The Power Of Continuous Improvement BY ACME CORRUGATED BOX
Board Converting NEWS INTERNET DIRECTORY
ARC INTERNATIONAL www.ARCInternational.com
Floor markings guiding process flow. Shadow boards showing designated spots for each tool. An employee whose singular focus is ensuring efficient production runs. At Acme Corrugated Box, these everyday measures all fall under Continuous Improvement. While most custom- ers never see or hear about our Continuous Improvement department, it’s one of our company’s winning ingredients – and not commonly seen in our industry. “Decreased downtime, shorter setup times, higher mo- rale and retention – these are all fruits of Continuous Im- provement here at Acme Corrugated Box,” says Alex Co- hen, Operational Excellence Manager. “They’re passed to our customers in the form of box quality, cost, and on-time delivery. Honestly, I’m surprised more box manufacturers don’t adopt it.” What Is Continuous Improvement? Continuous Improvement is a rolling basis methodol- ogy that identifies problems impeding efficiency, then makes changes to fix them. Continuous improvement cul- ture is widely attributed to Ford Motor Company, but as a formal business methodology, it began in Japan. In fact, the word Kaizen – the name of Continuous Improvement’s lead strategy – literally translates to improvement: The Japanese character kai means “change;” the character zen means “good.” Companies with dedicated Continuous Improvement departments consistently outperform their counterparts in terms of longevity, customer satisfaction, and outcomes overall. This reality is what inspired Acme Corrugated Box to adopt the methodology more than ten years ago. “Around 2010, we saw opportunity to tighten opera- tions for a number of reasons, including the desire to keep cost down and drive quality up,” Cohen explains. The Continuous Improvement department at Acme Corrugated Box was designed to address day-to-day prob- lems faced by plant operators. As needed, events such as Kaizens – learning initiatives that typically last a week, – dig deep into the root causes of workplace hurdles and develop clear solutions. Recently, for example, Acme Cor- rugated Box hosted a small Kaizen event focused on glue issues some customers were experiencing, and worked to remedy the matter. “Continuous Improvement generates solutions that benefit our customers and our teams. It’s a win-win,” Co- hen says. What It Takes While Continuous Improvement’s premise – ongoing change – sounds simple enough, Cohen notes that adop- tion of the methodology really does require a compa- ny-wide mindset shift. “Change is sometimes seen as a dirty word in busi- CONTINUED ON PAGE 38
ARC International is a world leader in the manufacturing of roller products for flexography. The latest nano-technology laser engraving in our NC and NV manufacturing facilities ensures superior quality and consistency in anilox rollers.
AES (ADVANCED EQUIPMENT SALES) www.aesales.net
AES is a leading full-service provider of integrated convey- ance systems specializing in scrap, trim, and dust. AES en- gineers custom scrap systems and works as a partner in process improvement to help businesses achieve greater profitability, productivity, and sustainability. Products include balers, shredders/hoggers, core shredders, filters, fans, and specialized dust control and collection systems. AES is the ex- clusive distributor for the AirShark Rotary Material Separator.
AMERICAN CORRUGATED MACHINE www.acm-corp.com
For a wide variety of new and used equipment on to- day’s market, visit our website at www.acm-corp.com.
BAUMER HHS CORPORATION www.baumerhhs.com
hhs is a global leader in advanced gluing, camera verifica- tion and quality assurance systems for the packaging indus- try. Zero-defect quality and elevated production speeds are key parameters in the manufacturing of corrugated boxes. With hhs Xcam Box Monitoring and non-contact flap gluing of corrugated board, hhs offers every option for quality as- surance in the production of boxes with flexo folder gluers. BLOWER APPLICATION COMPANY (BLOAPCO) www.BloApCo.com BloApCo has served the corrugated industry since 1933 with a variety of scrap handling solutions, including Hori- zontal Floor Shredders, Trim Cutters, and Material Handling Fans and Conveying Systems. BloApCo Shredders allow for continuous shredding and pneumatic removal of sheet waste stacks of all sizes, roll slab, cores, and carton scrap.
CORRUGATED MACHINERY SPECIALISTS www.cmsretrofits.com
Leading manufacturer and installer of quality retrofits, up- grades and replacement parts for S&S and Prime Flexo Folder Gluers. Specialists in reconditioning of S&S Flexo Folder Gluers, including ink, air and electrical systems.
CORRUGATOR BELT SERVICE LLC www.corrugator.com
Serving the corrugated box industry since 1991, Chicago- based Corrugator Belt Service LLC maintains corru- gator belts for peak board quality and performance.
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