Brett Wills –- author of Green Intentions: Creating a Green Value Stream to Compete and Win -- will be a guest on the The Lean Nation radio show May 19th from 4pm to 5pm (EDT) on 790 AM Talk and Business, hosted by Karl Wadensten. He will discuss important Lean and Green topics, and he's looking forward to sharing his insights on air to a wide audience of business leaders and change agents.
You can listen to his appearance live on 790AM (Citadel Broadcasting, ABC Affiliate) in Providence, Rhode Island. The show is also globally available via a live audio stream at 790business.com. Brett would love to hear your opinions and answer your questions, so feel free to call in to the show. The call-in number is 401-437-5000 or toll free at 888-345-0790. If you can’t tune in live, a podcast will be available after the show.
The Lean Nation is a new show on 790AM and airs from 4 pm to 5 pm, weekdays and streams online at 790business.com. The Lean Nation features real world examples and actionable advice from local and national business leaders on how to reinvent yourself into a Lean operation in business and in life. The show's host, Karl Wadensten, is the president of VIBCO, a Rhode Island manufacturing company. During the past three years, VIBCO has created a Lean Revolution using lean methodologies (based on the Toyota Production System).
Showing posts with label Brett Wills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brett Wills. Show all posts
2.05.2010
Quick Wins on the Green Journey
The third and final part of my discussion with Brett Wills (author of Green Intentions: Creating a Green Value Stream to Compete and Win) focused on the areas of any organization where quick improvements could be accomplished. Brett has some important suggestions here:
"When starting out on the green journey, one does not have to dive in head first. There are many initiatives that can be undertaken to realize significant cost savings without tying up large amounts of resources. Not only will these initiatives realize cost savings, they will go a long way in gaining the buy-in needed to develop a greener culture.
Here are a few quick wins to get started with:
1. Air Compressors -- Identifying and repairing leaks in air compressor lines can result in hundreds even thousands of dollars in annual energy savings. In addition, many times the PSI level is far too high for what is actually needed. By simply lowering the PSI level a few notches, one will see immediate savings.
2. Peak Shaving -- A close examination of one’s electric bill will reveal a hidden peak demand charge. This charge is based on the one-time largest draw of energy over a 15-minute window. For example, turning on all the lights, motors, equipment, computers and so on at the same time will draw a large amount of energy for a short period of time. With a peak demand charge anywhere from $5+ per kW, one can save a great deal of money by simply staggering start ups. Often times the electricity provider will help with this project at no cost.
3. Computers -- Although the energy consumption of a single computer is relatively low, adding up the energy consumption from all computers represents a significant cost. Many times computers are left on overnight so that updates and maintenance tasks can be performed. By simply scheduling these activities to occur on a specific night, computers can be shut off at the end of each day to realize cost savings.
4. Water Coolers -- It is cheaper to use water coolers that treat tap water than to use water coolers that are fed from a bottle.
5. Hot-Water Tanks and Pipes -- Uninsulated hot-water pipes and tanks result in large amounts of heat loss requiring greater amounts of energy to keep water at desired temperatures. By insulating these tanks and pipes, heat loss is minimized resulting in lower energy consumption and ultimately, cost savings.
6. Side Skirts -- For transport and logistics companies or those with fleets of trucks, there is a simple way to dramatically increase fuel consumption, with very little investment. Side skirts for tractor trailers greatly reduce drag and can increase fuel savings by as much as 15%.
These are just a few of the many quick wins that can be had by putting on the green lens. Harvesting this low hanging fruit is an effective way to start realizing cost savings and build momentum for a more comprehensive green transformation. The key is to have a process or a 'road map' to follow."
"When starting out on the green journey, one does not have to dive in head first. There are many initiatives that can be undertaken to realize significant cost savings without tying up large amounts of resources. Not only will these initiatives realize cost savings, they will go a long way in gaining the buy-in needed to develop a greener culture.
Here are a few quick wins to get started with:
1. Air Compressors -- Identifying and repairing leaks in air compressor lines can result in hundreds even thousands of dollars in annual energy savings. In addition, many times the PSI level is far too high for what is actually needed. By simply lowering the PSI level a few notches, one will see immediate savings.
