1. This letter is my personal recommendation for Exercise Lean. As a Project Manager, I was faced with the task of
turning a non-profitable work cell into a cell that would provide 20% profit margins. Current profit margins were in
the red, losing $50 for every part we had shipped to our customer was unacceptable business practice; our delivery
of 30 units a week was costing the Kilroy Co. $1500 weekly.
Our work culture needed to change otherwise we would be faced with the difficult decision to lay off more
employees and move backwards from our goal of “growing the business”. That change was quite simple, a
company from Simpsonville, South Carolina known as: Exercise Lean headed north to Mentor, Ohio to take on the
challenge to prove that the Kilroy Co. can still compete globally in manufacturing, and provide profitable results in
less than 6 months.
President John F. Petak led the charge by coordinating a “Hoshin Process” and implementing and teaching
continuous cost saving methods such as: 5 why problem solving techniques, kanban style super market pull
systems, 5s, hour by hour production boards, progressing and monitoring timelines by using a plan do check act
spreadsheet focusing on action items with assigned owners and implemented expenses with return on investment
factored in.
I am pleased to announce that in less than 6 months, we experienced a record sales month in April of 2010 due to
the fact that we are now successfully shipping 100 units a week to our customer, and producing a part complete
every 60’ (the initial goal was to make a part every 75’ to obtain a 20% profit margin).
The 5s work shop was instrumental in making the project a success. Exercise Lean measured the old process using
video cameras and stopwatches “real time” to determine where the waste essentially existed. Once the waste was
identified the operators and cell leader placed a red tag on all items deemed not useful and were then placed in the
red tag holding area implemented by Exercise Lean.
Employees moral has also improved due to the adopted 5s culture. All hand tools, measuring devices and work
instructions were placed on work stations designed by Exercise Lean, and built by the employees at the Kilroy Co.
during the Hoshin Process. The workstations eliminated time spent walking or searching for items or tools needed
to perform the job due to the fact that “all” needed items were in place ready to use and identified with a name,
location and border therefore giving the operator or auditor instant view if an item was missing.
Ergonomics were also vital in employee satisfaction, the old process traveled the length of three football fields, our
current process travels less than 100 ft. Employee absenteeism has dropped by 11% over the last four months due
to the new cell layout.
As of today we have taken many of the principles and methods taught to us by Exercise Lean, and have
implemented them throughout the entire shop floor, to better provide: quality, delivery, response, customer
satisfaction and safety.
I highly recommend Exercise Lean, for their services provided are nothing less than first class, they can provide
value added methods to any company and have the devotion and services that are not commonly found amongst
most practices today.
Thank you,
Brian McGill
Project Manager
Trust Technologies, a Kilroy Co.
115 North Orchard Farms Avenue www.exerciselean.com
Simpsonville South Carolina 29681 jpetak@exerciselean.com
Rev. Date: June 15, 2010
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