Six Manufacturers Secure The Shingo Prize

Compiled ByJill Jusko Six manufacturing facilities -- five in the U.S. and one in Canada -- were recently named recipients of the Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing. The award is administered by the College of Business at Utah State University, Logan, Utah. The five U.S.-based winners are: Baxter Healthcare Corp., Mountain Home, Ark., which manufactures medical-device products; Benteler Automotive Inc., Hagen Exhaust Systems facility, Grand Rapids, Mich., maker of hot-end fabricated exhaust system products; Ford Ohio Assembly Plant, Avon Lake, Ohio, which assembles Mercury Villager and Nissan Quest minivans, as well as the Ford Econoline; Freudenberg-NOK, Cleveland, Ga., maker of valve stem seals, crankshaft seals, camshaft seals, and other seals; and Johnson Controls Inc., Greenfield, Ohio, manufacturer of polyurethane foam. The Canadian winner is the Ford Essex Engine Plant in Windsor, Ont. This plant manufactures three configurations of V-6 engines. The Shingo Prize is awarded annually to manufacturers who display world-class performance through the use of lean principles. For additional information, visit www.shingoprize.org.