Orange County Water Company Increases Efficiency with Lean Six Sigma Signs

Nestle Waters is a division of Nestle. It focuses on the water bottling operation of the company. A huge corporation, Nestle – as well as its divisions – relies heavily on the Lean Six Sigma managerial approach to waste reduction and complete elimination. When heightened performance and reduced losses are the goal, the proper signage can make a huge difference when it comes time to motivate employees and help them to buy into the Lean Six Sigma approach. For the signage, Nestle Waters contacted Superior Signs and Graphics.

We worked with the management team to come up with a sign campaign that would be suitable for display inside offices and manufacturing areas. One example includes the use of route room magnets. We imprinted the company’s proprietary 2014 “Blueprint for Success” resolution. This graphic shares the company’s vision, targets and priorities. In addition, it reinforces Nestle Water’s stated desire to build a “culture of excellence.” The combination of blue, red and green subject headings makes it easy to read the magnetized placards. Sharing the company’s national direction makes an enormous impact on the morale of the workforce – particularly on the workers who are farther removed from the location of the company headquarters.

It is interesting to note that the new signs are an expansion of the company’s earlier continuous excellence program. In the past, the management team encouraged employees to engage and take ownership of processes with the help of dry erase magnets that featured excel type grids. This setup expands on this program. The idea is to eliminate wasteful processes and mark goals as well as the achievement of actual results on key performance metrics. Since this setup was successful, Nestle Waters asked us to do 330 magnets and 2,000 foot shaped floor graphics.

The foot steps highlight one example of efficiency by outlining how to do a task by using the least number of steps. Continuing on with examples of efficiency, the management team commissioned the manufacture of Route Safe Work Practices. This kind of sign outlines the company’s commitment to lawful operations where no corners are cut and includes the advice to obey ergonomic work principles when lifting. Other signs feature the RSR Scorecard, with qualitative and quantitative measures, the customer value proposition that highlights trust and great service with color-coded graphics, a general notation of professional values and an explanation of the GROW model for coaches.

This program was piloted in Los Angeles at the Nestle Waters North America facility that is a plant and distribution center.  Now the company has chosen to roll out the program to the Texas zone and will eventually incorporate it into its nationwide operations.

What can you learn from this big company? Lean Six Sigma is a managerial model that makes sense and works. Moreover, it takes suitable signage to get worker buy-in. When it comes to Lean Six Sigma signs, Orange County, CA, business owners do not have to wonder whom to contact. We can help you create, design and manufacture the same types of signs that Nestle has chosen for its program and we’ve included tons of images throughout this post and below to show you just how effective these signs can be if your company employs this continuous improvement process!

When you have worked out a great managerial strategy for providing excellent customer service, observing safety measures and cutting down on product or valuable time waste, there should be a graphic or sign that helps employees to understand how they can be a part of making this goal become a reality. Contact us today for the setup of your interior markers that can turn a wasteful organization into a lean-operating business with an eye on efficiency and value.

Be sure to take some time to browse through the remaining pictures to get a full perspective of what these type of motivational signs and scorecards can do for your business!