Kaizen

May 4, 2023 / by Mike Pierce

The most important tool to support client success through lead-time reductions

Successful – for both Aldevron and our clients. That is how I would describe Aldevron’s first Shingijutsu Kaizen event and the first Danaher CEO Kaizen event of 2023, held the week of April 10. Not only did the efforts surpass all expectations but it surpassed deliverable goals--success!

Success at Aldevron doesn't happen by accident. As one of the Operating Companies in the Life Sciences Platform of Danaher, there is a proven system for achieving it through the Danaher Business System. Kaizen is one of the strongest tools we use to achieve big results. Kaizen is a Japanese word that translates to “change for the better” or “continuous improvement.” And Kaizen is our way of life.

Aldevron’s CEO Kaizen
There were three Kaizen teams working simultaneously and we challenged each team to stretch their thinking, and the key word of the week was trystorm—which created an electric atmosphere of consequential action.

Those three Kaizen teams all worked to execute to reach a common goal; to improve factory flow to accelerate plasmid manufacturing and ultimately accelerate breakthrough therapies. Lean conversion activities were completed in several critical value streams necessary to compress lead times for clients.

Team One: Material Flow
This group conducted several trystorms to simplify and accelerate the delivery of materials to the operators in the manufacturing suites. These efforts reduced manufacturing lead time by six (6) days.

Team Two: Manufacturing
This group completed a lean conversion kaizen on the Aldevron 300-liter manufacturing suite. With the leadership and guidance of several operators and the support from Team One, this team drove a three (3) day reduction in the downstream manufacturing lead time.

Team Three: Quality Control
This group focused on lean conversion of the Quality Control lab, resulting in an eleven (11) day reduction. Multiple kaizens focused on standard work, Kanban and point-of-use material implementation, and better visual management.

People across all departments at Aldevron rallied to support each other to make these and other significant improvements happen. We also received support from our colleagues in the Danaher Business System Office as well as leaders from Danaher Corporate, Integrated DNA Technologies, Cytiva, and Pall who traveled to Fargo to help us. It was true teamwork in action.

Each associate celebrated our collective success that will positively impact our operators and laboratory analysts’ daily work, and in the end, the clients we serve. We saw Aldevron’s core values in action this week – to innovate, to collaborate, to serve and to make lives better. Success!

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