The Supplier Excellence Alliance (SEA) developed a continuous improvement system, called the SEA Lean Enterprise System, to help suppliers build new capabilities that will enable them to better support their customer's needs. The Lean Enterprise System also helps establish a culture where lean production principles and standard work are applied throughout the organization to ensure sustained improvements in delivery and quality, while reducing lead times and cost. Last week 2Source Manufacturing Inc., an AS9100 certified producer of precision machined bushings and bushing-like parts for aircraft landing gears, nacelles, flight surfaces and controls, joined their efforts.
"To best position ourselves as a preferred supplier to the aerospace industry we have already made significant investments in lean initiatives," observed Robert Glegg, CEO of 2Source. "Implementing the SEA Lean Enterprise System is another way we are strategically accelerating and enhancing our efforts towards becoming a progressively leaner organization. In today's competitive aerospace environment there's no such thing as being lean enough."
SEA member companies represented on its board of directors include BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman Company, United Technologies, Parker Aerospace, Rockwell Collins, Cessna Aircraft Company, Honeywell, TW Metals, Bombardier, Hitco Carbon Composites, Firth Rixson, Dresser-Rand, Roberts Tool Company, Cristek Interconnects, Photo Etch Company, Smiths Aerospace and Bodycote Thermal Processing.
SEA partners and alliances include: Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG), California Council for Excellence, U.S. Mexico Chamber of Commerce, California Employment Training Panel, California Space Authority, UAW-Labor Employment and Training Corporation, CONNSTEP, Inc., Alliance for Manufacturing & Technology (AM&T), ASG Renaissance and Net-Inspect.
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