Purpose of the Network

Bring together manufacturing leaders to discuss the newest trends in advanced manufacturing especially within lean and share lessons learned for the purpose of advancing the competitiveness of their companies and the region. Beyond the networking, activities will include but not limited to plant tours, presentations on hot topics, demonstrations, or panel discussions. The agenda will be driven by the network.

Upcoming Meetings:

Program in Warsaw:  The Importance of Leadership in Sustaining Lean – Aluminum Trailer Corporation, Presented by the Warsaw Chapter at Aluminum Trailer Corporation – Nappanee, Indiana

Tuesday, June 4, 8:00 -10:00 am

There are a number of key operations within our production of trailers that set us apart. These operations provide true and transparent value to you and enable us to provide industry-leading quality, at the same time delivering trailers on a schedule that our competitors cannot match.

At ATC we believe that one, sole company should be responsible for the product they produce. In today’s world of outsourcing everything from material production, to assembly and installation and even customer service, ATC builds virtually every aspect of the trailer in house. From selection and procurement of raw materials, to frame assembly; from interior and exterior cladding to plumbing and electrical system installation; from door fabrication and installation to custom cabinetry and millwork; every component is produced and assembled under one roof in our Indiana facility, made by hand in the USA.

See Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpysKrqYxCI

For more information and to register for this session  or call 260-481-6619. All attendees must register.

Program in Fort Wayne:  Using Lean Tools in Different Process Flow Structures

Thursday, June 6, 8:00 am – 10:00 am --  at the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center, 3201 Stellhorn Road, Fort Wayne, IN

The process architecture is a key component in a firm's strategy for building a competitive advantage. When characterized by its flow structure, a process broadly can be classified either as a job shop or a flow shop. A job shop process uses general purpose resources and is highly flexible. A flow shop process uses specialized resources and the work follows a fixed path. This month’s meeting will include discussion about applying Lean Tools in different Process Flow Structures. The distinctions could be made in the process structure as follows:

• Assembly Line - Production of discrete parts moving from workstation to workstation at a controlled rate.
• Job shop - Production of small batches of a large number of different products.
• Batch shop - Production of a relatively stable line of products typically in batches.
• Continuous Flow - Conversion or further processing of undifferentiated materials.

Bill Paolucci – NISCO Seals will open the meeting with an Introduction to Low Volume Lean. Additional presenters from companies who have mixed flow, pure batch or pure job shop will relay their Lean Tool Application experiences.

For more information and to register for this session or call 260-481-6619. All attendees must register.

Newsletters

Corporate Advantage Newsletter - Spring 2013

Corporate Advantage Newsletter - Winter 2013

Corporate Advantage Newsletter - Fall 2012

Corporate Advantage Newsletter - Summer 2012

Corporate Advantage Newsletter - Spring 2012

Corporate Advantage Newsletter -  Winter 2012

Reference Documents and Presentations