Elward Systems Corporation designs and builds exterior wall cladding systems. In business since 1953, this employee owned corporation is a close-knit group with relatively low turnover. Jim Helgoth, company president, realized that while the stability spoke volumes about the great environment and high morale of the team, it also made them comfortable with the status quo. Elward sought an outside viewpoint and brought in BtenConsulting. Together, we used Value Stream Mapping to improve processes and reduce lead time and applied Lean Manufacturing principles to reduce waste and meet customer requirements. As with any change in the business world, Leading Change is the leadership challenge to make the changes permanent and successful. Elward reported they had retained sales of $1.5M and cost saving of $62,500 due to these efforts.
More of this story is at https://www.manufacturersedge.com/success-story/elward-systems-corporation-capitalizes-on-training-to-remain-successful-and-competitive-after-more-than-60-years-in-business/