The Challenges and Rewards of Implementing Lean:

How Lessons from Manufacturing Can Apply to Construction

Gerry Snell, Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership

May 27th, 2009

Rhinelander Restaurant, Portland Oregon

Lean is well known for its effectiveness on the factory floor but the most effective use is the adoption of Lean throughout the entire organization.  Our definition of Lean includes leadership, strategic planning, business development, product design, and supplier input along with company operational functions. All of this is driven from the needs of the customer. We work primarily with manufacturing organizations but also work with health care organizations, educational organizations, and government organizations. We have found that all these organizations are similar when it comes to Lean implementation.    This experience can be expected to apply directly to the construction industry as very few of our manufacturing companies are repetitive high volume manufacturing companies  -  Most are provide custom products or services where each one is specific to the customer.

Gerry Snell is the Director of Sales/Marketing and Operations for the Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership (OMEP).  OMEP is a nonprofit that has the mission of helping Oregon manufacturing companies compete in the global market place. Over the last three years, OMEP clients have reported an average return of $108.00 for every $1.00 expended on OMEP services.  An independent survey of 150 clients reported increased and retained sales of over $525 million and cost savings of over $24 million over that three year period.

Gerry has been in Oregon manufacturing for over 25 years. His product designs have been featured in Time, Newsweek, and MacWorld. He has held leadership positions in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, and Business Development for large and small companies. He played a key role in starting up a division that shipped $2 million of product every day.  Along the way, he started and owned two manufacturing companies, one of which made the Business Journal’s fastest growing list two years in a row. He has Bachelors in Engineering and a Masters in Business.

Agenda

5:00-5:45          Introductions and Social Hour

5:45-6:45          Project Report—Gippsland Water Factory, Australia by Carl Gatzke, CH2M Hill

6:45-7:15          Dinner

7:15-8:45          Challenges and Rewards of Implementing Lean by Gerry Snell, CH2M Hill

Don't forget to register for our "LEAN PROJECTS IN THE NORTHWEST" program on May 15th at http://cascadianorthwestdesign2009.eventbrite.com.