them a hands-on
understanding of the entire
project.
Today, under Lisa’s
leadership, the company
continues to evolve into the
management and production techniques of the
21st century but their commitment to Gerald’s
legacy remains fi rm – as does their commitment
to continuous improvement.
Joe believes that the use of key business
metrics will continue to drive Lean behaviors.
“When you go beyond the fi nancial results,
you tend to give employees the measurements
and feedback they need in real time so they
can make consistent decisions that align with
the vision statement goals and continuous
improvement objectives.”
The next continuous improvement project
will create company-wide transparency for all
employees. Joe plans to use digital distribution
to share information so that everyone will know
what’s happening in real time. In the offi ce
they’ve done this with e-mail alerts. On the
shop fl oor he plans to install fl at screens in each
cell.
Though the company’s revenues have risen
steadily since 2008, economic conditions in
the industry have eroded profi ts. Yet Joe is
confi dent that their commitment to continuous
improvement will make them a better producer
so that when more work is available they will
provide more value to their customers. He adds,
“Had we not engaged in our Lean journey,
we very well might be like so many other
businesses in our industry that did not make it
through this recession.”
Lisa also remains optimistic. “We retired a lot
of experience over the past three years, but
we have a younger, more enthusiastic team
who understands the commitment needed
to achieve our goals of increased profi tability.
Although economically this is a tough situation
for everybody, we have embraced it as a time
to scrutinize our procedures, policies and our
commitment to Lean principles. What doesn’t
kill us will make us stronger, and we are
planning to be around for a long time.”
For more information about Modern
Woodcrafts, please visit
www.modernwoodcrafts.com.
-CD
Modern Woodcraft’s President, Lisa Pelletier-Fekete, inspects panels being constructed for a major retail installation.
connstep.org 21
A Woman’s Place…is in a factory.
22 advantage Vol. 2, No. 2
Forty-some years ago, Kris Lorch learned a quick
lesson in standing her ground as a woman “in a man’s
world.” She was driving a truck for the garment industry
when it was struck by an 18-wheeler. The driver scolded
her, saying she should have been home washing dishes,
and would only speak to her boss about the accident.
Rather than become skeptical and bitter about the
challenges women face in manufacturing, Lorch just
became stronger and surprisingly, more tolerant. “But
only for bosses and jobs that would stand behind me and
not blow me off.” Friendly banter was okay, as long as it
did not get in the way of her hard work and no-nonsense
approach. “I was willing to work as hard as any guy.
Eventually, that work paid off, and I never would use how
the guys treated me as an excuse.” Lorch is president and
CEO of Alloy Engineering in Bridgeport.
Carol Wallace, president and CEO of Cooper Atkins
Corporation, encountered similar gender discrimination
These women embrace their feminine advantage and are outspoken advocates for the next generation of manufacturing leaders.
By Susie ZimmermannPhotographs by Jennifer Fiereck
connstep.org 23
industries, according to the U.S.
Census, is female, women fi ll only
14% of senior executive roles.
Twenty-eight percent of fi rms in
Connecticut are women-owned,
but most of those companies
have zero or very few employees.
Among the Fortune 500 in 2012,
only 18 are led by female CEOs.
Women still have a long way to go
to be equally represented in upper
management positions, but they
have made great strides in the last
decade. More women are taking
over their family businesses when
a father decides to step down, but
not without proving themselves
fi rst in other businesses. “Until
only recently it was assumed that
the men in the family would take
over,” says Bonnie Del Conte, president
of CONNSTEP. “Today, many women are
among the next generation stepping in
to lead manufacturing fi rms.” Others are
moving up in the ranks, competing with
men and capitalizing on opportunities to
develop skills across divisions, build teams
and focus on bottom-line impacts.
What propelled the women who are
in charge of some of Connecticut’s
manufacturing fi rms? Many of them are
daughters of fathers who treated them as
equals to their brothers,
with high expectations
for all. “Dad raised my
brothers and sisters all
exactly the same, with
no distinctions for girls
versus boys,” recalls
Kathy Saint, president
and CEO of Schwerdtle,
Inc. in Bridgeport. “I
never thought about
gender in my work—it
only became apparent
to me as a topic for
discussion when I would
enter a room of other CEOs and be the
only female.”
