| Increased and Retained Sales |
$ 19,008,500
|
| Cost Savings |
$ 8,311,060
|
| Investments in Improvement |
$ 5,707,407
|
| Created and Retained Jobs |
261
|
Through new product development and idea engineering, TechHelp clients are innovating and growing sales. Through Lean manufacturing and quality systems, TechHelp clients are cutting costs without cutting jobs.
Last year, our 103 clients reported their results to an independent research firm. These are their numbers, not ours. We measure our success by their success.
E3 – Economy, Energy, Environment
Manufacturing plants are the largest consumers of energy in the United States, accounting for nearly one-third of all U.S. energy consumption. A small gain in energy efficiency can make a big difference on a manufacturer’s bottom line. Improvements in energy efficiency can also reduce green house gases and curb the need for expensive, new power plants. That’s why TechHelp is adding a new service – called E3 – to help manufacturers produce more with less energy and fewer pollutants. By reducing overproduction, defects and other production wastes, manufacturers can realize energy and environmental savings without major capital outlays. And, in some cases, capital outlays for more efficient lighting, heating/cooling or motors can pay for themselves in a short time. TechHelp is building on its partnerships with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, the Pollution Prevention Resource Center and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance to make this happen. “Going green” can mean the bottom line of the income statement, too.
Another Success Story
Silver Needle, Inc. in Kellogg makes fire retardant clothing that is used in the molten metals, mining, natural gas and fire protection industries. Actually, they make such a high quality product that demand started to outpace their ability to meet delivery deadlines. TechHelp’s Manufacturing Specialist in northern Idaho, Gary Alvarado, led several on-site Lean projects to improve lead times, eliminate redundant steps, improve inventory management, and coach Silver Needle supervisors to maintain a culture of continuous improvement on their own. The projects allowed Silver Needle to retain $130,000 in sales, save another $130,000 of plant investments, and retain 20 employees as well as hire 2 new ones. A Fortune 500 company was so impressed with Silver Needle’s quality and efficiency improvements that it is considering a $2 million order. “We continue to amaze ourselves at how Silver Needle Inc. has evolved under the guidance of Gary Alvarado and TechHelp,” said Silver Needle Manager Rene Gilbert.
Click here to read more about success at Silver Needle.
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TechHelp provides technical and business assistance to Idaho manufacturers making them more competitive through continuous process and product innovation. The center is a partnership of Idaho’s three state universities and an affiliate of the federal Manufacturing Extension Partnership. It is also Idaho’s EDA University Center targeting economically distressed areas.
