Highwood USA

Highwood USA is a Tamaqua, Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of premium synthetic products that mimic the look of wood and other natural materials.  Since 2003, Highwood’s building trim, deck/dock products, fencing, furniture, and outdoor accessories have delivered the beauty of wood with the long-life and ultra-low maintenance associated with synthetics.

“By far the biggest driver of positive results in our companywide Lean implementation has been the rollout of the Lean Daily Management System and Communications Boards.” – Bob Drogan, Engineering Director

Situation

Highwood was experiencing a project yield below 90% on three dedicated production lines for one of their major customers.  They needed to increase output to greater than 93% and reduce packing labor from two persons to one.  Highwood’s attempts to analyze these production lines after the fact were not giving them the real-time feedback needed to fix problems as they occurred.

Solution

Highwood turned to MRC to help resolve the issue. Senior Strategy Manager, Mike Withka, determined a Lean Daily Management System would enhance information flow so workers could address issues as they occurred. These systems use worker-managed Communications Boards to assign daily process performance targets and highlight issues when targets are not met. Once revealed, “Plan-Do-Check-Act” (PDCA) problem solving deploys countermeasures aimed at the root cause.  Any problems that do arise are dealt with immediately, rather than analyzing and reacting after the fact.  Highwood’s Engineering Director, Bob Drogan, agreed to move forward with the strategy.

“Lean Daily Management systems cascade both process performance and improvement goals from the executive through every layer of the organization,” says Withka. “These simple visual systems bring problems to the surface so they can be seen, the root causes found, and proper countermeasures taken.  The end game is to have every employee working on the right problem, at the right time, and in the right way, every day.”

Results

  • Highwood increased their yield from 90% to 93% and now consistently exceeds that level.
  • The Communications Boards continue to help resolve production issues and focus on safety, quality, costs, and delivery, which drives revenue.
  • Reduction in time and labor costs utilizing only one packing person rather than two.

Contact Us

Contact Us

Don’t see what you are looking for or have a question? MRC can help. Contact us today!

Training and Certifications

MRC provides far more than certifications and funding assistance. We offer job creators access to specialized coaching, mentorship and a variety of business and marketing assistance normally outside the reach of most manufacturers.

Solutions

No matter what’s happening with your business, MRC has probably seen it. We know the problems that keep CEOs up at night, and we know how to help solve them. Our staff has more than 100 years of combined experience working side-by-side with business owners to evaluate, strategize, discover and implement solutions that address both strategic growth needs and organizational transformation.

Training & Events Calendar

MRC breaks down the barriers that prohibit manufacturers from realizing their full potential. Our proven tactics and methods can help nearly any company at nearly any stage of its evolution. Whatever the hurdle – going green, becoming lean, entering new markets, rebranding the company – MRC can help you clear it.

Workforce Initiatives

Developing Future Workforce with programs like: What’s So Cool About Manufacturing®, PA Dream Team, the Inside Manufacturing Series, and Manufacturing Day.

Resources

Through our partnerships, we are able to bring the horsepower of the best-in-breed experts to you. Imagine having access to the second-largest technology institute in the world, a corps of ex-Toyota executives trained under the best Lean practitioners in the world or world-renowned business strategy groups. MRC makes it possible.

About Us

For over 30 years, Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC) has helped small and mid-sized manufacturers become more competitive, adopt lean and agile processes, strategically grow their companies and invest more effectively in their existing human capital.

My Account

Ready to complete your event registration? Need to confirm the date of a previous registration? Find all these details here or call us at (610) 628-4640 for additional assistance.