Articles by SCMFG/Staff

Building an OpEx/CI Culture on a Shoestring Budget

All the 131 OpExChange member companies are at some stage of their continuous improvement journey. Some have been working on this for multiple decades and some are just getting started. Two things we all have learned through this: 1) The journey never ends. 2) No matter where…


Sleep Number Improves Productivity by 75% with Zero Capital Investment

Sleep Number Corporation, manufacturer of the award-winning 360® smart bed, hosted a plant visit for the OpExChange at their Irmo site last week.  They shared that value stream mapping (VSM) has become an integral tool in their continuous improvement program.  Although there is still room for improvement,…



Celebrating VC (Victory Over COVID) – Part 2

Is it time to celebrate Victory over Covid Day (VC Day)? The country (as well as the rest of the world) is coming out of a pandemic that has impacted all of us in profound ways. Some have lost loved ones, some have suffered from anxiety and…


Are You Still Having Trouble Finding Manufacturing Employees?

The Challenge The shortage of workers remains a challenge for manufacturers.  Reuters reported on July 1, 2021: “. . . a shortage of willing workers is hampering hiring, with other data on Thursday showing a      measure of employment at factories contracting in June for the first time…


Are you short on time? Not enough hours in the day?

  Eat That Frog – Time Management Join FocalPoint Coaches Jerry Pilewski, John Roney, and Mike Ungar for their next Business Advantage free webinar on August 24 from 12pm to 1pm for: You can do anything . . . But you cannot do everything. Time management is…


Celebrating VC (Victory Over COVID)

In the spring and summer of 1945, the United States celebrated two very important milestones. VE Day (Victory in Europe) and VJ Day (Victory over Japan) were two of the most important dates of the 20th century. I remember my mother describing the euphoria as people were…


Turbidity in Industrial Wastewater. What is it and Why Measure?

What is Turbidity? Turbidity refers to the cloudiness of water caused by tiny particles or suspended solids. These particles are so small that they are invisible to the naked eye. Turbidity is technically described as the measure of clarity in water. Defined by the American Water Works…



Onboarding for Mergers and Acquisitions

We often think of onboarding for new hires, but effective onboarding is also imperative for successful transition during mergers and acquisitions. Even before the final contracts are signed, it is beneficial to have an onboarding plan. Sadly, more often than not, little preparation has been made for…