Quality Applications

Leap Technologies Inc.'s Action Workout Benefits Saves money Works side by side with and accelerates the return on Six Sigma Sixty-day program delivers fast results Involves employees in performance improvement www.actionworkout.com

Mining Company Accelerates Return on Six Sigma with Action Workout
Leap Technologies Inc.'s Action Workout

IMC Global Inc. is a mining business that produces and supplies concentrated phosphates and potash fertilizers. The company is also one of the world's largest manufacturers of salt for road de-icing, food processing, water conditioning and other applications.

 When IMC Global wanted to solve its complex production and distribution problems, it turned to the Action Workout System from Leap Technologies. The company had already invested in Six Sigma but wanted to augment it with a flexible system that would get more people involved in performance improvement.

 "I knew some of our complex problems could only be addressed through a statistical approach," says John Biedry, vice president for continuous improvement for IMC Global. "But, for many others, I was convinced you don't need to study the daylights out of them before solutions can be implemented. I was very confident that Action Workout would get results."

 Action Workout targets improvements that don't require the rigor of Six Sigma analysis. Like Six Sigma, Action Workout connects critical performance outcomes to performance drivers. But, whereas Six Sigma uses heavy data analysis to find solutions, Action Workout taps into existing know-how and creativity. "Once some of our complex processes get drilled down to finite issues through Six Sigma analysis, we need input from the people doing the work to best determine how to quickly apply the solution," says Biedry.

 The Action Workout System is a combination of structured meetings and tools. It can be used to solve persistent shortcomings such as manufacturing inefficiencies and snags in order fulfillment. The system delivers workable solutions in fewer than 60 days, without the need for additional training or consultants. Action Workout also has a coach certification program that allows organizations to conduct future workout meetings through their own employees, a process that saves money. This ability to accelerate results by using internal know-how helps sustain the improvements over time.

 Action Workout organizes certain employees into small teams that hold weekly meetings to work their ideas into actionable solutions. The teams test and implement cost-saving and productivity improvement ideas and then assess and document the impact of their actions. Employees also have a chance to express ideas using the system's silent brainstorming technique. Every Action Workout meeting concludes with a review in which participants are recognized for results achieved, learning is captured and the plan for sustaining gains is confirmed.

 The system also accelerates return on Six Sigma by providing a rapid implementation tool for deploying Six Sigma solutions. Workout teams free time for Black Belts and ensure that Six Sigma solutions are localized by those who use the solutions. Six Sigma provides a rigorous method for identifying root causes to complex problems, while Action Workout encourages employees to share ideas and implement practical solutions.

 "Six Sigma, by its very nature, is not going to touch the whole of our work force," says Biedry "But, with Action Workout, we're upgrading the capability of all our people, making it easier to implement Six Sigma solutions."

 Trained in the Action Workout System, IMC Global's 10 Black Belts incorporated the two-pronged strategy for continuous improvement at the company's North American production facilities. Workout teams, made up of five to seven employees that operate for 60 days or less, rely on structured improvement processes to guide their work. Using Action Workout, IMC Black Belts also gain time with which to lead more Six Sigma projects.

 IMC Global's potash mining facility in Saskatchewan, Canada, implemented the system in order to find quick answers to several long-standing production problems. Three workout teams were formed. A miner's shift utilization team reviewed how miners work in order to find inconsistencies and best practices--a process that resulted in reducing labor and materials costs by $59,000. An energy conservation team focused on reducing the use of natural gas and electricity in the mining facility. The team's efforts resulted in cost cutting, which produced $68,000 in gains based on frontline employee ideas. A load-out productivity team was geared toward investigating how loads of potash were being transported. That team made improvements in scheduling, routing and loading procedures, saving the company $33,000.

 IMC Global has since implemented Action Workout in 37 workout teams at four locations. More than 250 employees are actively involved in the workout, and more than 200 new solutions have been implemented. Action Workout has saved the company a documented $2.25 million in 12 months.