In this, the seventh article in a series on Continuous Improvement as a key business strategy, the authors look at how eliminating waste in the workplace positions a successful company for greater achievements, efficiencies, and productivity. Gas and Supply (gasandsupply.com), headquartered in Baton Rouge, LA, embraced the culture change needed for them to incorporate Continuous Improvement and found that by building internal teams to eliminate waste from the work place, they were able to establish and achieve higher standards for employees and customers alike.
Gas and Supply
Like many of the high profile distributors, Gas and Supply recognized the need to improve its operations in order to maximize growth and profitability in a highly competitive industry. Gas and Supply is a privately owned industrial supply and gas distributor with revenues over $250 million. With locations throughout Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, they are a key supplier to many of the nation’s largest industries. The company was performing very well, but knew it needed to improve in a variety of areas in order to keep its competitive advantage.
In late 2009, Gas and Supply enlisted Bob Werner and Jonda Vance of Edwards Group International (EGI) (edwardsgrp.com) to help the company implement continuous improvement (CI) as a key business strategy. After an initial company assessment, EGI determined the company’s performance was solid, but it had huge potential for growth and profitability in a variety of areas.
Gas and Supply’s top management were immediately able to see opportunities to eliminate waste through continuous improvement and committed themselves to achieving this by changing the company’s culture. The commitment of top management, along with the strong will and drive of a talented workforce, has helped promote a continuous improvement culture throughout Gas and Supply. Culture drives performance. Get the culture right, and your employees will do what is necessary to serve the customer and produce profits.
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