Turning a Struggling Assembly Line into a Profit Generator
Building a Culture of Improvement
Scott’s Mission at the Defense Contractor
The Challenge
The large facilities of the defense contractor were alive with activity, but beneath the surface, chaos loomed. Supply chain delays, employee turnover, and growing demand created an overwhelming situation. The company needed a lifeline—and fast.
That’s when Scott and his team of consultants were called in. Their mission? Build a Continuous Improvement System across the company and deliver results—quickly.
A Plan to Tackle the Challenge
Scott began by assembling the foundation for change:
- 👥 **Corporate Steering Team**: Senior leaders responsible for setting clear goals and aligning priorities.
- 🛠️ **Support Teams**: Local teams at each business unit to remove roadblocks and ensure progress wasn’t slowed by bureaucracy.
To solve problems effectively, Scott created two specialized teams:
- 📊 **Engineering Teams**: Provided data and technical analysis to identify root causes and guide solutions.
- 🧑🔧 **Hourly Problem-Solving Teams**: Frontline employees directly addressed issues on the shop floor where the work happened.
Training for Success
Scott and his team designed a structured training program built around the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle. Teams attended a one-day workshop on A3 Problem Solving, followed by:
- 📅 Weekly two-hour coaching sessions for six weeks.
- 🔍 Hands-on application of the process to real challenges under expert guidance.
This ensured teams didn’t just learn the process—they applied it to meaningful problems.
A System for Sustained Improvement
Scott’s team rolled out the program in twelve-week cycles across the company’s business units. By the end of each cycle, the company’s employees were ready to take ownership of the system. The result? A system that could sustain itself long after the consultants were gone.
The Results
The results spoke for themselves. In just three of the eight business units, the company achieved:
- 💰 Unlocked over $15 million in added capacity.
- 📉 Captured $3 million in cost reductions.
- 📦 Mitigated supply chain issues and improved employee engagement.
“As Scott walked through one of the factories, he saw employees brainstorming around an A3 board. They weren’t waiting for someone else to fix things—they were taking ownership.”
This wasn’t just about solving problems—it was about empowering a company to adapt, grow, and thrive.
What Can You Learn from Scott?
Effective change requires leadership, collaboration, and empowering employees to take ownership.