Session ID:
VS3-06
Audience Rating: nu Intermediate/Advanced
Company: Motorola
Speaker: Kevin Prouty, Senior Director Manufacturing Soltuions
Title: Skipping to the Next Step and avoiding the Lean Dip
Presentation
Abstract : 		Many companies that implement Lean Manufacturing typically encounter a crisis called the “Lean Dip”.  The dip occurs as Lean moves from being a project focus to every operation.  Management loses the momentum to drive lean deeper, operators get burned out, capital dries up, whatever the reason, companies look for that “next step” to go beyond Lean.  Technology and Lean have traditionally not been good partners.  But many times, that “Next Step” is all about applying technology to lean operations and concepts.  Symbol won the Shingo prize in 2003 and has experience, both internally and with customers, in moving to that “Next Step” and avoiding the “Lean Dip.”
About the
Company: 		Motorola is known around the world for innovation and leadership in wireless and broadband communications. Inspired by our vision of seamless mobility, the people of Motorola are committed to helping you connect simply and seamlessly to the people, information, and entertainment that you want and need. We do this by designing and delivering "must have" products, "must do" experiences and powerful networks -- along with a full complement of support services. A Fortune 100 company with global presence and impact, Motorola had sales of US $42.9 billion in 2006.

Speaker
Biography:

Kevin Prouty, Senior Director Manufacturing Soltuions

Before joining Motorola as senior director for the Manufacturing Solutions Group, Kevin was responsible for managing AMR Research’s and Gartner G2’s analysis and research of the automotive and heavy truck industries. He also advised non-automotive clients on applying technology for competitive advantage in production operations. The research role required the analysis of the impact of information technology strategies on the automotive industry for production operations, supplier management, product design, customer management, and technology infrastructure. His research included evaluating the success of ERP implementations in automotive manufacturing plants, Build-to-Order in the Automotive Industry, Manufacturing Intelligence, Product Design, Automotive Trading Exchanges, and Warranty Management in Automotive and Heavy Trucking Companies.

Prior to his research role, Kevin spent over 15 years as both a user and system integrator of production operations software. He spent over five years as a plant manager and project manager at a large automotive supplier, managing a large workforce and business that produced tooling for automotive and industrial companies. He was responsible for all automation of the facility, including integration of automated process and information systems into all aspects of the business. In addition, Kevin helped lead the re-engineering team that implemented ERP and shop floor systems throughout the company. Prior to that, Kevin was a systems project manager for a software company and a manufacturing engineer for a large industrial company.