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March 13, 2012

Program annually salutes North American manufacturing excellence.

Dozens of small improvements have driven big gains at L.B. Foster Co., Allegheny Rail Products, a manufacturer of insulated rail joints located in Pueblo, Colo. The ideas generated by employees at this facility, a 2011 IndustryWeek Best Plants winner, have helped it cut manufacturing costs per joint by 67% since 2007 and reduce the number of man-hours required to build each joint. Given its first-pass quality yield of 99.68%, the L.B. Foster plant demonstrates that quality excellence and productivity gains can go hand in hand.

Nine additional North American facilities also 2011 IW Best Plants winners -- also illustrate the kinds of operational rewards that accrue among manufacturers who adopt world-class practices, technologies and strategies.

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Do you operate a manufacturing facility that fits this mold? If yes, then enter your plant in IndustryWeek's 2012 Best Plants competition. The IW Best Plants program annually recognizes North American manufacturing facilities that demonstrate excellence in their performances and their processes. The winners' stories also serve to encourage other manufacturers to adopt the world-class practices and improvement strategies of the annual honorees. Visit www.industryweek.com/BestPlantsProgram to learn more about the competition or request an application. See Also: 2011 IW Best Plants Winners: The Best Never Rest