The HON Company Earns Prestigious Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing
Los Angeles South Gate Plant Joins List of Distinguished North American Plants Recognized as the Best in Lean Manufacturing
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Allanson, Robert Falls & Co. Public Relations, 216-696-0229, jallanson@robertfalls.com
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MUSCATINE, Iowa, February 9, 2007 – The HON Company announced today that its South Gate manufacturing plant, located eight miles south of Los Angeles, has received the Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing. Recognized as the premier manufacturing award in North America, the Shingo Prize honors organizations that demonstrate business excellence and world-class performance in quality, cost, and delivery achieved through lean principles and techniques.
"We are extremely honored to receive this coveted award as it further underscores our unwavering commitment to minimizing waste, improving efficiency and being a good corporate citizen," said Eric Jungbluth, president of The HON Company. "The HON Company has long taken pride in our lean enterprise culture and we are proud that our South Gate team's dedication and efforts are being recognized."
Established in 1988, the Shingo Prize is the only award program in the world focused on lean manufacturing. Plants are evaluated on Customer Satisfaction and Profitability; Quality, Cost and Delivery; Lean Core Operations; and Leadership and Empowerment Enablers. A Board of Examiners consisting of over 175 lean leaders throughout North America, representing primarily former Shingo Prize recipient companies, carry out the rigorous process of evaluating the 100 page Achievement Report and the 2-3 day company Site Evaluation Visit for each nominee.
Established in 1981, The HON Company's South Gate Plant has a team of 340 members who contribute to the daily pursuit of operational excellence through Rapid Continuous Improvement (RCI). Key results demonstrated by the plant include:
- Delivered the highest level of quality products and service by achieving the lowest rate of customer complaints within The HON Company for eight consecutive years
- Improved on-time shipment of South Gate products to 99.6 percent while reducing the level of inventory stored at the plant
- Exceeded environmental requirements by reducing air emissions by 79 percent over the past three years
- Executed RCI practices, enabling South Gate to implement 1,935 member suggestions in 2006 alone
- Contributed more than 2,600 hours of community service during the past three years
"This award recognizes the results of years of work by our members at South Gate and throughout The HON Company," said Kevin Mathis, VP of Operations "Beginning in 1992, we learned from Japanese consultants how to take all forms of waste out of our operation. These methods are now known as Lean Manufacturing. Our members have learned how to work in teams to achieve breakthrough performance in quality, delivery, cost reduction and creating a great place to work. We are proud of all our members. Receiving the Shingo Prize is a great honor."
About The Shingo Prize
The Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing, for manufacturers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, is administered by the College of Business, Utah State University. Awards for the 2007 Recipients and Finalists will be presented at the 19th Annual Shingo Prize Conference and Awards Ceremony to be held March 29, 2007, at the Hyatt Regency in Jacksonville, Florida.
About The HON Company
The HON Company is a leader in the design and manufacturing of workplace furniture including chairs, files, panel systems and desks. Headquartered in Muscatine, Iowa, The HON Company has numerous manufacturing facilities strategically located throughout the United States, and markets its products through a nationwide network of dealers and retailers. The HON Company is an operating company of HNI Corporation (formerly HON INDUSTRIES).
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