Session ID:
VS3-07
Audience Rating: n Intermediate
Company: ACE Metal Crafts Co.
Speaker: Keith P Stout, Vice President of Operations
Title: A Culture to LEAN On
A company’s culture is the foundation of the lean journey.
Presentation
Abstract : 		ACE Metal Crafts is a custom stainless steel fabrication job shop specializing in a high-variety low-volume product mix. ACE has successfully melded lean principles into its culture of empowerment, where employees make the difference. ACE has tripled its strategy team and now shares the financial statement with one-third of its employees. Dramatic Lean results include: 60% reduction in cycle times, inventory turns up from 8 to 19 and revenue growth of 65% from 2004. In this dynamic presentation, attendees will see how developing a Lean culture is critical to a successful lean implementation. Companies’ values and behaviors need to be understood and lived from the top down. In this dynamic presentation, attendees will see how incorporating lean philosophies in a culture driven by nurturing the value in others, results in a culture to Lean On.
About the
Company: 		ACE Metal Crafts is a custom stainless steel fabrication job shop specializing in a high-variety low-volume product mix. ACE has successfully melded lean principles into its culture of empowerment, where employees make the difference. ACE has tripled its strategy team and now shares the financial statement with one-third of its employees. Dramatic Lean results include: 60% reduction in cycle times, inventory turns up from 8 to 19 and revenue growth of 65% from 2004. In this dynamic presentation, attendees will see how developing a Lean culture is critical to a successful lean implementation. Companies’ values and behaviors need to be understood and lived from the top down. In this dynamic presentation, attendees will see how incorporating lean philosophies in a culture driven by nurturing the value in others, results in a culture to Lean On.

Speaker
Biography:

Keith P Stout, Vice President of Operations

Keith has worked at ACE Metal Crafts for over 15 years, following his father’s footsteps of a 40 year career at ACE.

With a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Keith has been involved in every aspect of company operations from sales and engineering to production management to his current position of Vice President of Operations.

With a leadership style based on teamwork and his experience in sales he was quick to see how Lean, a customer focused manufacturing philosophy, would work in ACE’s culture.

Keith has passion for teamwork and the ACE team. He promotes a blame free environment that focuses energy on teaming and beating the competition.

He lives in a western suburb of Chicago with his wife and four young children.