Allison Schieffelin, president of The
Lighting Quotient in West Haven, learned
from her father to value exemplary
work and not to back off from being
the best. “If everyone earned an A on
a test, he was only really impressed if
mine was the only one in the class.”
Participating in team sports taught her
the value of collaboration, maximizing
early in her career. While heading
purchasing and inventory control at a
100-year old fi rm, she encountered great
resistance working as the only woman in
senior management. “It was like pushing
a rock uphill, but with time and hard work
I made good strides and became well
respected by the group.” Still, at bonus
time, she was given a bonus less than that
of her male colleagues. Only after raising
the question of discrimination did the
boss relent and agree to give her an equal
bonus—by giving her the cash she was
due in the parking lot out of sight of the
rest of the team.
In spite of these early challenges, these
and other women in charge of some of
Connecticut’s manufacturers have kept
their eyes on the prize, working hard and
discovering strategies along the way to
bypass the naysayers and focus on what’s
best for business. In the process, they
have paved the way for more women to
follow, established strategies for success
for all employees moving up the corporate
ladder and defi ned the special skills
women can draw upon to succeed.
Breaking through the Glass Ceiling
According to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 28% of the manufacturing
workforce is female. And while 51% of
managerial or professional positions in all
Carol Wallace, President & CEOCooper Atkins Corporation of Middlefi eld
Allison Schieff elin, President, The Lighting Quotient, West HavenBeing the best and
being a team player
aren’t mutually
exclusive. Don’t ever
apologize for being
the best.Allison Schieffelin
24 advantage Vol. 2, No. 2
legislation that mandated equal
opportunities for women in
collegiate sports, perhaps it’s
no surprise that more women
will have the experience of
competitive sports to propel
them into the corporate world.
In order to succeed and stand
out in a male-dominated
industry, these and other
women probably had to work
harder than their colleagues. “I
had to make fewer mistakes,”
while at the same time “get
along rather than make a fuss
over the little injustices or sexist
comments that came my way,”
remembers Wallace. While she
was willing to take on issues of
pay equity with her boss, she
chose to overlook remarks about her
clothing or hairstyle to maintain friendly
relationships with colleagues—and in the
process keep her focus on doing her very
best work. She found the most success
when she “avoided the resistors, and
instead worked with those below them to
get the job done.”
Paving the Way for the
Next Generation
As CEOs, these women are
committed to strengthening
manufacturing in Connecticut
and helping young girls and
women discover careers in
manufacturing. Schieffelin
has coached at the Hopkins
School in New Haven, teaching
students the value of team
sports and serving as a role
model. Lorch actively volunteers
in the community serving on
dozens of organizational and
professional boards and task
forces, while Saint advocates
with policy makers to improve
the business environment for
manufacturers in the state.
Wallace is the second female chair of
the Connecticut Business and Industry
Association. As outspoken advocates for
women or by quietly modeling success,
they are clearing the way to make it easier
for the next generation to take their
places.
To prepare them, Lorch encourages girls
to study math, science, technology and
engineering—the STEM curriculum that is
gaining momentum in schools nationwide.
“Women are better with STEM than many
men. They are less distracted and can
focus for longer periods of time.” Wallace
agrees, encouraging guidance counselors
to discuss manufacturing as career path
for girls: “It’s critically important they do
this for manufacturing to survive.”
Out of high school, or with an associate’s
degree, young women can start in
an entry-level position and grow into
management. Wallace advises women to
mix technology and engineering studies
in college with classes in organizational
behavior, calling this merging of people
and technology a winning combination.
Saint says another “magic bullet” in
today’s manufacturing combines an
every opportunity, setting goals and
appreciating the importance of each
player’s contribution. Recognizing the
value of both individual and team
achievement, Schieffelin fi rmly believes
that “being the best and being a team
player aren’t mutually exclusive.”
With the 40th anniversary of the Title IX
Women must pull
up their bootstraps
to take over these
businesses in our
state. They have the
brains to do it well!
