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News Release
February 8, 2006
                       For Immediate Release

ESCO Syracuse Starts Year With Lean Success

Syracuse, NY. — ESCO Corporation recently awarded its Turbine Technologies (TT) Syracuse location with a silver merit of Lean excellence. Lean organizations seek to improve quality, eliminate waste, and reduce delays and total costs through a system of continuous improvement.

As a corporation, ESCO began using lean processes in 1999. The lean metrics program, known as Lean Links, monitors several areas of lean implementation including: synchronized flow and quality control; process focus; the visual factory and development; and management and accounting. Each ESCO location is evaluated, recognized for progress, and an implementation plan for new improvements is created based on the results.

The Lean Links program is divided into four awards categories: bronze, silver, gold and QVS Excellence. In January, ESCO awarded the Silver Lean Links award to ESCO Turbine Technologies - Syracuse. The location had a history of Lean awareness and began using lean tools such as Training Within Industry (TWI) back in 1997. Additionally ESCO TT-Syracuse has hosted several Central New York companies over the years, sharing their Lean knowledge and expertise with businesses who want to learn more about Lean and how to incorporate Lean strategies into their operations.

Having reached the bronze Lean Links level in June of last year, the plant began taking steps towards the Silver level immediately and reached it in just seven months. “I am extremely pleased with the lean progress ESCO has made over the last few years. Turbine Technologies Syracuse has worked hard to implement and create work cells, WIP caps and a 6S program to sustain continuous improvement.  It is obvious that plant employees have a true sense of empowerment from driving process improvements and with this level of employee commitment and enthusiasm the location will only continue to improve,” said Dale Gehring, Director of Lean Enterprise Development.   

ESCO Corporation is a global group of companies that manufactures engineered metal parts and components for industrial machinery. A privately held company, ESCO Corporation is headquartered in Portland, OR. The company employs over 3,600 in four operating groups with manufacturing, distribution, and sales offices on six continents.