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Douglas Machine Increase Sales and Jobs through Training Within Industry ProgramOur Client
Founded in 1964, Douglas Machine, Inc. has become a leader in manufacturing packaging machinery. An employee-owned private corporation since 2000, Douglas Machine uses many patented and patent-pending technologies. They produce paperboard, corrugated, and shrink-film packaging solutions primarily for the food and beverage industries. Today, Douglas Machine operates in Alexandria and Deerwood, Minnesota, employs 500 people, and they have sold and installed over 6,000 of their packaging machines in companies located in more than 30 countries. Our client's problemDouglas Machine's biggest challenge was managing the cost of growth effectively. In the last few years Enterprise Minnesota trained Douglas employees on Continuous Improvement concepts- in which Douglas incorporated many aspects of lean thinking in an effort to improve products, services, or processes to be more efficient.
Teryl Magaard, Employee Education Manager at Douglas Machine, said they chose to receive TWI training because of their supervisors' needs. Since most of the supervisors had risen in the company's ranks - from assembler to supervisor - they lacked managerial knowledge and skills. Given the "homegrown" nature of many of Douglas Machine's supervisors, Magaard thought it would be useful to invest in the TWI training. Enterprise Minnesota's Solution? Training Within Industry
TWI is a new lean-based training program that provides the framework for employees to succeed in applying GreenLeanSM principles into their daily work life. TWI consists of three standardized programs: Job Methods, Job Instruction, and Job Relations.
Douglas Machine agreed to receive all three aspects of TWI training during 2007. Enterprise Minnesota provided Douglas Machine with the TWI training program to 12 employees over a 10-month period. Rick Paulsen, CEO of Douglas Machine, Inc., said that he particularly appreciated the practical and constructive nature of the training and believes he has seen an increase in productivity and efficiency in his supervisors since the TWI training. Douglas Machine's ResultsDouglas Machine continues to expand and thrive. This last year, an independent survey conducted by a Washington DC-based firm reported for a 12-month period Douglas had reported $11.7 million in increased sales, $230,000 in cost savings, and 32 jobs created - all partially as a result of the TWI training. |
The participants who took part in the training were extremely impressed with the quality of the instruction; it was practical and useful in their daily activities at Douglas Machine. In terms of its usefulness and practicality, I would give it very high marks. I would
also give high-marks to the instructors who provided quality hands-on training.
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