Kris Lorch
Kathy Saint, President & CEO, Schwerdtle, Inc., Bridgeport
Kris Lorch, President & CEO, Alloy Engineering, Bridgeport
connstep.org 25
engineering degree with an MBA. Skills
of collaboration, says Wallace, give
women “the edge to succeed,” and make
them naturally more nurturing and more
successful at cultivating relationships and
strong teams.
The Feminine Advantage
These talented women credit their gender
as being better at multi-tasking, seeing
multiple sides of an issue, encouraging
dialogue, instilling teamwork, and
ensuring the general care and welfare of
employees to build a dedicated workforce.
Del Conte agrees and observes that
women are more likely than men to
seek out advice and assistance from
their peers. “Women CEOs are not
reluctant to let their guard down,” she
says. “These women focus not on the
competition with other companies but
on doing whatever it takes to make
their own businesses as effi cient and
profi table as possible.”
Many women in Connecticut who are
leading the state’s small and medium-
sized fi rms are succeeding because
of these skills and many others, and
might have even been driven by
the challenges and roadblocks they
faced on their way to the executive
offi ce. Now that they’re there, they
are committed to the success of their
businesses, and none are considering
yet the idea of retirement. “I’m having
too much fun to think about stopping
anytime soon,” declares Saint.
Wallace continues to build her network
to learn from her peers—“I even
Dad raised my
brothers and sisters
all exactly the same,
with no distinctions
for girls versus boys.
I never thought
about gender in
my work—it only
became apparent
to me as a topic for
discussion when I
would enter a room
of other CEOs and
be the only female.
Kathy Saint
learned how to play golf to be included
in those offl ine events that bring CEOs
together”—and yet says that she’d be
most proud to be a role model as a strong
independent woman who still found time
to be a loving wife and stepmother.
Lorch reminds women to focus on the
work and ignore any innuendo or ‘absurd
talk’ they may encounter in the plant.
“Women must pull up their bootstraps to
take over these businesses in our state.
They have the brains to do it well!”
Schieffelin says it more directly, reminding
women of their capabilities and potential:
“Don’t ever apologize for being the best.”
-SZ
Our thanks to Karen Hudkins, Director of the The New Britain Industrial Museum for her generous hospitality in allowing us to host a breakfast and take photos of our featured Women in Manufacturing.
At the New Britain Industrial Museum you will discover the vast array of items pioneered and produced in New Britain by generations of innovative and inventive people drawn to work in, what came to be known as, the Hardware Capital of the World. From hooks and eyes produced by hand in the early 1800’s to Fafnir Bearings produced in clean rooms for the U.S. Space Program to items currently manufactured in New Britain, the museum’s collection celebrates the city’s contribution to manufacturing world-wide.
Because there is inspiration for the future and an appreciation for the past to be gleaned by the accomplishments of those who came before us, our mission is to use the collection as a way to inspire the next generation and increase pride in the community. Th is is done by exhibiting items manufactured in New Britain, sharing the histories of the factories where these items were manufactured and telling the stories of the people who started it all.
Th e museum is open 12-5 p.m. on Wednesdays, 2-5 p.m. M, T, Th , F and by appointment.
Visit us at 185 Main Street, New Britain, CT | www.nbim.org | 860.832.8654
26 advantage Vol. 2, No. 2
Plastics touch all aspects of our lives on a daily basis - from
consumer product packaging to electronics to transportation to
writing utensils - plastic products are all around us. The way we
use these products determines the raw material used in their
production. Will the fi nal product be a component of something
larger? Will the product be required to hold or house other
products? Will it be exposed to extreme forces or elements? In
today’s marketplace there are thousands of plastic resins available
for manufacture with viability depending on the requirements of
the fi nal application.
Putnam Precision Molding Inc., a custom injection molded parts
manufacturer located in Putnam, Connecticut, specializes in
running high-performance resins for specialized applications.
