Lean Manufacturing provides the foundation for continuous improvement and change in an industry that typically thrives on repetition and high throughput.
One simple aspect of Lean is to decrease distance between value added material and where the material will be assembled. With the new building, that material( aluminum and steel framing, aluminum panels & trim, axles, wheels, etc.) is received at the front of the building, next to the road used by approaching supply vehicles. Material storage inside the facility is near receiving, with plenty of space in the margins of the production line for transporting it. Material storage is conveniently located near its corresponding production station, so ATC builders can continuously do value added work without wasting time searching for material.
Lean principals can also be applied to the office layout. Engineering, purchasing, sales, IT, marketing and the executive team are all located in an open office space in a raised mezzanine overlooking the production floor. The mezzanine allows for office employees to quickly check on the status of trailers on the production line. The open layout( no walls or cubical) allows for conversation and ideas to easily be shared, for problems to quickly be fixed and for order process to flow efficiently.
While trailer production was the chief focus of the facility design, Brenneman invested in features to give employees a sense of pride for their company. Modern design aesthetics were installed in the office( including skylights), windows line the production area, a 4,500-square foot employee cafeteria was built with tall ceilings and modern decorative drop ceilings. A wooded area outside the building, next to the employee entrance, wasn’ t removed to improve the look of the campus. Soon, a crushed limestone walking / running path will wind through the trees and around the building and employees that exercise over break can use two private showers.
These nice features are an ancillary benefit that doesn’ t necessarily support production efficiency, but Brenneman’ s goal was to boost employee morale. And, according to Brenneman, a strong argument can be made that a prideful and content employee base will be more productive and care more about quality.
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