As a manufacturer of aerospace parts for jet engines, Firth Rixson Monroe was hit hard by the fallout from the tragic events of 9/11. "Before the end of that day, one of our biggest customers called to push off orders," says Human Resources Executive Mary Lindsay. Soon, other customers also delayed or stopped orders.

With the sudden drop in production, the company needed to find new ways to maintain profitability. A key area that was identified was working more efficiently through lean manufacturing, a mode of operation that is widely regarded as a competitive weapon to reduce costs, improve quality, and improve a company's bottom line.

Putting in Place a Solid Foundation
Having recently completed continuous process improvement training at a NYS industrial effectiveness program, Firth Rixson Monroe was in an ideal position to implement lean manufacturing. "With lean manufacturing, we'd be able to standardize our work processes, reduce waste and continuously improve more easily," says Lindsay. She added that through lean manufacturing, "simple things such as developing processes to minimize waste on expensive raw materials could add up to great savings."

In order to achieve the cultural change required for lean manufacturing, Firth Rixson Monroe had to start with a solid foundation of training. The company turned to Director Connie Felder at RochesterWorks! for help in applying for a grant that would fund the training. "RochesterWorks! made the application process as simple as possible," says Lindsay. "Connie was very helpful in determining the appropriate grant and then guiding us through the application process."

Shortly after applying for a customized training grant, Firth Rixson Monroe received $39,237 to train its employees. From November 2002 through February 2003, every employee underwent classroom and hands-on training by Innovative Lean Solutions to learn the fundamentals of lean manufacturing. The training was broken into three tiers according to employee roles and responsibilities, and covered lean manufacturing principles ranging from value stream mapping to visual controls to standard work and line design. These concepts were then applied throughout the company, from the way processes were developed and managed to how they were used on the floor.

Increasing Profitability through Lean Manufacturing
Through its migration to lean manufacturing, Firth Rixson Monroe was able to minimize layoffs during a time when most companies in the industry were letting go scores of employees. In fact, the company improved efficiency and productivity so well that in 2003 it was acquired by the Carlyle Group and has since become the number one profit group for its organization. Today the company continues to prosper, consistently increasing its business and profit margins.

"The training we received through the grant funding was crucial to our success," says Lindsay. "Lean manufacturing is a culture now and it makes everything from training to developing ISO processes more efficient and easier. Continuously improving has become a way of life."