TOTAL SOURCE MANUFACTURING: Pursuing Continuous Improvement, One Step at a Time
Support from the Going PRO Talent Fund with training provided by The Center played an integral role by providing technical, manufacturing-based education for TSM’s leadership team. The team then applied this knowledge towards our Continuous Improvement Process and, by improving our operational efficiencies, we have naturally increased our production capacity without spending capital dollars. These positive results are allowing TSM to continue making changes necessary to move our business to the next level.
-- Greg Stuchell, General Manager
Total Source Manufacturing (TSM) is a family-owned aluminum fabricator built on the values of continuous improvement combined with strong customer relationships. TSM (totalsourcemfg.com) houses 14 CNCs, robotic welding, press operations, parts assembly, finished coating and laser sketching in their Jackson, Mich., facility. They provide expert services for the furniture, marine/boating and commercial food supply industries. TSM opened in 2002 and currently employs 59 people.
Challenge
Like any successful organization, TSM is always seeking ways to improve operations while growing their core business. TSM’s objective was to increase its operational capacity by improving job effectiveness. TSM believed they had an opportunity to improve capacity by 20%, which would have a direct positive impact towards the bottom line. To realize this vision, education would be essential for widening the skillsets for TSM’s leadership team.
Solution
Using funding from the Going PRO Talent Fund provided through Michigan Works!, TSM worked with experts at the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (The Center) to develop a comprehensive training plan to address their needs. This included:
• Small Business Operations Planning (SBOP) to analyze business strategies and develop more effective approaches to running the company.
• Marketing strategy and customer cultivation to help the company grow their customer base beyond their two main majority customers in order to become a more independent and profitable company.
• Website development training to create a company website starting from the ground up. An interactive, engaging website was launched to more easily reach out to customers and enhance the organization’s online presence.
As a result of these initiatives, TSM is making gains with more efficient processes. TSM continues their journey towards establishing a continuous improvement culture while growing their client base.
Results
- Retained Jobs: 51
- New Jobs: 8
- Increased daily productivity as a result of continuous reductions in CNC changeover times.
- While increasing their operational head count, TSM’s Operations Team has maintained a minimal increase in the overall labor cost.