Progressive Manufacturers Award and Tool Methodology

The selection process for the Progressive Manufacturers Awards presented in March 2005 and June 2006 is described here. After the recipients were selected, a team of researchers reviewed the applications and the analyses of the judges to derive the key benchmarks and levels of mastery used in this tool.

After a draft of the assessment tool was crafted, the researchers contacted the judges and a group of distinguished experts in each discipline to review, revise, and validate the benchmarks and analysis. The tool represents the best judgment of more than a dozen experts, users, and consultants.

Managing Automation would like to publicly thank and recognize the contribution of the individuals who graciously gave their time and expertise to this project.

Managing Automation editors David Brousell, Jeff Moad, and Chris Chiappinelli, along with current and past Progressive Manufacturing judges:

• Paul Adelberg, vice president of lean technology, Hayward Pool Products
• Tim Carroll, vice president, supply chain operations, IBM Integrated Supply Chain
• Doug Engel, vice chairman and U.S. manufacturing industry leader, Deloitte & Touche
• Ann Grackin, chief executive officer, ChainLink Research
• Eric Marks, president and CEO, AgilePath Corp.
• Paul E. Martin, global chief information officer, Rexam Plc
• Eric Mittelstadt, CEO, The National Council for Advanced Manufacturing
• Haider Nazar, CEO, Kemco Manufacturing
• Maureen Steinwall, president, Steinwall Inc.
• Dean Teglia, managing partner for the industrial equipment practice, North America, Accenture

Among the experts consulted on this project were:

• Steve Banker, service director for supply chain management, ARC Advisory Group. For more information about ARC, please visit www.arcweb.com
• Mark Strom, lead director in product development, PRTM, a leading consultant in research and development strategies and practices. For more information about PRTM, please visit www.prtm.com
• Shoshanah Cohen, director, Pacific region supply chain management practice, PRTM. For more information about PRTM, please visit www.prtm.com
• Julie Fraser, principal, Industry Directions. For more information on Industry Directions, please visit www.industrydirections.com
• Robert Parker, vice president of research, Manufacturing Insights. For more information on Manufacturing Insights, please visit www.manufacturing-insights.com
• Mark Strom, lead director in product development, PRTM, a leading consultant in research and development strategies and practices. For more information about PRTM, please visit www.prtm.com

Research and analysis were provided by Lauren Gibbons Paul and Larry Marion of Triangle Publishing Services Co. Inc. (Newton, MA).

Caveats

This tool represents the first step in a process of improving a manufacturer's operational processes. It is meant to provide initial guidance about areas of operations that, once improved, can enable an organization to better succeed.

It is not a precise gauge of the mastery of the eight disciplines of progressive manufacturing. Such a measurement would require in-depth review of an organization's operations by a team of outsiders. Organizations interested in such a study should contact the editors of Managing Automation for more information.