44 | Regulars / Continuous improvementIn a recent fash poll of converters, “The growth phenomenon and an aging owner 58 percent report they will turn to continuous improvement as a path to demographic have provided an opportunity for gain competitiveness. Another 24 percent are looking to simplify and reduce waste private equity to take advantage of the market”in their organizations. The question I get asked the most is how to get started with the cultural transition process. My frst The information will come directly from suggestion is to learn from your customers. your employees. A great investment in Pair an operation-minded individual with a learning includes a crash course in how to sales-minded individual and go and see. My hold a meaningful and short shift kickoff best industry meetings were traveling with meeting highlighting SQDIP (Safety, the sales team, talking to business leaders Quality, Delivery, Inventory of about their needs from their suppliers interruptions, Productivity). and what they value from converters as a supplier. This information needs to come Communicateback to the company and be digested so I have been involved with converters for that strategic thrusts of activity can be 20 years and with manufacturing planned and executed. Don’t think this my entire career. A common gap is is a salesperson assignment. This has to the inability to use 5-10 minutes involve operations, engineering, graphics at the beginning of the shift to and fnance. communicate what is important Finding the most impactful areas to the customers and what requiring attention can come from the improvement results are benefting customer learnings, value stream mapping, customer relationships. The and reviewing waste in the process. next step is to ask a shop foor Organizations that have travel restrictions operator about interruptions due to the current pandemic or because that were experienced the shift of the cost, have another way to discover before. An interruption is defned as the most troubling of performance barriers. anything that prevents the progress of FOR PETE’S SAKE, SAFELY FLAG YOUR SCRAP ANDFinding and removing defects downstream CUT IT OUT!CUT IT OUT!is safe and easy with the Novation AF3 WebFlagger. Novation AF3 WebFlagger. LEAVE YOUR FLAWS ON THE FLOOR, LEAVE YOUR FLAWS ON THE FLOOR, With the push of a button, the AF3 accurately marks NOT OUT THE DOORwebs moving at speeds over webs moving at speeds over 4,000 fpm (1,200 mpm). And our MultiColor option can ? ag the start and option can ? ag the start and end of defects with di? erent end of defects with di? erent color ? ags—so now you can color ? ags—so now you can leave ? aws on the ? oor, not out the door!MADE IN THE U.S.A.The printing and converting industry standard in defect marking and trackingNOVATION-INC.COM (610) 837-5026 STOP HAND FLAGGING!labelsandlabeling.com