Monaghan Medical of Plattsburgh, New York, specializes in designing and manufacturing patient-focused aerosol drug delivery devices and respiratory management products. Backed by a cutting-edge aerosol research laboratory, the company delivers advanced, therapeutic, and cost-effective solutions for managing a wide range of respiratory diseases. Monaghan emloys approximately 100 team members.
In response to the COVID pandemic, it was critical for Monaghan to be able to deliver products to customers with no delays and react quickly to changing needs in the marketplace. Through the pandemic the company had quickly pivoted to meet changing customer demands, but as the pandemic slowed there was time to refine what they had done. Leadership found, however, that the team needed a shared process for identifying bottlenecks and developing solutions. Monaghan Medical turned to CITEC, part of the New York MEP and the MEP National Network™.
I would definitely recommend CITEC. The wealth of knowledge that they bring, the understanding of manufacturing techniques, and the tools and expertise that they bring to a facility is second to none.
The Vice President of Operations decided to involve production employees at all levels to identify opportunities for process improvements. CITEC began by guiding approximately 80 workers through Lean 101 training, introducing them to the fundamentals of Lean manufacturing. Following the training, employees conducted waste hunts within their work areas, which resulted in immediate operational improvements.
Monaghan then surveyed participants to gauge interest in a more intensive program, Lean White Belt (LWB) training, which includes ten full training days and a hands-on project component. The response was enthusiastic, with 23 volunteers forming two cohorts for a CITEC-led LWB training and enhancement project. One project alone achieved a significant 50% productivity increase on a production line, boosting output from 6,000 to 9,000 units.