Company Profile
Apogee Precision Parts (Apogee) has provided precision stamped, drawn, and CNC milled parts for the medical, lighting, automotive, defense, and electronics industry for more than 40 years. Apogee, known as an industry innovator, has improved and refined the processes by which refractory metals are drawn and stamped. Apogee consists of 9 employees and is a division of National Chain Group, one of the country’s most well-known producers of high-quality fashion chain.Â
Situation
Apogee’s largest customer, a recipient of the Shingo Prize, was interested in the Apogee’s Lean manufacturing approach. The Shingo Prize is based on a complete assessment of the organization’s culture and how well it drives world-class results. The customer’s interest in and commitment to operational excellence through Lean methodologies inspired Apogee to improve its own standing in this area.
 IMPACTS
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$600,000 in increased/retained sales |
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4 new or retained jobs | |
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$100,000 in cost savings |
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$25,000 investment in other areas of business |
Our biggest customer, a recipient of a Shingo Prize, is pleased with our Lean manufacturing initiative. A recent visit has led to the possibility of a large increase in business.
David Miale
President
Solution
Apogee engaged Polaris MEP, part of the MEP National Network, to implement Lean 5S. 5S is a workplace organization process that removes unneeded items (Sort), organizes items to optimize efficiency (Set In Order), cleans areas in order to more easily identify problems (Shine), implements color coding to stay consistent (Standardize), and encourages behaviors that keep the workplace organized for the long-term (Sustain).
Results
As part of the Lean 5S, the Apogee team was able to reduce manipulation errors in shipping and quality control by replacing boxes in finished goods and inventory areas with color-coded containers. Polaris MEP’s decades of Lean experience helped Apogee improve its workplace organization, cleanliness, and safety, and impress their biggest customer.