2. Peak Shaving -- A close examination of one’s electric bill will reveal a hidden peak demand charge. This charge is based on the one-time largest draw of energy over a 15-minute window. For example, turning on all the lights, motors, equipment, computers and so on at the same time will draw a large amount of energy for a short period of time. With a peak demand charge anywhere from $5+ per kW, one can save a great deal of money by simply staggering start ups. Often times the electricity provider will help with this project at no cost.
3. Computers -- Although the energy consumption of a single computer is relatively low, adding up the energy consumption from all computers represents a significant cost. Many times computers are left on overnight so that updates and maintenance tasks can be performed. By simply scheduling these activities to occur on a specific night, computers can be shut off at the end of each day to realize cost savings.
4. Water Coolers -- It is cheaper to use water coolers that treat tap water than to use water coolers that are fed from a bottle.
5. Hot-Water Tanks and Pipes -- Uninsulated hot-water pipes and tanks result in large amounts of heat loss requiring greater amounts of energy to keep water at desired temperatures. By insulating these tanks and pipes, heat loss is minimized resulting in lower energy consumption and ultimately, cost savings.
6. Side Skirts -- For transport and logistics companies or those with fleets of trucks, there is a simple way to dramatically increase fuel consumption, with very little investment. Side skirts for tractor trailers greatly reduce drag and can increase fuel savings by as much as 15%.
These are just a few of the many quick wins that can be had by putting on the green lens. Harvesting this low hanging fruit is an effective way to start realizing cost savings and build momentum for a more comprehensive green transformation. The key is to have a process or a 'road map' to follow."
2.03.2010
A Lean and Green Benchmark
To continue our discussion of sustainability and green manufacturing, I present part two of my “digital dialogue” with Brett Wills (author of Green Intentions: Creating a Green Value Stream to Compete and Win). In this post, he presents a great case study in “green thinking”:
"In business for more than 30 years, Interface Inc. is a publicly traded company with 2007 annual revenues of $1.08 Billion. They are headquartered in Atlanta, GA and have offices in more than 100 countries.
Interface is arguably best known in the green world for being a leader in industrial ecology by closing the loop on carpeting. Their ability to take back their carpets and make new carpet out of it with relatively minimal environmental impact in the process has shown that green thinking is not only possible it is practical and just plain good business.
Under the leadership of founder and chairman Ray Anderson along with the support of key change agents such as senior engineer Dave Gustashaw, Interface has a vision of being the world’s first environmentally restorative company by 2020. That’s right, environmentally restorative, not environmentally friendlier or even neutral but to actually have a positive impact on the environment.
Interface looks at waste not only form the customer’s perception of value but also extend that thinking to include the environments perception of value. Although they admit they still have a long way to go, their results serve as inspiration for what can be achieved with a commitment to banish all forms of waste. Have a look at the remarkable stats of their 15-year 'lean and green' journey, you will be amazed.
Cumulative avoided costs from waste elimination – $372,000,000
Total waste sent to landfills from manufacturing – down 66%
Total energy use – down 45%
Total renewable energy use – 27%
Percent renewable or bio-based materials in products – 25%
Net absolute greenhouse gas emissions – down 82%
Water – down 75% modular, 45% broadloom
Post consumer/industrial diversion from landfill – 133,000,000 lbs.
Safety – 60% reduction in recordable accidents.
Still think that going green is a financial drag and a “nice to do” in good times?
The trick to achieving results with green is to have a process and road map to follow. The lean and green process provides this map.
* Information extracted from the an article appearing in the Association for Manufacturing Excellence’s Target Magazine (Volume 24, Issue Number 5). The article was written by Dave Gustashaw and Dr. Robert Hall.
"In business for more than 30 years, Interface Inc. is a publicly traded company with 2007 annual revenues of $1.08 Billion. They are headquartered in Atlanta, GA and have offices in more than 100 countries.
Interface is arguably best known in the green world for being a leader in industrial ecology by closing the loop on carpeting. Their ability to take back their carpets and make new carpet out of it with relatively minimal environmental impact in the process has shown that green thinking is not only possible it is practical and just plain good business.
Under the leadership of founder and chairman Ray Anderson along with the support of key change agents such as senior engineer Dave Gustashaw, Interface has a vision of being the world’s first environmentally restorative company by 2020. That’s right, environmentally restorative, not environmentally friendlier or even neutral but to actually have a positive impact on the environment.
