Sustaining a Continuous Improvement Culture

Operational excellence isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the key to unlocking sustained growth and innovation in manufacturing

As a Continuous Improvement Specialist, I’ve had the privilege to witness how operational excellence is more than just a concept—it’s a living, breathing part of our plant’s culture.

At its core, operational excellence comes down to empowering people, improving processes, and delivering results that matter. Every day, I see firsthand how the dedication of our teams transforms challenges into opportunities, driving sustainable improvements that make a real difference for our business and our customers.

Here’s what operational excellence looks like in 3M Menomonie:

? Alignment Across Teams: From leadership to frontline employees, our goals are clear and shared. Metrics relating to OEE, Supply Chain, and Productivity are translated into actionable insights at every tier, ensuring we’re all pulling in the same direction. We translate things like OEE down into hourly and daily goals and talk about those metrics when we don't hit our target.

? Continuous Improvement in Action: Whether it’s through Kaizen events, the use of our digital Continuous Improvement process, or small daily improvements, every idea matters. We’ve fostered a culture where employees feel empowered to contribute—and it shows in the results. YTD we have increased our Continuous Improvement idea generation from 175 in 2023 to over 600 in 2024 since implementing streamlined processes, proving that small changes can drive big results.

? Celebrating Wins: Recognition is a powerful motivator. Whether it’s through a system such as Every Day Wins points or even just a shout out during a morning team meeting, celebrating success reinforces the behaviors that drive excellence.

? Sustained Impact: It’s not just about solving problems—it’s about embedding the solutions into our processes so they last. This approach has helped us improve key metrics while enhancing productivity and team engagement.

Operational excellence isn’t a one-and-done effort. It’s a continuous journey—and one that’s powered by the incredible people I work with every day.

?? How has operational excellence impacted your workplace?

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