Events

November 15, 2022

As hiring and retention challenges continue across manufacturing, many companies are partnering with workforce providers like MAU Workforce Solutions for support. MAU shared a lean, data-driven framework for building effective contract workforce partnerships, emphasizing upfront discovery, optimization of the hiring funnel, and ongoing collaboration. The key takeaway: treating the relationship as a true partnership—grounded in data and continuous improvement—drives better retention and performance.

November 8, 2022

Campbell’s Snacks hosted a plant tour in Charlotte highlighting a long-standing robotics culture across baking, packaging, and palletizing operations. Attendees saw multiple generations of ABB and Syntegon robots, including high-speed pick-and-place systems and newer technology that combines carton forming and packing to save space. The visit also showcased high-volume cracker production, flexible automation in the warehouse, and a strong emphasis on safety, benchmarking, and workforce engagement as key enablers of sustained automation success.

October 3, 2022

Phoenix Specialty Manufacturing is a fourth-generation, family-owned precision stamper in Bamberg County with a strong national presence. Their success is built on in-house tool and die capability, customer-focused flexibility, and a deeply engaged workforce. At the heart of it all is a leadership culture that prioritizes people and long-term performance.

September 23, 2022

Digital transformation continues to deliver real results for manufacturers—but only when it is tied to a clear business case. Industry examples show strong ROI from automation, analytics, and connectivity, yet many companies remain stuck in “pilot purgatory.” A key takeaway from this session was the importance of thinking big, starting small, and scaling fast, while aligning people, process, and technology. Conducting a structured Industry 4.0 assessment can help organizations identify high-value pilot opportunities, manage change effectively, and build a scalable roadmap for long-term success.

September 8, 2022

Harsco Rail is driving a lean transformation at its West Columbia facility by empowering employees as problem solvers. Through disciplined A3 problem-solving and daily management, the team has delivered nearly $3 million in improvements without capital investment. The focus is simple and effective—build capability, follow the process, and sustain results.

August 23, 2022

This visitvisit to Allied Air Enterprises drew one of the largest turnouts of the year, with thirty-five participants from fourteen member companies. The team shared how standard work, visual management, and PDCA-driven execution have significantly improved performance on their air handler lines. The visit highlighted strong alignment from Hoshin strategy deployment to shop-floor execution, with visible results in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people metrics. Attendees were particularly impressed by the visual factory, takt discipline, and measurable gains achieved through focused kaizen activity.

July 8, 2022

South Carolina continues to see strong momentum in manufacturing expansions, driven by reshoring, workforce shifts, and capital investment. A panel of industry experts shared practical guidance on navigating site selection, real estate trends, workforce strategies, automation decisions, incentives, and construction planning. A consistent theme emerged: early planning and cross-functional collaboration are critical to controlling cost, schedule, and long-term performance during expansion projects.

June 29, 2022

IFA Summerville shared its phased Industry 4.0 journey, highlighting how digitizing production orders, implementing an MES, and enabling traceability are driving real operational gains. The team demonstrated how real-time data, FORCAM MES, and Power BI are being used not just to visualize performance, but to drive better decisions on the shop floor. Early results include improvements in WIP, inventory accuracy, and productivity, with traceability and predictive analytics next on the roadmap.

June 9, 2022

During an OpExChange plant visit, Dish Network’s Spartanburg facility shared how a strong lean foundation and deep trust-based culture enabled a major operational transformation. As the site transitioned from set-top box remanufacturing to supporting Dish’s 5G network buildout, leaders emphasized workforce engagement, visual management, and transparent career pathways as critical success factors. The visit reinforced how disciplined lean practices and intentional people development can help organizations navigate significant change while strengthening culture.

May 17, 2022

BOMAG Americas shared how they use Hoshin Kanri and the X-Matrix to align long-term strategy with daily execution across the organization. The Ridgeway, SC site demonstrated how safety, standard work, and PDCA turn strategic goals into measurable action on the plant floor.