Case Studies
Featured Case Study
Super Thin Saws Sharpens Their Current Condition And Plans For Their Future With Value Stream Mapping
Super Thin Saws (STS), located in Waterbury, VT, began as Schultz Tool Sharpening in 1976. In the 1980’s, they were largely assisted by California Cedar Products Company, who had developed the special design STS uses today; this was accomplished in partnership with the Mechanical Engineering Dept. at Berkeley and California Saw & Knife Works. What […]
Featured Case Study
Gordon’s Window Decor – Making Their Future Bright By Embracing 5s As Standard Work
A Vermont-grown business, Gordon’s Window Decor (GWD) began operations in 1986 and has grown steadily, currently employing 26 full time workers. Based in Williston, Vermont, this woman-owned family business designs, manufactures and installs shades and comprehensive window treatments for businesses, schools, and homeowners worldwide. They are the only manufacturer of shades located in Vermont. Citing […]
Featured Case Study
Advanced Illumination Revisits Strategic Planning, Leading To Improved Sales Efforts
Advanced Illumination (Ai) is an industrial lighting company, primarily serving the Machine Vision Industry. Founded in the Boston area in 1993, Ai was the world’s first LED lighting company. A developer and manufacturer of structured lighting and control electronics, Ai supports a wide variety of manufacturing activities around the globe. After relocating to Rochester, Vermont, […]
Featured Case Study
Lane Press Embraces Vermont’s Required Health Officer Training and VOSHA Mandatory Requirements
Founded in 1904, Lane Press, headquartered in South Burlington, Vermont, is the only printer in North America dedicated solely to magazine publishers. Lane Press specializes in high quality color magazines. The company produces close to 350 titles and employs 170 full-time staff. In accordance with Vermont Governor Phil Scott’s COVID-19 3-phased reopening plan (created in […]
Featured Case Study
Bee’s Wrap – Because good food deserves good care
What do you get when you infuse organic cotton with beeswax, organic jojoba oil and tree resin? Bee’s Wrap, what else?! Seeking a way to eliminate plastics in her kitchen in favor of a healthier, more sustainable way to store her family’s food, Vermonter Sarah Kaeck, created a washable, reusable and compostable alternative to plastic […]
Featured Case Study
Supervisory Leadership Development: Growing Supervisors & Leaders for a Lean Environment
Most supervisors are promoted from within, but too often without having any company-provided structured training to help these individuals succeed in their new leadership roles. When Mike Rainville, President, Owner and Founder of Maple Landmark Woodcraft decided he wanted to develop the leadership capabilities of his team of Supervisors to become “Lean Leaders” capable of taking on the responsibilities […]
Improves Production Flow with Value Stream Mapping project
LEDdynamics, a custom engineering company located in Randolph, VT, specializes in the design and integration of LED technology for end-user and OEM applications. Their breakthrough EverLED-TR fluorescent tube replacement has earned Popular Science’s “Best of What’s New” and EC&M’s “Product of the Year” awards. Recently, the company called in VMEC to assist with a customer […]
A Valuable Partnership with CoreValue
For fifty plus years, North Hartland Tool Corporation (NHTC) has been a leader in the design and manufacturing of precision fixtures, gages and machining, and micro-hole drilling, primarily for the aerospace, electronics, and automotive industries. The Vermont-based company has about 100 employees, in several states, as well as China. When NHTC began using CoreValue, it […]
Superior Technical Ceramics
The 5S System allows Superior Technical Ceramics Corporation to improve customer satisfaction Superior Technical Ceramics (STC) Corporation located in Saint Albans, Vermont has been in business since 1898 and currently has 130 employees working within 100,000 square feet. The company is breaking new ground in the field of advanced ceramic materials that offer advantages such […]
Howard Center
HowardCenter Finds Success in Applying Value Stream Mapping to a segment of their Revenue Cycle Process HowardCenter is a non-profit organization that provides services to children with serious emotional and behavioral challenges, adults who need mental health and substance abuse treatment, and children and adults with developmental disabilities. Last year, HowardCenter served over 15,000 individuals […]
Developing Fuel Management Systems using Lean Product Development
Liquid Measurement Systems (LMS) began in 1989 with one big idea – replace the heavy metal tubes in fuel probes with graphite composite. It was lighter, more durable and would not corrode. Manufacturing of these new probes began shortly thereafter with the understanding that everything was to be done with the highest attention to detail […]
500 + Ideas Implemented! A Progress Report on Sustaining Lean with Employee Involvement at Autumn Harp
Customer Profile Autumn Harp is a specialized research and development and manufacturing partner in the cosmetics and skin care industry. Located in Essex Junction, Vermont, Autumn Harp develops innovative cosmetic formulations (certified organic and natural), water-based technology and color cosmetics that are packed and labeled in a wide variety of containers. The company supplies products […]
Woodworking Solutions by Innovation Engineering
Company Profile Classic Designs/Tablelegs.com by Matthew Burak/Tablelegs.com offers furniture and architectural components to wood-workers on a just-in-time, semi-custom and custom basis that are hard-to-find or hard-to-make. Hundreds of different designs and eight standard wood species result in over 9,000 unique table legs, kitchen island legs, columns, bun feet, table base kits, corbels & architectural components. […]
Schoolhouse Naturals Rock Toy Industry
Company Profile Maple Landmark Woodcraft located in Middlebury, Vermont, is a manufacturer of small wood toys, games, and giftware. Started in 1979, the company sells wholesale to toy stores and gift shops, and also direct through its catalog and website. Many of the 37 employees include members of owner Mike Rainville’s extended family, which makes […]
G.S. Precision Takes on the Many Facets of Lean Implementation
G.S. Precision Inc. is a family owned business which was founded in Wilmington, VT in 1958 and moved to its current headquarters location in Brattleboro, VT in 1985. G.S. Precision has grown to a total of three facilities in North America. With an eye toward becoming a leader in the precision machining field, the company […]
Simon Pearce – Turning Pottery One Piece At a Time with Help from VMEC
Founded in 1981, Simon Pearce is a family owned business located in Windsor, Vermont. There are three (3) manufacturing facilities – Windsor, Vermont, Quechee, Vermont and Mt. Lake Park, Maryland. The company manufactures handblown glass and handmade pottery which they sell through their own retail stores and website. They also sell wholesale to distributers. Their […]