Ophir Photonics, global leader in precision laser measurement equipment and a Newport Corporation brand, is pleased to announce that Ophir-Spiricon has been recognized with a Best Practices Award for Continuous Improvement from the Utah Manufacturers Association (Salt Lake City, Utah).
Ophir-Spiricon won the award after the Utah Manufacturers Association evaluated eligible manufacturers on a variety of continuous improvement measures: process management, implementation, measurement, corrective actions, and improvements tied to operating objectives.
"Ophir-Spiricon invests significant resources in customer satisfaction, continuous improvement, and lean principles," said Gary Wagner, General Manager, Ophir Photonics (U.S.). "Credit for this honor goes to our dedicated employees and their commitment to our customers and our quality
policy: 'To meet or exceed customer expectations by practicing effective continuous improvement methods.'"
The company's continuous improvement philosophy relies on a unique idea creation system that combines concepts learned from the MEP Innovation Engineering model and Ophir-Spiricon's own productivity improvement process.
All employees undergo a formal, multi-session training process that empowers them to generate and implement improvements in the areas of new products and services, cost and time savings, and safety improvements.
Continuous improvement also led to Ophir-Spiricon's ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accreditation in March 2013. This international standard recognizes the technical competence of calibration laboratories and assures customers that Ophir is calibrating their laser measurement equipment to the highest standards.
The application of lean principles at Ophir-Spiricon has led to a significant reduction in lead time over the last three years. The company's Calibration Department has reduced lead time on calibration services to less than three days. The Production Department has reduced lead time on key products to less than three days.
"Company goals and objectives are defined annually in four key areas (STEP):
customer Satisfaction, Technology and products, Execution, and People," said Wagner. "Progress is tracked and discussed regularly. One our most rewarding accomplishments is a revenue increase of 327% in conjunction with a head count increase of 52%. When everyone continuously looks for opportunities to improve, the entire company benefits."