AVON GEAR: A Prime Example of a Transformation Company
Empowered employees are critical in driving operational improvements. Management must demonstrate their trust in their employees to do the right thing.
-- Dave Share, President-Avon Gear
Established in 1974 and located in Shelby Township, Michigan, Avon Gear is known for the design and production of large, complex, precision parts for heavy equipment industries in North America and beyond. To successfully compete in today’s challenging economy with rising material and energy costs, Avon Gear formed strategic partnerships with domestic and international companies to ensure that all of their customers’ needs are met. This combination ensures their global competitiveness, per company president, Dave Share. The Company has 100 employees.
Challenge
Avon Gear turned to MMTC for guidance in operational improvements and to reposition them to regain market share.
Solution
Impressed with MMTC’s data-driven, on-site assessment approach, Share and his team participated in MMTC’s Leadership–In-Action Innovative Strategic Planning. Their goal was to better align company resources to drive operational improvements, regain market share within their core competencies, and establish a foothold in new niche markets.
The management team identified key employees to lead the improvement charge. Rather than dictating changes, Share let the employees decide what to improve based on what they had learned during their training with MMTC. “Empowered employees are critical in driving operational improvements. Management must demonstrate their trust in their employees to do the right thing,” stated Share.
Avon Gear employees engaged the strategic plan and worked to improve operations with a specific return-on-investment in mind for each event. With MMTC mentoring throughout a series of improvement events, including building a new website, hosting multiple kaizen events and implementing a standard work process, Avon Gear has become a prime example of a true transformational company.
Results
- 10% overall operational improvement
- Over $100,000 in bottom line savings
- Addition of 6 new customers