AIDT’s Process Improvement Assessment

Value Statement

The Process Improvement Assessment is a service offered by AIDT that provides an independent third-party review of your company’s business processes as it relates to lean manufacturing.

If your company has been in operation at least 18 months, AIDT will assist you by:

• Assessing your processes via interviews and plant tour
• Offering suggestions for improvement
• Offering AIDT services
• Recommending local Alabama resources that may assist in overcoming identified weaknesses
• Reassess Process after weaknesses have been addressed

Our Background

Experts at Mercedes-Benz in Vance, Alabama developed a system for evaluating a manufacturing operation using the principles of lean manufacturing. The system scores an operation based on 17 areas of interest. The higher the score in each area, the closer the area is to true lean manufacturing standards.

Even though Mercedes developed the assessment for its own use, AIDT was graciously given permission to use it across the state of Alabama to help other manufacturing businesses. The AIDT Continuous Improvement team handles this work. Meet the team.

How it Works

The Process Improvement Assessment is administered in a “go-and-see” method. The AIDT team will tour the plant, observe processes, and interview key personnel. The assessment usually lasts four (4) to six (6) hours.

The team then develops feedback through the compilation and analysis of the data collected. About one week later the team will return to your company to provide the feedback report. Within the report, the company is rated on how well they meet the requirements of each of the seventeen points. This report also consists of three (3) forms of feedback for each of the seventeen areas reviewed:

1. What your company is doing correctly
2. What areas can benefit through improvement
3. Recommendations for improvement

These ratings, along with team comments, provide direction for your company in its pursuit of continuous improvement.

Continually Improving
Keeping in the spirit of Continuous Improvement, the team regularly looks for ways to improve their skills as well as the usefulness of the assessment itself. This means that the assessment is constantly being refined and improved. The team has attended training sessions provided by lean experts such as Simply Lean Consulting and Solutions Plus, as well as hands-on workshops on the production line at Mercedes.

What do our clients like about the Assessment?

• It’s confidential
• “Best Practices” are revealed and discussed
• The assessment can be performed in a single work day
• Quick turnaround time on assessment results
• Clarifies improvement opportunities

Testimonials

EnovaPremier “As a result of AIDT’s Process Improvement Assessment of our plant and processes we were able to gain recognition at the AAMA meeting and received a plaque for our continuous improvement. Now this has lead to AIDT reviewing all HMMA’s tier one plants, and that is a great accomplishment. I look forward to our next review to see the improvements we’ve made and how our processes have gained from those improvements. The assessment has been a very useful tool to help our plant move forward with improving, and was completed by a great team of individuals.” Eric Chartrand – Plant Manager EnovaPremier, LLC Montgomery, Alabama

	Old Iron Doors, LLC “We are extremely grateful with the willingness of AIDT to share the knowledge acquired from successful established companies which is strongly needed by small businesses like ours in order to continuously improve ourselves and be more competitive in the market.” Eduardo S. Cuneo Old Iron Doors, LLC Birmingham, Alabama

Lear Montgomery “In our pursuit for continuous improvement of our internal processes, Lear Montgomery Seating Division was honored to open its doors and welcome the Alabama Industrial Development Training Team (AIDT). The AIDT Team was very efficient using a “go-and-see” method on our plant floor to evaluate our systems, observe our processes and interview key members of the Lear staff. They extended practical advice and support to enable us to remain focused and committed to achieving high levels of automotive quality.” Duk Kim – Plant Manager Lear Montgomery (SSD) Montgomery, Alabama – USA

Contact Us
The members of the Continuous Improvement Team look forward to assisting you in becoming a leaner operation.

To request a PI Assessment for your company today, please contact Frank Chestnut at (334) 328-2513 or email him at fchestnut@aidt.edu.