Six Sigma was introduced to the Manitowoc Company in 2002. Six Sigma is a disciplined approach to identifying customer requirements, then developing the products and processes that meet and exceed expectations in every instance. It is a data-driven method for identifying root causes, solving problems, and making smart business decisions. It allows for faster decision-making with data and offers analysis tools to solve complex problems.
Manitowoc is the first ISO 9001 Quality Systems Certified ice machine manufacturer. The ISO 9001 series of standards focuses on "quality management". Stringent customer and applicable regulatory requirements are put in place to meet customer satisfaction needs.
Along with offering new and improved products, we have continued to improve the way we apply our production resources. The implementation of flow manufacturing practices, which allow multiple products to be manufactured in any order on the same assembly line, delivers unprecented speed and flexibility while improving fill rates and delivery times. We can free-up precious floor space in our factories, rationalize our operations, and consolidate manufacturing around core activities.
We have made equally significant improvements in our business processes. In 2004, we completed the first phase of the implementation of new ERP (enterprise resource planning) software. A single, central database will allow us to better serve our customers and integrate our operations with our suppliers. The stringent implementation of these standards is major factor to put us into the? leadership position in the industry.