SR Managers: PWO Canada provided an overview of their business model and core competencies to the SIG group of Sr executives and their designates. Included were challenges and opportunities currently faced in today's marketplace. This was followed by a tour and a request for constructive feedback for the host, and acknowledgement of take-aways for the visitors. Round table discussions embraced strategic thinking, and were not limited to these topics:

• Visual Factory Strategies and Visual Performance Metrics
• Cross-functional and Department Communication
• Employee Involvement and Cultural Strategies for Continuous Improvement
• Process Development Strategies
• Inventory Management Strategies

Continuous Improvement: PWO Canada provided the CI group with a problem of change-over reduction for one of their welding assembly cells. Fortunately, there was a change-over taking place during the session, so SIG group members were able to "touch and feel" this challenge in real life, and in real time. Following the tour, the group re-assembled for a brainstorming problem solving exercise to offer suggestions to reduce change-over times for this cell. People were able to reflect on how they have dealt with change-over reduction in the past and their own current challenges while they experienced the problem in a different context. The host benefited from new perspectives on their problem. A long list of suggestions was provided to the host.

• The big one: When considering floor lay-out, and product/material/process flow that impacts the change-over, it needs to be observed within the total value stream of the process. Perhaps other non-value-added steps are taking place before the change-over that can be removed or reduced- impacting the severity of the change-over time. Again, the importance of a value stream map rises to the top.
• The symptom and low hanging fruit is the change-over itself, and the larger picture remains a longer term opportunity.
• Internal and external steps and strategies were brainstormed and reviewed, along with constraints.

Because this cell will be the focalpoint of new business coming to PWO in coming months, this was a timely event, and timely use of the brainpower harnessed through this exercise.

Engineering: The Engineering focus group benchmarked strategies for drawing document control and flow. This also included discussions on software platforms including 3d capabilities. The group enjoys comparison of the Engineering function as it manifests between depts. and business models and product mixes. PWO provided a presentation on how all this roles out in their business, and round-table discussions focused on what each can learn from the other and take away. To obtain more details from the PWO presentation, please contact Mike Baker.

Human Resources: Earlier in the year when the HR SIG group brainstormed their topics for the year, Wellness in the workplace was identified as an important item as it impacts absenteeism and benefit costs. All HR professionals in the group agreed that while all of us may be doing something, none of us have a formal wellness program and we all may be doing things we can learn from each other.

The HR group enjoyed a presentation on Wellness in the workplace by Employer's Edge, followed by a round-table networking exercise enabling members to learn from each other is doing (and not doing) with respect to wellness.

The wellness activities ranged from smoking cessation programs, to lunch & learns, to walking challenges to gym memberships. All have varying degrees of employee engagement and success.

Employer's Edge introduced several concepts and principles in establishing and sustaining a wellness program. Their presentation will be available on the EMC K-W/Cambridge consortium page.

Many thanks to PWO Canada for hosting a very successful day for networking and benchmarking world class for Waterloo Region manufacturers!

If you are a manufacturer and you are interested in participating in these events, please contact Mike Baker at EMC: mbaker@emccanda.org