Robert Curtis

As you can see from his Executive Profile, Mr. Curtis has extensive experience in defining and successfully implementing improvements into Operations/Manufacturing processes.  In particular, he is recognized as a leading successful authority regarding Full Lean Implementation.  He is one of a select few in NY State.

• Full Lean Implementation via Training
  • The result is revised Lean Operations Processes where real cost cutting is achieved, accomplished thereafter by the trained employees.
  • The result is revised Lean Front Office Processes where real cost cutting is achieved, accomplished thereafter by the trained employees.
  • Then Full Lean Implementation where as a result of the training an internal employee committee is established that gradually takes over defining and implementing Full Lean concepts throughout the company.
• The other individual, who is a recognized authority in accomplishing Full Lean, is also on our staff.
• Mr. Curtis and his staff provide the training that results in all of the Operations/ Manufacturing improvement measures as previously outlined and further defined in the next area of this section in the website.  The profile of one of his staff members, Nicholas Vitarelli, follows that of Mr. Curtis.  As you can see, Mr. Vitarelli is green belt certified in Six Sigma.  Mr. Vitarelli has extensive experience in training that results in developing/implementing Lean Operations Processes where by company personnel, real cost savings are achieved.  Mr. Vitarelli also has extensive successful experience in training that result in implementing SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS.
• Mr. Curtis has additional staff members who provide the support to accomplish all of the required training that thereafter results in Operations/Manufacturing implementations by the trained employees.

Mr. Curtis has 27 years of experience as a Senior Executive in Manufacturing and Distribution Operations. He has managed as Vice President, and Executive Vice President for firms in consumer products, INCLUDING cosmetics, skin care, fragrances, accessories, and medical and hospital supplies. He has had P & L responsibility reporting directly to the CEO. He was responsible for functions including Forecasting, Purchasing, Warehousing, Manufacturing, Quality, and Distribution, including international operations for a major cosmetics firm serving both department and specialty stores and mass markets. He has had experience in small privately held firms and in larger public companies.

As a management consultant for 10 years for cosmetics, medical, etc. involving U.S. Government manufacturing and distribution firms, Mr. Curtis led teams through the process of discovery, analysis, and identification of alternative operations, to provide improvement opportunities to clients. Typical engagements included:

• Process and Operational Analysis

• Creative Solution Development

• Customer Driven Operations Improvement

• Cost Reduction

• Lean Process Implementation

• Materials Handling

• Inventory Planning & Management

• Budgeting/Cost Control

• Control Systems & Technology

• Project Management

His consulting experiences include industries such as Wholesale & Retail Distribution, Publishing, Wall Covering, Carpets, Bedding, Consumer Apparel and Hard-goods, Eyewear, Watches, Jewelry, Pharmaceuticals, HBA and Medical Supplies, Consumer and Industrial Electronics, Automotive Parts, Industrial Supplies & Hardware, and Military Logistics.

Mr. Curtis is recognized as one of the few leading and successful authorities regarding full lean implementation in NY State.

Mr. Curtis has a BS degree in Industrial Management from New York University and did graduate work in Industrial Engineering at Stevens Institute.

FULL LEAN IMPLEMENTATION TRAINING

A major success for CEO (as compared to the competition) led by Bob Curtis and his staff has been training in the real implementation of lean techniques into companies.  The result is that as a result of the training, the company can revise its Operations Processes so that:

• Product manufacturing processes for the different products manufactured, with all of the non-essential tasks eliminated are created after the training
• Incoming parts/components, their receipt/acceptance and movement to inventory, with all of the non-essential tasks eliminated are created after the training.
• Inventory Controls and Release Systems with all the non-essential tasks eliminated are created after the training.

And also truly revised Front Office Processes are created after the training such as:

• The Marketing/Sales and Bid Processes with all of the non-essential tasks eliminated,
• The Customer Contact and Service Processes with all of the non-essential tasks eliminated are created after the training
• The Order Release Processes with all of the non-essential tasks eliminated are created after the training
• The Accounting/Finance Process with all of the nonessential tasks eliminated are created after the training

And the company also has developed an internal team (as a result of the training), and continues the program by continuously addressing other company processes and implementing lean into them.  They take pride in eliminating costs throughout the company.

Note:   Very few, if any, of the competition have been successful in implementing Full Lean.  CEO has on its staff the two most successful individuals in this area. 

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT TRAINING

Our approach to this training is to teach you how to concentrate on establishing supplier programs and performance capabilities that truly reduce your cost and improves each supplier’s abilities relative to quality, product availability and on-time delivery.  In accomplishing this, we also instruct your people in how to consider the following as part of the effort:

• Supplier’s technical and product capabilities
• Outsourcing and its potential payoffs o   Optimize location of production areas with the target distribution
• Evaluate level of quality, technology and capability vs. labor rates and overall costs.
• Contractual, logistics, shipping times and costs and payment terms.
• Just in time delivery requirements.
• Establish supplier programs and improve supplier performance.

The following separate courses are available:

Offering Title:            Lean Training (Part 1 of 3)

Our Lean Training Program is directed towards your processes and their improvement not towards the theoretical.  The program starts with basic training in the lean concepts and is followed by more detailed training in the concepts, provided to specific (one, two, three or more) individuals who will lead the actual improvement efforts for your real processes.  The third and final part deals directly with your processes and how the principles of lean would be implemented.  This is our recommended orientation.  Other trainers at this point, provide more detailed descriptions of the principles and how they may relate to multiple processes.  We do it the other way around by working with your people one process group at a time, to train in how to implement the lean principles into your specific processes.  It all begins with this first part.