Interface looks at waste not only form the customer’s perception of value but also extend that thinking to include the environments perception of value. Although they admit they still have a long way to go, their results serve as inspiration for what can be achieved with a commitment to banish all forms of waste. Have a look at the remarkable stats of their 15-year 'lean and green' journey, you will be amazed.
Cumulative avoided costs from waste elimination – $372,000,000
Total waste sent to landfills from manufacturing – down 66%
Total energy use – down 45%
Total renewable energy use – 27%
Percent renewable or bio-based materials in products – 25%
Net absolute greenhouse gas emissions – down 82%
Water – down 75% modular, 45% broadloom
Post consumer/industrial diversion from landfill – 133,000,000 lbs.
Safety – 60% reduction in recordable accidents.
Still think that going green is a financial drag and a “nice to do” in good times?
The trick to achieving results with green is to have a process and road map to follow. The lean and green process provides this map.
* Information extracted from the an article appearing in the Association for Manufacturing Excellence’s Target Magazine (Volume 24, Issue Number 5). The article was written by Dave Gustashaw and Dr. Robert Hall.
2.01.2010
Green… Just Plain Smart Business
My recent posts on "lean and green" and sustainability have generated some emails from practitioners working in this area. Brett Wills, author of Green Intentions: Creating a Green Value Stream to Compete and Win, sent me some fairly detailed insights that I'd like to share here in three successive blog posts. Here is part one:
"Attitudes of customers, employees, and stakeholders are changing. Indicators are constantly showing they are increasingly attracted to those companies who respect the environment and people and are committed to improving sustainable processes. For some, however, there is an illusion that going green is a financial drag. This thinking inhibits the change that is necessary to compete and win in today’s economy. Fortunately, this thinking is rapidly changing as more and more companies continually post results to the bottom line.
Companies like Coca Cola, Kraft, Heinz, Toyota, Interface and HP are showing how going green cuts costs, grows market share, strengthens brands, and increases competitiveness. These companies are clearly illustrating that going green is no longer a 'nice to do' program in good times but a key ingredient to succeeding in the new, reset economy.
The rub is that going green can be difficult if one does not have the tools, techniques, and thinking required for a successful green transformation. The good news is that all the ingredients needed for a successful and profitable green transformation are readily available. In addition, one can quickly learn to apply these tools to immediately realize cost savings and other business benefits with little to no investment and quick implementation.
One such tool is the lean and green process that allows one to quickly uncover the often hidden and costly green wastes laying in an organization. Committing a relatively small amount of time to learning and applying this process will allow one to immediately begin harvesting the low-hanging fruit. These quick wins enable one to get the buy-in and support needed for continuous green improvement.
Whichever way one looks at it, competing and winning in today’s new economy requires a strategy that includes green."
"Attitudes of customers, employees, and stakeholders are changing. Indicators are constantly showing they are increasingly attracted to those companies who respect the environment and people and are committed to improving sustainable processes. For some, however, there is an illusion that going green is a financial drag. This thinking inhibits the change that is necessary to compete and win in today’s economy. Fortunately, this thinking is rapidly changing as more and more companies continually post results to the bottom line.
Companies like Coca Cola, Kraft, Heinz, Toyota, Interface and HP are showing how going green cuts costs, grows market share, strengthens brands, and increases competitiveness. These companies are clearly illustrating that going green is no longer a 'nice to do' program in good times but a key ingredient to succeeding in the new, reset economy.
The rub is that going green can be difficult if one does not have the tools, techniques, and thinking required for a successful green transformation. The good news is that all the ingredients needed for a successful and profitable green transformation are readily available. In addition, one can quickly learn to apply these tools to immediately realize cost savings and other business benefits with little to no investment and quick implementation.
One such tool is the lean and green process that allows one to quickly uncover the often hidden and costly green wastes laying in an organization. Committing a relatively small amount of time to learning and applying this process will allow one to immediately begin harvesting the low-hanging fruit. These quick wins enable one to get the buy-in and support needed for continuous green improvement.
Whichever way one looks at it, competing and winning in today’s new economy requires a strategy that includes green."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)