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Superior Modular Products Honored with Manufacturing Leadership Awards
Superior Modular Products, a leading developer and manufacturer of high-speed cross-connect products for communication networks, was recently honored at the Asheville, NC, Chamber of Commerce's Annual Industry Appreciation Event for Manufacturing Leadership in Western North Carolina. The event, hosted by the Manufacturers Executive Association(MEA), a local advocacy group striving to keep manufacturing in the US, and Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, awards manufacturers for initiating and replicating best practices in Lean manufacturing. "SMP is proud to receive this honor. "We have worked hard to keep SMP as a global leader in the data communications industry. The 'Lean' manufacturing methods implemented will continue to help us stay a leader. It is a good thing for a product to be 'made in America,' it is better and much harder to be globally competitive and 'made in America.' That accomplishment is what we are most proud of," stated Bill Reynolds, Vice President and General Manager.
As one of eight Western North Carolina manufacturers honored, SMP was recognized for leadership in best practices for its Cat 6 Module Assembly Team, Fiber Assembly Team and Patch Panel Assembly Team, all as a direct result of adopting the "Lean" manufacturing methodology. "The Lean manufacturing concepts have given us a more competitive edge and have offered us a more efficient method of producing our products", stated Linda Fouts, Operations Director.
A grant from NC State University to incorporate Lean manufacturing and a commitment from management to find more efficient manufacturing practices has propelled SMP to spectacular production gains. The production line at SMP is changing into production cells. Each employee within the cell is responsible for quality inspection, safety and waste management, as well as being cross-trained to work in other cells on other products. Every product made at SMP is 100% tested and proven to work or sent back for remanufacture or scrapped.
Superior Modular Products, headquartered in Swannanoa, North Carolina, is internationally recognized for its role in establishing the world's data communications standards, through its innovative-patented technologies. It is a leading developer and manufacturer of high-speed cross-connect products for communication networks worldwide. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Preformed Line Products (PLPC) of Cleveland, Ohio. www.smpdata.com
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