Offering Description:  Lean Manufacturing Basics Training

The purpose of the training is to introduce Lean manufacturing principles to the trainees so they may effectively understand the goals of future process improvements.  This initial course will introduce and explore concepts and will include “hands on” exercises to reinforce the educational experience.  The course is intended to introduce the trainees to Lean, not to overwhelm them with too much too soon.  

Any number of trainees can attend:

Content:

• Value and Value Stream Mapping
• Waste
• Pull
• Flow
• Takt Time and Cycle Time
• Visual Control
• Kanban
• 5 S
• Mistake Proofing
• Setup Time Reduction
• Maintenance
• Kaizen and Continual Improvement

This is a 1-day class for the desired number of participants per class.  All of these trainee participants will later participate in the Part 3, Lean Process Projects.  Some will participate in Part 2 and become Leaders. 

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Offering Title:            Lean Training (Part 2 of 3)

Offering Description:  Lean Leader Training

Individuals responsible for eventually leading the company’s Lean efforts will attend Team Leader Training. They will be selected from those attending Part 1.  Its purpose is to provide a small number of trainees, who will become leaders in more detailed instructions and skills needed to analyze a process and determine the proper lean solutions to apply.  The techniques would be taught using hands-on examples.  Methods to instruct the Team Members to improve their skills would be covered. 

A key element in the success of a Team is their ability to work together to quickly achieve their mission.  This requires a much more detailed understanding of the elements of Lean Manufacturing, than provided in Part 1.  All of the principles of Lean will be covered.   

Content:

• Value and Value Stream Mapping
• Waste
• Pull
• Flow
• Takt Time and Cycle Time
• Visual Control
• Kanban
• 5 S
• Mistake Proofing
• Setup Time Reduction
• Maintenance
• Kaizen and Continual Improvement
• Team Management
• Interpersonal Skills

This is a 3-day class for the number of leaders selected, all of whom will become the leaders of the Lean Process Projects.  One class is scheduled.

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Offering Title:            Lean Training (Part 3 of 3)

This is the part that is oriented towards your processes.

Offering Description:  Lean Process Projects Training

This training is designed to reinforce the skills by relating each of the lean principles to specific company processes.  CEO and the company jointly select the company processes to be used.  The processes are selected on the basis of what the trainees perform as part of their daily work efforts.  All of the lean principles, one at a time, will be related to each process.  Each team of applicable trainees, including one of the team leaders, is instructed on the principals of Lean.  There will be “hands on” process projects.  The trainees are assigned who are involved with a process in their specific area of responsibility.  All of the trainees, thus selected will have had the Part 1 training and the Leaders will have had the Part 1 and Part 2 training.

Each training process project consists of ten 4-hour sessions. Each session will focus on one of the major principals of Lean.  The ten major principles covered by the sessions include:

1.      Team  Dynamics

2.      5S

3.      Value and Value Stream Mapping

4.      Pull Manufacturing

5.      Takt Time and Cycle Time

6.      Visual Control

7.      Kanban

8.      Mistake Proofing

9.      Maintenance and Setup Time Reduction

10.    Kaizen and Continual Improvement

The goal is to provide detailed instruction regarding all of the principles of lean and reinforce their learning in a real process environment.

Costs are dependent on the number of processes involved.

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Offering Title:                  Inventory Planning/Control Training

Offering Description:     This course is designed to provide instruction in how to plan and develop an inventory system.  The system will be part of the manufacturing process.  It is devoted to training senior managers, manufacturing personnel and engineers in the requirements involving:

• Planning, developing and controlling bills of materials.
• Material purchasing to reduce inventory.
• Control material for the use in the manufacturing process.
• Planning the production cycle for a product while reducing the waste that occurs when making the wrong materials decisions.
• Inventory control and planning for the control of inventory.
• Bin control techniques for instant alert of the status of material.
• Planning production for customer satisfaction.  Satisfying the customers needs.
• On time production and control of the processes.

This is a course directed towards elimination of errors and waste that quite often disrupts the manufacturing process and affects the on time delivery of product.  Customer satisfaction is a key to the success the company in the marketplace.

The course can consist of five to thirty or more, four-hour sessions depending upon the particular client’s needs and how many trainees can be trained at a given time.

Costs are dependent on how many sessions are established.

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Offering Title:             Manufacturing Management Training

Offering Description:  This course is intended to provide the trainees with an understanding of the requirements for scheduling, planning, implementing and controlling critical operations functions. This training occurs in a manufacturing environment where an operational software system is being utilized. The schedule will be devoted to multiple four hour sessions of instruction in:

1. Scheduling and Planning, including:
• Capacity Scheduling
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
• Inventory Management
2. Execution and Control of Operations, including:
• Scheduling production processes
• Controlling production processes
• Status and performance processes
• Adjustments, as required feedback
3. Logistics and Supply Chain Management
• Establishing criteria requirements
• Establishing the criteria with suppliers
• Measuring supplier performance
• Corrective measures

Up to 15 trainees can be trained during the four hour sessions.

Costs are dependent upon on how many sessions are established.

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Offering Title:            Advanced Manufacturing Strategies and Techniques Training

Offering Description:  All of our programs are tailored to the specific company and industry requirements of each client.  This course is intended to provide an overview of the types of Advanced Manufacturing Strategies and Techniques.  This program will provide participants with the understanding of the various Advanced Manufacturing Strategies and how to successfully implement the strategies in their individual functions.  The curriculum includes:

• What are the philosophies and why are they important

• Successful implementation and business strategies

• Specific techniques and individual workforce skills

• Hands-on pilot production

• Program roll-out

This program will include the following management techniques as required by the company:

• Lean manufacturing techniques

• Supply chain management

• Warehousing/inventory management

Costs are dependent on the number of sessions established.

Continue to Quality Systems Development Training.

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