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Making a Difference Awards 2017 in the Americas Region

MAKING A DIFFERENCE 2017 REGIONAL AWARDS

Every year, dozens of projects are submitted to the global A.R.M.A. Way Award Contest in each of the four categories: Appreciate Our Customers, Raise Our Efficiency, Manage Our Cash, and Act to Empower Our Employees. In 2016, 125 of these projects were submitted from the Americas region alone. Careful consideration was given to all projects by the global selection committee, however only one winner and one runner up can be chosen in each category.

To further recognize the unique, innovative, and creative projects our region has completed, we have created the Making a Difference Award. An additional project from each section of the A.R.M.A. Way was honored at the 2017 Leadership Meeting on June 7th.

Appreciate Our Customers

APR Improve Density and Compression from Conover to Match Mebane

Team Representative: AJ Preston

Team Members: Kartik Patel, Keith Black, Tim Ledden, David Navlyt, Sandy Shattles, Rafael Briceno, Doresa Dixon, Robert VanVoorhis, Thermon Breeze

Several complaints were received about APR products that were soft and had thin skin. The same customer would receive the same products with noticeable differences because they were made in different locations. The Conover plant was assisting with high demand for the APR thicknesses that were typically only produced in Mebane, and the Conover product had lower density and CD results. A team was put in place to correct these traits, and monitor the process going forward to ensure the changes stayed in place to standardize the product.

Sandy Shattles, Kartik Patel, Tim Ledden, and Joe Bellomo accepted the award on behalf of the team.

Raise Our Efficiency

Recruiting HRIS Implementation and Process Improvement

Team Member: Nicole Mangiapane

Superior: Karen Marceau

There were four goals of this project: to reduce outside recruiter spending, to eliminate paper process steps, to reduce time spent tracking applicants, and to improve a candidate’s first impression of Armacell. To accomplish this, HR implemented the Recruiting module and LinkedIn partnership, which allows for a streamlined online process for internal and external job postings and applications. This process saves over one hour of labor and so far in 2017 has saved the Amercias region over $250,000 in recruiting fees.

Nicole Mangiapane and Karen Marceau accepted this award together.

Manage Our Cash

Thin Material from the Bun Line

Team Representative: Tony McCumbers

Team Members: Craig Webb, Steve Tipton, Roger Stone, Matt Sampson, Kevin Deweese,

Michael Boatwright, David King,

Superior: Ken Carr

By reengineering the current molds, at a cost of $4,000, the project eliminated the following: $31,900 labor from sorting, $21,252 from material rejected while sorting, and $22,072 from customer credits on 3091 2x48x80. This is a B/C ratio of 18.8. In addition to the material designated by the stratification, the team expanded the solution to four other products, which brought an additional benefit of $9,240 and has increased customer satisfaction by removing their need to sort out thin material while processing our product.

Ken Carr accepted this award on behalf of the team.

Act to Empower Our Employees

Large ID Tube Project

Team Members: David Prescott and Jason Paylor

Superior: Kartik Patel

Using the radial spider head design, this project was able to manufacture large ID preformed pipe insulation in order to increase sales and provide a one stop solution for our customers. The existing equipment was a challenge, but David and Jason were empowered to work outside their normal scope of responsibility to assure the project’s success. They were able to work with others on this project (sales, management, marketing) and now Armacell is able to provide 8in and 10in iron pipe size insulation, which is the largest size in the global product offering.

Kartik Patel accepted this award on behalf of the team and presented to Jason Paylor and David Prescott below.

Thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination to the A.R.M.A. Way contest in 2016. 

Download Making a Difference in Americas Awards bulletin here.

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