Compared to commodity or industrial level resins that form
products such as toys, dishes, cups and appliance housings, high
performance resins comprise products that would melt, break,
or wear down if made of the lower level materials. “We run
materials at the top of the plastics pyramid,” says Chris Voorhees,
Armed with new tools and a new approach to defi ning waste, Putnam Precision Molding has not only reduced their energy use, but has developed a team of waste detectives.
Michael Perrelli
>> for more examples of companies leveraging energy and environmental initiatives to achieve sustainable operations, visit www.connstep.org.
Waste
Watchers
connstep.org 27
Operations Manager with Putnam
Precision Molding. “These materials all
have special properties for applications
where metal or other materials wouldn’t
work or would be considered unsuitable.”
As part of Ensinger, a German-based
company with entities across the globe in
various disciplines of plastic production,
Putnam Precision Molding provides a total
solution approach to customer demands.
When a customer approaches Ensinger
with a need, the most logical discipline
is awarded the project. “The same grade
of plastic can be injection molded
or extruded, but each process
produces outcomes with different
physical properties,” says Voorhees
when explaining the unique
worldwide sales organization. “A
fellow extrusion company within
the Ensinger group may realize the
application would be better served
going through an injection molder
and would pass that project along
to us. The entire organization tries
to present customers with the total
solution.”
During their 15-year tenure with
Ensinger, Putnam Precision Molding
has placed great emphasis on creating
additional output with the same resources
through the implementation of Lean
Manufacturing, the installation of
new equipment, and attention to new
processes by which to produce high
quality product. “The drive to constantly
get better at what we are doing is a core
value of our company,” says Voorhees. “If
you are standing still and not improving,
you are going backwards. It is a constant
battle to bring costs down and improve
our processes.”
A Real Eye Opener
Running 26 molding machines, fi ve days a
week, is a costly venture for any injection
molder, but more so for Putnam Precision
Molding due to the high performance
resins. The injection molding process
itself, where plastic resin is fed into a
heated barrel, then mixed, and forced
into a mold where it cools and hardens to
the confi guration of the cavity, is heavily
reliant upon energy.
“Our equipment is different to that of a
commodity or industrial plastic injection
molding facility because the materials
are very corrosive, more diffi cult to melt
and push into the cavities,” explains
Voorhees. “Our equipment needs to be
capable of reaching levels above 1000
degrees Fahrenheit. A machine molding
plastic cups requires a lot less energy than
molding a high performance material.”
For years, Putnam Precision Molding has
utilized Lean principles but never thought
about incorporating an environmental
(aka green) or energy perspective, “We
decided to use CONNSTEP’s Green Collar
approach in combining Lean and Green
methodologies to identify waste and
opportunities. Most people think of Lean
as a way to remove and prevent waste
from occurring but they forget wasting
energy is waste too,” says Voorhees.
“Many members of our staff weren’t
aware of the total cost of running
an operation like this from an energy
standpoint. Because you don’t ‘see’
energy waste, it’s harder to think of it as
waste.”
Housed in a facility constructed in 1967
with methods and materials of that time,
Voorhees knew they must be wasting
energy through the building envelope
as well as through their manufacturing
process, but did not have the resources to
adequately tackle the challenge. Being a
veteran of Lean training, Voorhees knew
the fi rst step must be the training and
education of the workforce, believing
it necessary to raise worker awareness
on the importance of becoming more
environmentally focused and to provide
the skills needed for everyone to
lead workplace-based sustainable
practices.
In a recent survey completed by
Connecticut Business and Industry
Association, 29% of the 390
survey respondents noted that the
single greatest barrier to “going
green” is a lack of knowledge
regarding sustainable practices.
As with Lean, a culture change is
required for everyone to embrace
the new focus and methodology,
“If the people involved in the
initiative aren’t educated, it will
be doomed to fail from the start. The
three-day Green Collar program was a
combination of classroom and on-the-
shop fl oor training that kept people
engaged and excited,” Voorhees explains.
“After we learned the key concepts and
how to identify energy waste on the
fl oor and in the offi ce, our staff was on
self-directed detective hunts searching for
improvements. It became fun for them.”
