EEWP is a two-step wholesale distribution company, focused solely on selling engineered lumber to the building supply trade. As a family-owned business that takes pride in providing quality products and service, we strive to learn and grow, consistently implementing quality- and process improvements so we can be a preferred and trusted partner for our customers. We are dedicated to safety, diligently tracking, promoting, and rewarding safety-minded practices and behaviors. Our team of experienced professionals is committed to fostering a work environment that is encouraging and respectful of our employees, thereby promoting dedication, productivity, teamwork, and longevity.
EEWP Expands Continuous Improvement through MRC Partnership
“We are committed to getting more out of our training efforts; MRC is committed to meeting us where we are.”
– Wade Buick, Vice President, Operations and Strategic Initiatives
Having tripled their service area in just six years, Eastern Engineered Wood Products (EEWP) sought to leverage that growth to develop more sophisticated corporate practices; MRC training and support were fundamental to that transition.
Solution
EEWP engaged MRC for a range of business process-improvement and support services: Supervisor Boot Camps (levels I and II), Customer Service, Manager Essentials, Safety Forum, and others.
The initiative was part of a Continuous Improvement journey undertaken in parallel with EEWP’s physical expansion. While enhancing leadership fundamentals through the Supervisor Boot Camps and Manager Essentials sessions, the company also expanded customer service—a key element of their overall business model.
Nearly a half dozen EEWP employees, meanwhile, took part in 5S Fundamentals training, while two others participated in Yellow Belt sessions to build on previous Lean training. “That’s where I got my own introduction to the MRC course catalog,” says Wade Buick, EEWP’s Vice President, Operations and Strategic Initiatives. Having earned his own Lean Black Belt during a stint with DuPont, Buick saw an opportunity to stand up a similar CI process within EEWP.
“Identifying that course of study was the first step,” he says. “I’ve known Walt [Hoffert, MRC’s Regional Director, Manufacturing Solutions] since before I started with EEWP, and we expanded our use of MRC courses when we realized there was a lack of local training resources.”
Buick says EEWP looked into the offerings at some other training providers, but they were unable to find classes that measured up. “MRC is better, and they’re getting better. Our people are committed to getting more out of this training effort, and MRC is committed to meeting us where we are.”
Results
- Organizational renewal – with an aging workforce, EEWP recognized a need to train incoming staff and replace that departing knowledge and expertise. “Manager Essentials and Supervisor Basecamp were vital to that renewal in our Bethlehem facility. That let us achieve performance continuity, and even to add customers without losing any as we grew.”
- Customer Service – “Our customer service agents trained to deliver customer excellence by understanding customers’ wants and needs; that lets them turn ordinary interactions into extraordinary experiences.”
- Maintaining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – 5S Fundamentals and Yellow Belt made it possible for EEWP to maintain their performance in critical KPIs: on-time delivery, quality, and safety. “We were already achieving the highest industry standards, and even as we’ve added two new rail-served distribution centers to the one in Bethlehem, were able to grow by 30% without sacrificing performance in those areas.”
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To learn more about Eastern Engineered Wood Products, please visit their website at https://www.eewp.com.