Got Lean? Converting Nay Sayers To Yay Sayers
A Recipe For Lean Adoption

This presentation is one, which should resonate with the audience because it is not an idea or a concept but a real recipe on how to convert employee’s perception of Lean. The Lean journey is a long one and certainly Intevac does not have all the answers. Intevac has had some successes and continues to build on converting nay sayers to yay sayers. The essence of the presentation will include three recipes that have worked well for Intevac to embark on this very important culture change. First is establishing quick turn and low hanging fruit solutions that prove to the employee base on small scale that life can be different. This momentum builds on itself as long as there is a catalyst that continues to push through all levels of the organization. That catalyst or Lean Champion Team must be chosen and selected based on their credibility in the organization, passion for doing things differently and must be cross functional. By no means is this team necessarily a management team; rather, a team of hard workers who really believe and have been touched in their job by thinking and doing things with Lean Thinking Principles. Lastly, is the adoption in the organization. Intevac is not there as it started several months ago but without the first two crucial pieces then Lean Thinking will not stick and it will become what everyone fears as the fad of the day, something that will disappear, a lot of extra work, makes Jim's job harder………

Intevac Equipment
The equipment division at Intevac designs, manufactures, markets and services complex process equipment that deposit highly engineered thin-films onto magnetic disks used in hard disk drives. Disk drive manufacturers worldwide use Intevac deposition equipment that represents approximately 60% of installed capacity worldwide. Our customers include Seagate Technology, Fuji Electric, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, Komag and Showa Denko. The 200 Lean® magnetic media deposition system is one of the most successful product lines in the industry and was the first to be proven in production for the next generation of technology namely perpendicular processing.

Value Proposition: Enable customers to produce low cost technology sophisticated devices by providing unique systems designed on “Lean Thinking” principles.

Intevac Imaging
The imaging division at Intevac develops and manufactures electro-optical sensors, cameras and systems that permit highly sensitive detection of photons in the visible and near infra-red portions of the spectrum, allowing vision in extreme low light situations. Applications for Intevac’s imaging technology include sensors and cameras for night vision and long-range target identification. Our products address both the military and commercial / scientific imaging markets.

Value Proposition: Provide the most cost effective, most sensitive, least power consuming multi-pixel light sensors, cameras and systems operating in the visible and near infra-red portion of the spectrum.

Jim Birt, VP Customer Service, Lean Solutions

Jim Birt has greater than 14 Years in high tech capital equipment supply business in industries to include semiconductor and hard disk drive. Following his Naval Officer Tour he began his career at Applied Materials as a Field Process Engineer supporting new technology proliferation and followed on to the home office in Santa Clara, California as the GM of Product Business Development for Asia and subsequently to managing the North American Service Business. Jim then left Applied Materials for Intevac (leading sputtering equipment supplier for the hard disk drive market) to take on greater responsibilities as VP of Global Customer Service and Field Operations. His scope of responsibility has grown to include Lean Transformation for the company.