Home | About Maine MEP | Upcoming Events | Success Stories | Partners & Resources | News | Board of Directors Contact Us | Enterprise Management | Performance Based Training | Supply Chain Management | Innovation Services Windham Millwork Finds Time Wise Principles of Lean Manufacturing Makes a Difference Owner Bruce Pulkkinen was very familiar with the MEP program and the many services it offers to manufacturers in Maine. "In fact," Pulkkinen said, Windham Millwork is now in its third project with the Maine MEP and we intend to continue to work with them as we continue our quest to become a world-class manufacturer." To that end, Windham Millwork, which manufactures custom cabinetry, is now in the process of initiating Time Wise Principles of Lean Manufacturing through the plant. "The results have already been rewarding," Pulkkinen said. "It’s amazing how the lean program has eliminated waste and freed up space which can be utilized for new product lines." Maine MEP introduced the company to Lean Manufacturing, followed by a facilitation of Time Wise Value Stream Management System session. Pulkkinen said it has worked and the results may best be found in the numbers. "Product throughput time has been reduced from 10 days to 4 days," he said, "while labor per cabinet has been reduced by at least 20 percent." The process resulted in labor cost savings in excess of $140,000 per year in the cabinet making department alone, while improvements in the bid-to-design process has meant a reduction in the process of at least 33 percent, which has reduced re-entering errors and saved $30,000 a year. "Lean Manufacturing introduced by the Maine MEP has made us even more quality conscious," he said. "We do a lot more inspection of our own work and we are looking to save dollars in the production process without reducing employment. In fact our goal from the beginning was to free up space to allow us to increase employment and sales volume." In addition, the company has been able to move its entire counter top department into a space resulting from an improved factory layout. "This has allowed us to grow by adding additional custom craftsmen into the vacated counter space," Pulkkinen said. "We now have a backlog in place and anticipate growing the company by 30 percent this year. That would not have been possible without utilizing our plant more efficiently."