Voorhees recalls one particular example
that stood out. Using the UltraProbe, a
tool that detects air leaks, the Putnam
Precision Molding team was able to
fi nd $3,600 worth of air leaks in just
90 minutes. All of these leaks were
undetectable by the human ear, “When
we came back from our hunt, we
converted measurements into numbers,
and then into dollars. It opened everyone’s
28 advantage Vol. 2, No. 2
we are making the right strides in our
sustainability efforts that provide benefi ts
across the entire business and into our
communities. The key is for us to sustain
them.”
The improvements go far beyond
detecting and correcting air leaks. New
desiccant resin drying machines, that
consume one-third of the energy of the
older models, have been added. Natural
light now fi lls the offi ces and machines,
such as exhaust vacuums or heaters,
are no longer left running idle on the
production fl oor causing maintenance
personnel to attend to overheating
motors. “We have connected operations
so they shut off together. We have
removed the steps one might forget by
introducing automation,” Voorhees says.
“In the case
of our offi ce
staff, they
have made
behavioral
changes in
terms of their
light use. Some
are even taking
some of the
principles we
learned and are
implementing
them in their
homes. The
changes are highly visible and easy to
see.”
With Connecticut ranking second among
the top ten states with the highest energy
costs in the nation, companies all across
the state are embracing sustainability
activities to help lower operating costs
and reduce their environmental impact.
Through just the initial training program
and implementation of energy savings
initiatives, Putnam Precision Molding has
realized signifi cant impacts including cost
savings of $10,000, an increase in sales of
$100,000, the addition of six new jobs,
and has been able to retain twelve existing
positions. In addition, the company
has been able to reinvest $27,000 into
equipment upgrades and workforce skills
development.
Putnam Precision Molding isn’t content
with these initial results - the list of
future improvements isn’t a short one for
Voorhees and his team. Items ranging
from window replacements to launching
a recyclable and returnable packaging
program with their customers are on their
to-do list. Voorhees is confi dent in the
change taking place among his staff. “We
have a trained staff that stretches across
the entire facility, from the front door all
the way to the back door. People are now
proactively identifying opportunities for
improvement and want to do something
about it.”
A staff showing the desire to make
these changes, as opposed to one that is
forced to do so, is a sure-fi re sign that the
foundation is in place for Putnam Precision
Molding’s energy and environmental
initiatives to enjoy long-term sustainability.
For more information about Putnam
Precision Molding, visit
www.putnamprecisionmolding.com.
-MP
eyes to the opportunity that was in front
of us,” Voorhees says. “The staff thought
that a little leak here and a little leak
there weren’t of concern, but this training
showed them that combined, this wasn’t
a little problem. This is a huge problem
and a problem that can be fi xed if we
adjust our equipment, our processes, the
way we think, and the way we behave.”
The Future Looks Green
While plastic itself isn’t considered
“green” by some, Putnam Precision
Molding doesn’t see it that way, “Good
injection molders are the best recyclers in
the world. We could be sending massive
amounts of waste and scrap to landfi lls,
but the majority of our materials can
be reused and are reused. We know
When we came back from our hunt, we converted measurements into numbers, and then into dollars. It opened everyone’s eyes to the opportunity that was in front of us.
Chris Vorhees
connstep.org 29
30 advantage Vol. 2, No. 2
Balancing Act
Beth SchererCurtis Packaging
I thought a lot about the meaning of the word “sustainability” in preparation for this column.
The classic defi nition taught in environmental studies courses across the country came from the
Brundtland Commission. Sustainable development, as the Commission defi ned it, “meets the
needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their own needs.” But what does the word mean to the layperson, the person who might not feel
passionately, as I do, about conservation and who has not heard that mantra so many times they
could recite it like the pledge of allegiance?
I decided to fi nd out. I walked around our offi ces and our shop fl oor, assured people that what
I was about to ask was “not a test”, and then asked them “off the top of your head, in one
sentence, what is a sustainable business?” I received a wide range of answers, some having to
do with the environment, some not, but my favorite came from Steve Rainone in our Pre-Press
department. Steve said, “Beth, you can wordsmith something, but it basically comes down to
being responsible; to taking responsibility for our actions.”
