In an industry as mature as steel and particularly metal decorating it is often believed that there is ‘nothing more we can do’ or ‘the market is what it is’. Select Metal Litho Greenville (SMLG) is challenging that ideal not only in how they do business but how they charge forward with innovation and the intuitive use of technology within their operations.
SMLG took a step back at the beginning of 2017 and decided to look at how they moved into the next phase of their business. This included looking at not only their needs, but what they realized were the needs of the industry and more so the needs of their customers. What questions were they getting over and over? What challenges where their customers facing and how could they restructure and grow as a company to better meet these needs. Although one area was extensive facilities improvement the second, and equally as significant was the implementation of technology and innovation into their day-to-day operations.
The definition of innovation is – a new method, idea, product, etc.
SMLG not only looked at their processes and looked for how to create a new method or idea; they created an entire solution to run their business. Before the innovation shift at SMLG everything was done by hand on paper. All record keeping, production, shipping, reporting, employee records…everything. If SMLG wanted to move forward and be the company their customers needed…they had to make a change. That change started with creating a shipping module and specification database to house all the customer specs. This change continued with implementing iPads at the front and backs of each line, developing an inventory management system, interactive and intuitive production module, and so on. These changes affected everyone in the plant from management to the fork truck driver.
It has been an amazing union of innovation and excitement as Select Metal Litho continues to implement and tweak the processes to maximize workflow, efficiencies and customer experience. There are few businesses that took so quickly to making their business better by inviting the challenges of innovation into their business as Select Metal Litho Greenville. These changes were not only for the benefit of their employees, but also making their customer relationships stronger, more effective and strategic in thinking.
Watch the video here!
