International Automotive Components Group (IAC) announced September 26 that its Toluca manufacturing facility has received the 2008 Shingo Bronze Medallion. Referred to as "The Nobel Prize of Manufacturing" by Business Week, the Shingo Prize was presented in Guadalajara, Mexico, by the Shingo Prize Board of Examiners for IAC's distinguished commitment to achieving operational excellence and lean manufacturing. The Bronze Medallion is the first Shingo award for IAC.
"We are honored to have won this prestigious recognition for excellence in manufacturing," said Jim Kamsickas, president and CEO of IAC North America and Asia. "The IAC Toluca team has displayed unyielding commitment and perseverance to continually improve their operations, through a relentless passion to achieving Lean Manufacturing excellence. Operational excellence is a foundational pillar of our organization; accordingly, we are extremely grateful to the Shingo Prize Board of Examiners for their recognition and support."
The IAC Toluca facility employs more than 1,200 employees and supplies headliners, carpeting, HVAC ducts, interior trim and door panels for customers including General Motors, Chrysler Corporation, Nissan and Ford Motor Company. IAC Toluca, one of seven IAC facilities located in Mexico, has two buildings equipped with state-of-the-art machinery that combined exceed 436,000 square feet.
Criteria for the Shingo Bronze Medallion is based on the lean management approach model taught by Shigeo Shingo. The award is composed of four dimensions including Enablers, Process-Focused Improvement, Enterprise Thinking, and Business Results, to which all lean transformation must lead. The Toluca facility was cited for having excelled in the categories of teamwork and employee involvement; leadership and communication; measurement systems and goal setting; training programs; customer support and quality performance; continuous improvement in all business areas; and a systematic approach to lean.
The Shingo Prize has altered the 2008 criteria for the awards and aligned the business and public sector awards so that all awards and levels are consistent. Overall, Shingo recognizes three awards, The Shingo Bronze Medallion, The Shingo Silver Medallion and The Shingo Prize.
"The Shingo Bronze Medallion is a representation of how a company progresses along a lean transformation journey," said Robert Miller, Shingo Prize executive director. "IAC Toluca has joined a distinguished group of recipients that have demonstrated a commitment to achieving operational excellence and the facility is extremely deserving of the Bronze Medallion for its stellar lean management approach."
International Automotive Components Group (IAC) is a leading global supplier of automotive components and systems, including interior and exterior trim and structural and functional applications. IAC's 2007 global pro forma revenue exceeded $5.3 billion, and the company operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries and has more than 28,000 employees. IAC ranks No. 13 on the 2008 Automotive News Top 150 North American Supplier listing and #1 on the Plastics News North American Injection Molding listing.