Michael Schaffner Email & Phone Number

Business consulting focused on lean manufacturing, operations process improvements, manufacturing engineering and construction management. Design and implementation of one-piece flow systems to reduce inventory, increase productivity, improve quality and improve customer lead time/delivery. Training shop personnel, supervision and management in lean thinking and sustaining productivity gains.Some specific projects include: - Project manager on three concurrent projects including refurbishing a newly purchased manufacturing plant, relocating two plants into newly refurbished plant plus design and startup of machined aluminum casting production for a tier 1 automotive supplier and plastic injection molder.- Led implementation of a flow process building electronic controls to customer demand where ten product families were produced on four assembly lines. Reduced customer lead time from seven weeks to four days and finished goods inventory 80% while increasing on-time shipments to 99%, productivity increased by 17% and yields by 6%. New processes included Sales & Operations planning system and daily operational execution processes for supplier to the power generation industry.- Led lean manufacturing implementation in high-volume products that increased capacity over 40% through downtime reduction while productivity increased 28% through a cellular manufacturing process; implemented 5S, quick-change setups, visual work instructions and flow manufacturing via Kaizen events for a fire proof safe manufacturer.- Project Manager for Lean implementation of flow process with kanbans for assembly of custom lighting products. Productivity increased 53% and rejects were reduced 24% through reduction of non-valued added work and standardizing the remaining work and aligning to desired takt time. Lead time reduced 97%. Project included process design, training, mentoring engineers, supervisors and executive briefings for a manufacturer of emergency vehicle lighting systems.

Illinois, United States

Installed plant wide and department focused visual progress tools for an inland barge manufacturer. Successfully managed on-time introduction of tanker barges into a hopper barge facility. Installed barcode materials management system and planned installation in two additional sites. Project managed implementation of data reporting and analysis system for division and 6 plants. Led effort to improve on-time delivery of hopper barges at one plant by focusing on equipment uptime and delivery of production materials to the right location, in the right configuration on time every time. Project manager for restart and of inland barge manufacturing plant including process improvements and facility cost reductions.

Houston, Texas Area

Implemented OEE measurement, analysis and improvement processes for an energy equipment manufacturer. Facilitated nine Rapid Improvement Events and weekly OEE results working meetings that raised OEE 28% average per machine against a goal of 15%. Designed and installed flow manufacturing with Kanban point-of-use material replenishment for highest volume product which improved on-time delivery to over 95% and reduced field inventory by $4M. Designed flow/pull manufacturing systems for additional top 5 products.

Completed a 4 month study of order patterns over a 3 year period for an air filter manufacturer's top 150 customers using coefficient of variance analysis. Recommended means to align ordering protocols with customer service with focus on reducing order volatility to allow factory operations to align with demand and shipping performance to improve

Project to improve throughput in the Borealis Group Innovation Center located in Linz, Austria. Focus primarly on materials (ordering, storing and availability) used in the research and design of new PP and PE polymers. In addition, analyzed the flow and scheduling of their pilot plant in Porvoo, Finland.For another company, trained 11 future Kaizen leaders from 4 distribution facilities over a 4 week period while completing 12 Kaizen events for a lawn care and pet supply manufacturer.

Two projects with DuPont in Virginia and Ohio focused upon increasing their on-time delivery (71% to 94% in six months); their internal material handling processes and their global inventory and product replenishment processes.At another Virginia location mentored 3 black belts in facilitating kaizen events that resulted in reduced material costs, improved efficiencies and introduction of visual management.

Designed and implemented processes and procured equipment for the production of a completely new low-cost/high performance wheel for the outdoor power industry.

Greater Omaha Area

Designed and implemented an extensive material replenishment system (kanban and electronic kanban) for over 2000 parts for a manufacturer of telecommunications equipment. Recommended changes to SAP system to coordinate with the new material pull system.On another project for a major oil and gas producer, installed production managing process, including mentoring of field employees in two 40 year-old production gas fields. Increased production average of 8% through improved communication and timely application of field management improvements.

Analyzed various client plants for improvement opportunities and proposed the means to capture them.

Led project to improve flow of products between plants for a supplier to the nuclear power industry. Rationalization of products/processes and facilities for a multi-national HVAC equipment manufacturer

Analyzed various client plants for improvement opportunities and proposed the means to capture them. Led project to improve flow and reduce cost in production of ladders for the top U.S. manufacturer

Implemented prototype assembly cell for consumer goods manufacturer. Included Kanban material replenishment and visual work instructions at every work station. Demonstrated flow and pull concepts.

Led lean implementations, construction of manufacturing sites, new production and process introductions, elimination of hazardous wastes.Led project to design and implement facility consolidation of 8 plants into 1; eliminating redundant operations and resources; several Kaizen events implemented additional improvements with payback in less than 2 years.Following a merger, organized and led team from multiple plants and companies that reviewed products, operations, locations and distribution channels that led to standardized products while maintaining multi-company offerings to the market. Four plants were closed and two were expanded to reduce cost while increasing capacity.

Ms, Management

Activities and Societies: Focus: EngineeringBSEE and MSEngMgt

Bs, Electrical Engineering

Activities and Societies: Theta Tau, Tau Kappa Epsilon