A Thrive Story: Maximizing Efficiency and Quality at Specialty Manufacturing Company (SMC)

In the world of manufacturing, precision and quality are key to success, especially with the rapid evolution of manufacturing technologies with Industry 4.0. Manufacturing companies across the world, like Specialty Manufacturing Company (SMC), are continually seeking innovative solutions to streamline operations and elevate standards.?

Since their collaboration with Thrive in 2009, when they were looking for a system to assist their ISO certification processes, SMC has undergone a transformative journey in enhancing its quality management processes.?

We recently had a conversation with a current Thrive customer, Beth from Specialty Manufacturing Company (SMC), to talk about the company’s experience with Thrive over the past 15 years. Let’s look at how Thrive’s integrated shop floor platform has revolutionized SMC's approach to quality management and manufacturing processes.?

Streamlining ISO Compliance and Audits

When SMC became ISO certified in 2009, the need for a proper system to navigate the complexities of ISO compliance became apparent. Thrive emerged as the solution, offering comprehensive support in managing ISO audits and quality teams.?

When it comes to audits, the significance of centralized data management cannot be overstated. In many of these audits, auditors often demand swift access to evidence of various compliance measures, from preventative maintenance records to trainee documentation and non-conformance reports.?

Thrive's ability to consolidate and swiftly present shopfloor data not only expedites the audit process but also underscores SMC's organizational efficiency and commitment to quality to auditors.?

Beyond ISO and Leveraging Thrive for Comprehensive Quality Management

While ISO compliance is one of the main reasons SMC started using Thrive, the software has extended its value far beyond regulatory requirements, reaching various facets of quality management within SMC.?

With over 14,000 gauges to monitor, maintaining calibration records of all these gauges presents a logistical challenge. Thrive seamlessly manages this task, ensuring the accuracy and accessibility of calibration data. Moreover, when issues arise, Thrive can provide historical data, which is invaluable in addressing issues and enhancing the traceability of the problem, which is a fundamental aspect of quality assurance.

From conducting audits to initiating corrective actions, Thrive is a centralized platform for SMC stakeholders, enabling efficient tracking and resolution of quality issues.?

Additionally, SMC along with a couple other customers interested in this feature, provided input and feedback for the development of the new training module in Thrive.? Through this collaboration the integration of training databases within Thrive heralds a paradigm shift in employee development at SMC. Moving away from manually editing Excel sheets, Thrive offers a user-friendly interface for managing training records and facilitating online learning, which has been an indispensable tool for nurturing a skilled manufacturing workforce.

Fostering a People-Centric Culture

Both SMC and Thrive share a commitment to a people-centric culture, placing emphasis on effective communication and accountability. How does Thrive add value to a people-centric culture??

Thrive's collaborative features, such as discussion boards and task reminders, bolster communication channels within SMC, preventing data fragmentation and ensuring project coherence. Project details that used to be discussed on email threads can now be easily put on Thrive’s discussion boards, ensuring data does not get lost.?

Moreover, Thrive's role transcends mere task management, it serves as a conduit for fostering accountability and transparency within teams.?

Empowering Customization and Scalability

Thrive's versatility extends to its adaptability to SMC's evolving needs. Having worked with SMC for close to 15 years, Thrive has partnered with SMC as it has undergone its digital manufacturing journey.?

The platform empowers SMC's teams to tailor the system to their specifications, whether through simple interface tweaks or more complex customization. The responsive partnership between SMC and Thrive exemplifies a collaborative approach to software development, wherein the feedback is welcomed and solutions are tailored to meet specific requirements.?

As Beth from SMC has said about Lean Tech: “It’s never a no, it’s always let’s talk about it and how can we make that happen.”??

A Journey of Growth and Innovation

SMC's collaboration with Thrive epitomizes a journey of continuous improvement and innovation. What began as a solution for gauge calibration and preventive maintenance has evolved into a comprehensive quality management system, encompassing audits, training, and communication tools.?

As SMC navigates the ever-evolving digital world of manufacturing, Thrive remains a steadfast ally in assisting them at every step of the way. By leveraging Thrive's integrated platform, SMC has not only streamlined its quality management processes but also fostered and grown its culture of people-centricity.

Want to have a chat about how Thrive can help your operations team like we have helped Beth’s? Book a call!?