Plant
Tour: E-Z-GO, a division of Textron Inc.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Tours Full.
E-Z-GO, A
Division of Textron Inc. -- Augusta, GA
E-Z-GO,
a Textron Company, was founded in 1954 by brothers Beverly and Billy Dolan in a
one-room machine shop in Augusta, Georgia. From those humble beginnings, E-Z-GO
has become one of the leading manufacturers of light-transportation products,
including golf cars, utility vehicles, personnel carriers, and recreational
vehicles.
The company became part of multinational, multi-industry company Textron Inc.
in 1960 and is the longest-tenured business unit within the company today.
E-Z-GO employs more than 850 permanent employees between its headquarters and
manufacturing facility in Augusta, Georgia, and six sales and distribution
branches positioned strategically throughout the United States. Up to an
additional 200 seasonal employees are utilized during peak demand.
E-Z-GO's product line includes the RXV and TXT line of golf cars, the ST line
of trail, personal-utility and recreational vehicles, the MPT line of turf
maintenance vehicles, the Shuttle line of personnel carriers, and a line of
industrial and commercial utility vehicles marketed under the Cushman brand.
The company's most recent product, the RXV golf car, was introduced in 2007 and
has rapidly redefined the concept of the golf car for the entire industry
through such innovations as AC Drive technology, fulltime regenerative braking,
a parking brake that engages without user intervention when the vehicle stops,
and automatic speed control on steep grades.
E-Z-GO's 672,047-square-foot facility features fabrication, three manufacturing
lines, an automotive-inspired testing facility, engineering, and a distribution
center for OEM parts and accessories with a focus on customer care. The
facility is ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified.
The facility was a 2008 finalist for IndustryWeek's Best Plants Award.
E-Z-GO also recently received The Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence, the
first company ever to receive the award at the enterprise level.
What
You Will See on the Tour:
Participants will
experience a plant and facility that has completely ingrained Lean
manufacturing and Six Sigma methodology into not only its processes, but its
cultures, mindsets and behaviors. Among the many practices employed at E-Z-GO
are: Hoshin-based planning, Kaizen, Kanban, vendor-managed inventory, 5S,
visual management, practical problem-solving, and behavior-based safety. Six
Sigma culture and practice runs throughout E-Z-GO, with employees at every
level of the organization exposed and trained in Lean and Six Sigma methodology
-- from Black Belts and Green Belts in every discipline to the company’s hourly
manufacturing workforce, which recently underwent "Lean technician training"
which resulted in closure of more than 200 employee-initiated and completed
continuous-improvement projects.
Visitors also will view examples of state-of-the-art manufacturing technology,
such as the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) on the new RXV manufacturing
line, which sends and receives information to operators on a real-time basis
with key information relayed via computer monitors located at each station.
"Smart" tools send information about the assembly process through the system,
capturing quality issues immediately and allowing for immediate resolution.
Finally, visitors will be able to interact with and view a highly trained,
skilled and engaged workforce. E-Z-GO enjoys the highest employee-engagement
scores of any manufacturer within Textron.
Tour
Departure Location:
Doubletree Hotel
2651 Perimeter Parkway
Augusta, GA 30909
(706) 855-8100
Schedule:
Attendees will choose one of the following schedules at time of registration:
AM Tour -- TOUR FULL
7:00am-7:45am
Breakfast/Check In for Plant Tour at Hotel
7:45am Board Motor Coach for E-Z-GO
8:15am Arrive at E-Z-GO and Assemble for Plant Tour
8:30am-11:30am Company Overview, Plant Tour, Question & Answer
11:30am Board Motor Coach for Hotel
12:00pm Arrive at Hotel to End Tour
PM Tour -- TOUR FULL
12:00pm-12:45pm
Lunch/Check In for Plant Tour at Hotel
12:45pm Board Motor Coach for E-Z-GO
1:15pm Arrive at E-Z-GO and Assemble for Plant Tour
1:30pm-4:30pm Company Overview, Plant Tour, Question & Answer
4:30pm Board Motor Coach for Hotel
5:00pm Arrive at Hotel to End Tour
Tour
Guidelines:
Tour participants must be prepared to present valid photo ID upon entering the facility
Cameras and other recording devices are strictly prohibited
Avoid wearing loose fitting clothing that could be considered a safety hazard
PPC will be provided by E-Z-GO. Tour participants are required to wear these protective items at all times
Shoes must be closed toe/heel. Flat shoes with rubber soles are strongly recommended
The plant can be very hot this time of year. Short sleeve shirts are encouraged
Accommodations:
Doubletree Hotel
2651 Perimeter Parkway
Augusta, GA 30909
(706) 855-8100
Rate: $115/night + tax. Reservations must be made by September 22,
2009 to receive the discounted group rate.
Reservations can be made by calling (800) 222-8733 or online by visiting the
Augusta Doubletree website at: www.augusta.doubletree.com
Directions for Online Reservations:
Enter Arrival and Departure Dates; Click GO
On next page, select Your Reservation Details
Scroll down and complete Room Type Preferences
Scroll down and type in Group's 3-digit Code (PEN) and Click CONTINUE.
Preclusion statement: IW
may be required to preclude attendees from taking part in your selected plant
tour. This step will be taken solely by IW at the request of our host plant
based upon the proprietary nature of information that is to be presented. The
host plants' decisions are final and will be communicated to attendees in
advance. If this occurs, attendee will be refunded the full registration fee.
Some participants on the tour may be asked to complete a Non Disclosure
Agreement (NDA).
Registration
Contact Information:
Erika Bailey, Director of Marketing & Events,
ebailey@industryweek.com, 216-931-9512
E-Z-GO,
a Textron Company, was founded in 1954 by brothers Beverly and Billy Dolan in a
one-room machine shop in Augusta, Georgia. From those humble beginnings, E-Z-GO
has become one of the leading manufacturers of light-transportation products,
including golf cars, utility vehicles, personnel carriers, and recreational
vehicles.
