Manufacture Smarter Blog

10/28/2016 - THE CENTER
For small businesses in today’s global and technologically advanced market, it is crucial to maintain competitiveness and stay aligned with larger organizations.

10/24/2016 - THE CENTER
On Friday, Oct. 21, The Center hosted an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate a quarter century of working with Michigan manufacturers, the opening of their new facility and the unveiling of their new brand.

10/14/2016 - THE CENTER
We all agree on the benefits of embracing a Six Sigma Culture. It is after all a management methodology which allows companies to use data to eliminate defects and reduce variability in any process, manufacturing and business alike.

10/7/2016 - THE CENTER
Manufacturers across the United States are always searching for new ways to enhance the growth and development of their organizations, commonly focusing on the optimization of key areas, such as profitability, productivity and customer satisfaction. The challenge most manufacturers face however, is optimizing these key areas simultaneously.

9/30/2016 - THE CENTER
Standardized work is perhaps one of the most powerful lean tools that will have the most impact on your organization’s daily operational activities ─ yet, it is the least used lean tool of the Lean Manufacturing concept. Why?

9/23/2016 - THE CENTER
Hoshin Planning, commonly referred to as “policy deployment”, is a method utilized to ensure that the strategic goals of a company are consistently driving development and action at every functional level of an organization. This type of methodology endeavors to remove all wastes resulting from discrepancies of direction and lack of communication in order to get every employee on the same page.

9/16/2016 - THE CENTER
All members of a company have a responsibility to solve workplace problems. Effective problem solving is critical for personal and business success. However, being able to execute solutions in a timely and cost-effective manner is often a challenge.

9/9/2016 - THE CENTER
Most manufacturers would assume their organization follows a continuous improvement approach, where they improve their products, services and processes in efforts to sustain success. However, according to the Kaizen/Lean Philosophy, Continuous Improvement is much more complex.

9/2/2016 - THE CENTER
Have a great Labor Day weekend!

8/26/2016 - THE CENTER
Rising costs, changing demand, or new zoning requirements are a few of the reasons companies decide to relocate their operations. Be it anticipated or unexpected, moving  a manufacturing facility is a complex, costly, and often sensitive process that demands strategic planning, strong leadership, and careful communication for effective execution.