It occurred to me that what is now called “sustainable business” could just as easily be called
“responsible business.” We as a company are responsible to our employees, our customers and
our local community. We are responsible to those who we can’t see, but who our operations
affect. That responsibility means taking into account the resources we use (because then others
cannot use them), and the things we produce (both intentionally and unintentionally), the
longevity of our business and the health and happiness of our employees in each and every
decision that we make. We do not do this perfectly, and I have yet to come across a business that
does. It’s a giant balancing act.
So what does “sustainability” mean at Curtis Packaging? It means that we choose to power our
facility using 100% renewable energy and that we’re carbon neutral. It means that we offer
certifi ed forest products from the Forest Stewardship Council and Sustainable Forestry Initiative
and products that contain post consumer recycled fi ber. It means that in the last year we’ve
increased our recycling rate from 56 to 90 percent (a decision that happens to be quite benefi cial
to our bottom line). It means that we recently implemented a new and improved review process
for all employees that will allow for more and better feedback and training. It means that we’re
in the process of developing an environmental management system compliant with ISO 14001.
It means that we strive to regularly communicate with our stakeholders about the decisions we
make and our progress toward our goals.
But most importantly it means that we work every day to continuously improve our performance
in people, planet, and profi ts. Taking more factors into account in our decision making processes
indisputably requires more work. There are few easy fi xes, certainly no correct answers, and no
point at which we’ll offi cially cross some threshold to being “sustainable.” Sometimes decisions
result in an immediate fi nancial payback and sometimes the benefi ts are less quantifi able. In the
end, as Don Droppo, Jr. our president & CEO, is fond of saying “no one will ever fault you for
trying to do the right thing.”
Beth Scherer leads the sustainability program at Curtis
Packaging, the pioneer in sustainable production of luxury
folding cartons. Curtis was the fi rst print and packaging
company in North America to operate using 100%
renewable electricity, be carbon neutral, and be certifi ed by
both the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable
Forestry Initiative (SFI).
Ms. Scherer is responsible for setting company-wide
environmental goals, implementing sustainability
programs, and all CSR reporting. She holds a Masters
of Environmental Management from the Yale School of
Forestry & Environmental Studies and a BA in Economics
from Colby College.
www.curtispackaging.com
CONNSTEP Continuous Improvement Champion
Certification program launched to provide the
principles and practices needed to develop and
sustain Lean enterprises across Connecticut.
Unique projectsDuring the CICC program, participants implement the Lean tools
through a real-time project at their company site. Unique to
each company’s process, projects lead to measurable ROI results.
A typical CICC project yields ROI of at least five times the program tuition.
graduates to date from 101 Connecticut companies across industries including aerospace and defense, medical device, plastics, chemicals and contract manufacturers.
14 Lean tools are covered during the CICC
course. Together with on-site mentoring, partici-
pants apply the learned principles in a real-time
project within their organizations.
CICC PROGRAM
TOP 5 REASONS to Invest in Continuous Improvement ChampionsCI Champions steer and support the entire continuous improvement strategy toward business and operational objectives. CI Champions ensure Lean initiatives are aligned with the strategic goals of the organization. CI Champions communicate the “WIIFM” to all stakeholders. CI Champions identify enterprise-wide improvement opportunities that support the organization’s goals - they become the change agent. CI Champions learn by doing and educate the masses to help promote Lean thinking. CI Champions ensure sustainability of improvement initiatives.
390
5x
percent of CICC graduatesare Vice Presidents or above
5percent of CICC graduateshold Administrative roleswithin their companies
7percent of CICC graduatesare in Quality positions
10
percent of CICC graduatesare designated as Lean orContinuous Improvement professionals
11percent of CICC graduatesare FEMALE
15percent of CICC graduatesare serving in an Engineeringcapacity
16
by the numbers
YEAR
2005
CICC is for everyone
SIXthe average number of members on a project kaizen team... CICC participants learn how to prioritize improvement opportunities, develop skills to build strong teams and are taught how to lead kaizen, focused on providing immediate, measureable and profitable impacts.
design: gariphic.comNot convinced? Check out the recent project results at http://bit.ly/CICCprogram
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