Genesee Packaging Achieves Bottom-line Results

“We are in a day and age where you can’t just go back to your customer and say, ‘Well, the minimum wage went up – we need to charge you more,’” notes Jane Worthing, Senior Vice President, Genesee Packaging. “The customer is not going to take that. So as a company, we have to find as many inventive ways as we can to save money and ensure our survival.” And one of the most significant ways Genesee Packaging is doing that is by working with the Regional Chamber’s Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC) to streamline processes and increase efficiencies through the implementation of LEAN principles.

Genesee Packaging has been serving the diverse packaging and corrugated needs of the automotive industry and other industrial companies since 1979 by Willie E. Artis. They began working with the MMTC-Genesee Valley in 2001, participating in training focused on continuous improvement, culture change, customer satisfaction and basic LEAN philosophies, among others.

Genesee Packaging started their lean journey with MMTC by providing overview training for their employees in all three locations, and Strategic Business Planning for their top executives. This was followed by LEAN Champion training which geared them up for a Kiazen blitz.

All three locations participated in individual Kiazen events utilizing 5S and concentrating on the overall enhanced organization within the facilities including clean up as well as elimination of waste, overproduction, and defects. One warehouse facility focused on improving efficiency to meet customer needs within a 24 hour/same day turnaround. This included a new workflow process, improved production and efficiency, and a complete restructuring of the plant floor layout. These efforts resulted in a 49% improvement with backorders, 14% improvement with on-time delivery, and 21% improvement of pieces packaged per day.