The CNH Industrial N.V. plant in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, has been awarded silver status for implementing world-class manufacturing (WCM), one of the highest standards for the integrated management of manufacturing plants and processes.
The Canadian plant, which produces planters, headers, air carts and other equipment for the company's agricultural equipment brands, Case IH and New Holland Agriculture, is the first North American CNH Industrial facility to receive a silver WCM designation.
Following an audit by independent, trained auditors, the plant earned the silver award for achieving production process excellence and for the WCM knowledge demonstrated by employees throughout the facility and on the shop floor. The facility earned the status just seven years after initially implementing the WCM program, which measures technical and managerial standards, including safety, cost, environment, quality and process.
"This is a great honor, as our company is committed to achieving the highest standards in production in North America and around the world," said Bret Lieberman, vice president of manufacturing for CNH Industrial North America. "Employee involvement is a vital aspect of any successful world-class manufacturing program. All of our employees in Saskatoon should be commended for their strong commitment and achievement in making CNH Industrial's plants among the best in the world."
Based on continuous improvement, WCM is an integrated system for managing all elements of an organization. It focuses on improving the efficiency of a company's technical and organizational components while maximizing market competitiveness.
The widespread use of WCM principles at CNH Industrial plants allows the entire company, totaling 69,000 employees across 190 countries, to share a common culture based on efficient processes and on a language universally recognized across all plants and countries in which CNH Industrial operates.
Through precise methods and standards, WCM seeks to eliminate waste and loss from the production process by identifying objectives such as zero injuries, zero defects, zero breakdowns, zero waste, reduced inventories, and suppliers' punctual delivery of parts to plants and subsequently to dealers and end users.
CNH Industrial has 59 plants around the world involved in WCM, with nine silver level and 18 bronze level plants. Currently, 83 percent of CNH Industrial plants (53 plants in all) participate in WCM, with 90 percent of the employees at those plants taking part in the program.
The Saskatoon plant, along with other CNH Industrial plants in North America, first implemented WCM in 2008. Since then, the facility has improved safety, achieved no lost-time injury for 3 million hours, reduced plant quality warranty claims by 90 percent, produced double-digit savings almost every year and not missed a delivery shipment in more than three years.
The facility, which employs 550 workers, is one of CNH Industrial's 12 plants in North America and the only one in Canada.
For more information, visit cnhindustrial.com.