Improve Your Operations

Foundational Lean Support: Build the Base That Drives Results

Start strong with Lean fundamentals designed to eliminate waste and create sustainable, repeatable processes. These aren’t vague concepts, this is tactical training that transforms how your people work, think, and perform.

• Lean OpX Assessment: Get a clear snapshot of where your operation stands—and exactly how to improve it. This isn’t a generic checklist; it’s an action-focused diagnostic to uncover high-impact opportunities fast.
• Lean Overview: Understand the real drivers of waste and unlock performance. Dive into the 8 Lean Wastes, Kaizen, and value-focused change management that harnessed the power of your entire team.
• Lean Simulation Workshop: Train like it’s real. This full-day, hands-on simulation puts your team in the driver’s seat to experience and solve operational breakdowns, an Introduction to Lean Manufacturing.

Transform Your Workplace with Proven Tools

Don’t just talk about improvement, engineer it into every corner of your company.

• 5S Workplace Organization: Clear the clutter and take control. A well-organized workspace is the foundation for safety, quality, and efficiency.
• Value Stream Mapping: If you can’t see the waste, you can’t fix it. Map out your entire workflow, identify what’s broken, and design a leaner, faster future.
• Lean Daily Management: Drive consistency and accountability. With visual management, Gemba Walks, and clear KPIs, your team becomes laser-focused on performance and continuous improvement.
• Problem Solving: Stop putting out fires. Our approach finds and fixes the root causes—permanently.

Lean Operational Excellence: For Companies Ready to Compete at the Highest Level

When you’re ready to move beyond “better” and into “exceptional,” this is the path. Operational Excellence aligns strategy with execution: across every shift, every line, every team. Whether your team needs one of these tools or all of them, the choice is yours. Working with the right tools at the right time, will move the needle to excellence.

• Standardized Work: Lock in performance with repeatable, reliable processes that guarantee quality and consistency.
• Quality at the Source: Catch errors the moment they happen, before they cost you time, rework, or customers.
• Point of Use Storage (POUS): Eliminate wasted motion. Materials are where you need them, when you need them, every time.
• Batch Size Reduction / One-Piece Flow: Produce only what’s needed, at the highest quality, on your customer’s timeline.
• Quick Changeover (SMED): Slash downtime, boost capacity, and respond to demand faster than the competition.
• Plant Layout Optimization: Every step, every second, every square foot counts. Reimagine your floor plan to maximize flow and minimize waste.
• Pull Systems & Kanban: End the guesswork. Visual signals ensure production aligns with actual demand, reducing inventory costs and lead times.
• Cellular Flow: Unlock peak productivity by designing process cells that improve speed, collaboration, and quality.
• Total Productive Maintenance (TPM): Proactive, inclusive maintenance keeps your equipment running and your team producing.

Quality Tools

Equipping teams with expertise in quality tools is essential for improving and maintaining the quality of products and processes. Building strong problem-solving and continuous improvement skills enhances the effectiveness of any quality management system.

Key areas of engagement include:

Problem Solving: Problem-solving is a structured method for identifying, analyzing, and resolving challenges effectively. Teams must possess the skills to address issues raised by customers and internal operations. Training emphasizes defining problems clearly, identifying desired outcomes, and focusing on solutions that drive meaningful improvements. Through hands-on workshops, participants tackle real-world challenges, ensuring practical application and deeper learning.

Six Sigma: Six Sigma training enhances business processes by reducing variability and eliminating defects. This methodology focuses on achieving near-perfection in operations, with a goal of no more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities.

Six Sigma training follows a hierarchical structure, similar to martial arts, with proficiency levels:

• White Belt: Basic understanding of Six Sigma principles.
• Yellow Belt: Active participation in project teams.
• Green Belt: Leadership of small projects, including data collection and analysis.
• Black Belt: Management of complex projects and training of others.
• Master Black Belt: Oversight of Six Sigma strategies and mentorship of Black Belts.
• Champion: Executive sponsor driving Six Sigma initiatives.

Training sessions adopt a “learn and do” methodology. Participants work on current organizational problems during workshops, applying Six Sigma principles to deliver measurable improvements and cost savings.

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA): FMEA is a systematic and proactive tool for identifying, evaluating, and mitigating potential failures in products, processes, or services. This method helps uncover potential design, manufacturing, or assembly issues, enabling your company to anticipate and prevent problems before they occur.

