Rich Gilbert Email & Phone Number

La Grange Park, Illinois, United States

Chicago, Il

Inventors Logistics was formed to bring ideas to market using Lean/TPS, DFM, and WCM methodologies from day one. With decades of experience of driving cost savings in everything from Fortune 500 high volume plants to job shops we are able to bring our experience to your project.

Batavia, Il

Hired to stabilize, modernize, and implement lean manufacturing in an industrial and print and corrugating roll repair facility. Improved and stabilized workforce and revenue, initiated safety related projects, OSHA compliance projects, and flow. Reduced lead times from over 4 weeks to approx. 2 weeks. Initiated lean cultural change with visual factory, queue reduction, training, 5S. Reduced porosity in ceramic plasma spray process by 50%, increased laser engraving speed by 30%, shut down unprofitable copper, nickel, and chrome electroplating process.

After a merger, satellite sites needed to be consolidated into one.Used lean manufacturing techniques such as visual factory, 5S’s, work balancing, SMED and work cell design to reduce the combined area by 50%. At the time inventory accuracy and reporting were poor. Cells were designed to indicate abnormalities without the need for reporting. Accountability was created far before the virtual systems were effective. Reaction times to abnormalities were shortened to improve stocking levels.Efforts resulted in the closure of the satellite facility and the co-location of the repair site with the planning, engineering, and new-build operations improving economies of scaleThis created 2600 SKU’s without effective raw material purchasing or finished goods planningCreated global pull system to clarify priorities and needs, level raw material usage, define proper stocking levels, balance regional stocking needs.Target stocking levels increased from 60% to over 98% making the correct parts available to our customers within the terms of their contracts and greatly reduced the need for expediting shipments and logistics system management needs. Complex planning needs were reduced to a simple weekly report so all levels were working on the same information and acting as a team. WIP was reduced 80% and over $20M in raw materials was scrapped. Once stabilized, continuous improvement became our key to future success By continually reducing the area of work cells, creating a trained, disciplined, and flexible staff, and improving test processes we were able to create open work space. We were able to continue to consolidate another satellite site and adapt to changes in product life cycles. Plant EngineerHired to re-design new product assembly and test lines for highly modular and configurable product. Achieved 600% increase productivity in the same area to achieve a 98% on-time delivery of product as demand increased 4x.

A Fortune 500 client had outdated and inefficient manufacturing processes. Yields were low, productivity was inconsistent, labor rates high, WIP was uncontrolled and shipments often late.Led a lean manufacturing transition within several plants in Ohio and Mexico. We eliminated batch-and-queue system in exchange for unit flow, performed time studies and re-designed assembly and test areas to reduce wasted labor, balanced process steps, and created a pull system to replenish the lines. The open floor space was then used to create buffers and a pull system from the finished goods warehouse to the proliferation point upstream of assembly and test simplifying and stabilizing the production. Assembly and test floor space was reduced up to 80%, WIP was reduced to less than one hour, labor was reduced by 20-66% resulting in a $1.6M annual savings. Finished goods were managed visually with the use of buffers and kanban cards instead of through a planning department. By eliminating the ability to batch work productivity matched the upstream process and became very consistent.

This manufacturer of vacuum jacketed pressure vessels for semi trailer and intermodal transport of cryogenic industrial gasses had poor quality and inconsistent processes leading to high re-work, warrantee, and late delivery costs. Worked directly with floor operators and plant management to improve welding and fabrication process control and quality, instituted more thorough inspection criteria, instituted vacuum space cleanliness program, streamlined quality and vacuum pumping processes.Weld defects were reduced from over 150 per unit to less than 5, reduced fit-up labor through DFM techniques, reduced warrantee costs by 90%, and vacuum pumping times from 1-3 weeks to one day. By raising the expectations of the operators, the weld inspection staff was cut in half and by improving the vacuum pumping process the need for vacuum technicians reduced 60% and delivery delays were eliminated.Helped start business unit for the repair of pressure vessels under the ASME Pressure Vessel Code and annual DOT inspections of semi trailers.