Because quality is the most cost-effective, least capital-intensive route to productivity, VCT has institutionalized continuous improvement. From supplied materials to finished products, our Growtth and Six Sigma programs enable us to maintain the highest quality standards.
GROWTTH tm
Through it's joint venture partner Freudenberg-NOK (FNOK), VCT adopted the proprietary lean system GROWTTH. GROWTTH follows the concepts of the Toyota Production System and one-piece flow manufacturing. The system uses teamwork and communications to increase efficiencies in the use of time, labor, materials and space.
One feature of GROWTTH is the U-shaped work cell (right). At VCT, utilization of a U-shaped workspace instead of the traditional assembly line, greatly reduces time spent on non-value-added activities. The U-shaped cell also reduced lead-time, staffing requirements and number of defects.
GROWTTH is an acronym for "Getting Rid of Waste Through Team Harmony."
GROWTTH brings cross-functional teams together for a short period of time to find specific solutions to a very specific problem. The solution is immediately implemented and monitored.
Team members are granted wide-ranging autonomy and the freedom to make decisions. This exercise transfers responsibility from senior management to employees and ultimately encourages staff to make continuous improvements an everyday work activity.
SIX SIGMA
Six Sigma increases customer satisfaction by eliminating variability, defects and waste. To achieve Six Sigma Quality, a process must produce no more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities.
Six Sigma is a statistical term that measures how far a given process deviates from perfection. It is a rigorous and systematic methodology that utilizes information (management by facts) and statistical analysis to measure and improve a company's operational performance, practices and systems. This is accomplished by identifying and preventing 'defects' in manufacturing and service-related processes.
QUALITY CERTIFICATIONS
The VCT manufacturing facility in Ligonier, Indiana has achieved the challenging ISO/TS16949 certification.
This ISO Technical Specification aligns existing US, German, French and Italian automotive quality system standards within the global automotive industry. It specifies the quality system requirements for the design/ development, production, installation and servicing of automotive-related products.
The Ligonier facility is also QS-9000 and ISO 9001 certified.