Training focuses on equipping participants to systematically identify possible failures, assess their severity, and calculate associated risks. Participants develop actionable plans to reduce or eliminate these risks, fostering a culture of prevention and reliability.

By mastering these quality tools, businesses empower their teams to drive continuous improvement, enhance operational consistency, and deliver superior results.

Quality Management Systems

A quality management system (QMS) is a structured framework designed to ensure consistent production of high-quality products while enhancing customer satisfaction. This systematic approach drives continuous improvement by integrating processes that promote efficiency and reliability.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Implementation: ISO standards, established by the International Organization for Standardization, provide internationally recognized guidelines to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of organizational processes. These standards are developed through a consensus-driven process involving global experts, making them a benchmark for operational excellence.

Support for QMS implementation includes developing and optimizing work processes to meet audit requirements and achieve necessary certifications. A comprehensive gap analysis identifies actions needed to build a robust system. Tailored processes are developed to ensure relevance, drive consistency, and uncover opportunities for ongoing improvement.

Additional services encompass auditor training, internal process auditing, document review, standards training, and continuous support for management review processes. These resources enable businesses to maintain compliance, improve operational consistency, and foster a culture of quality across all levels.

Safety Support

A robust safety program is essential for reducing costs, minimizing risks, and fostering employee engagement. Effective safety measures not only protect workers but also contribute to operational efficiency and compliance.

Support begins with a comprehensive safety assessment to identify high-risk areas and prioritize critical improvements. Tailored solutions address organizational needs, ranging from fundamental training to advanced safety management support.

Key areas of engagement include:

Safety Program Implementation: Establishing or enhancing comprehensive safety programs to meet organizational and regulatory requirements.

Required Annual Safety Training: Ensuring compliance with mandatory training for employees to stay informed and prepared.

Policy and Procedure Documentation: Assisting with the creation or refinement of safety processes, policies, and procedures to standardize practices.

OSHA 10-Hour Training: Providing foundational safety training for workers to identify and mitigate common workplace hazards.

OSHA 30-Hour Training: Offering advanced training for supervisors and safety personnel to manage workplace safety effectively.

Hazard Mitigation Implementation: Supporting the correction of shop floor hazards through actionable strategies and best practices.

Comprehensive safety support empowers businesses to maintain compliance, protect their workforce, and promote a culture of safety excellence.

Our Supply Chain Center offers:

• Local and national supplier connections
• New business opportunities
• Strong community ties through local sourcing
• Expanded reach with direct supplier-buyer connections

Whether you’re looking to diversify suppliers, explore new opportunities, or strengthen existing relationships, IMEC is your one-stop resource for comprehensive supply chain solutions.

Visit: IMEC Supply Chain Center

Book a meeting to discuss your supply chain needs with Adrian Garces or Jeanne Perron.

Advanced Manufacturing Technology Support

Advanced manufacturing technology integrates cutting-edge innovations to improve the efficiency, productivity, and quality of manufacturing processes in a cost-effective and sustainable manner. Comprehensive support ensures businesses can adopt and implement these technologies effectively.

Key areas of engagement include:

Automation Readiness Assessment: An automation readiness assessment identifies areas where automation can significantly enhance efficiency, reduce manual effort, and improve accuracy. This vendor-agnostic tool provides a detailed roadmap that includes:

• Process details and identified pain points
• Automation opportunities tailored to organizational needs
• Estimated ROI calculations
• A step-by-step implementation plan
• This approach ensures a strategic path toward automation, maximizing value and minimizing disruption.

Automation Application Assessment: This assessment evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of automation in specific processes. It includes:

• Researching and testing potential automation solutions
• Implementing selected test cases to gauge effectiveness
• Assessing compatibility with existing systems
• Analyzing the benefits and risks of automation before full integration
• This process ensures informed decisions about automation investments and their potential impact on operations.

Smart Manufacturing Execution Support: Smart manufacturing support involves integrating advanced digital technologies, such as IoT and real-time analytics, to manage and optimize manufacturing processes. This includes tools and systems that:

• Monitor operations in real time
• Enhance decision-making through actionable insights
• Improve process efficiency and responsiveness

By leveraging these advanced technologies, your company can achieve greater operational agility, enhanced product quality, and a more sustainable manufacturing model.