2023
"By training our employees on Job Instructions, the Nebraska MEP assisted us in improving the productivity and consistency of our associates. This has led to a more productive and happier workforce which has resulted in efficiencies and higher level of production at a lower unit cost."
Kelly Gubsar, Sr. Production System Manager
Consistent Job Instruction Leads to Growth
Hexagon Lincoln LLC (dba Hexagon Agility) designs, tests and manufactures high-pressure compressed natural gas (CNG) cyliners for vehicle fuel systems, transportation and ground storage. The Lincoln, Nebraska-based company (formerly known as Lincoln Composites) is part of Hexagon Composites Group, which started in the aerospace industry more than 50 years ago manufacturing filament-wound pressure vessels. Hexagon Agility employs 342 in Lincoln, Nebraska, and also has plants and/or offices in Raufoss, Norway; Kassel, Germany; Salisbury, North Carolina; Fontana, California; and Santa Ana, California.
The Challenge
During the pandemic, a group of Hexagon employees attended several of Nebraska MEP's free informational webinars on job supervision. Subsequently, based on a significant safety event at the company and what they had learned from the webinars, the director of training and the production system senior manager decided that the Center could be helpful in developing the supervisor training skills of key leads and managers.
Mike Nagle from the Nebraska MEP, part of the MEP National Network™, proceeded to meet with Hexagon’s Human Resources and Training and Development staff to discuss how the Job Instruction (JI) curriculum would be beneficial based on Hexagon’s needs. A plan was developed to have employees trained in the JI curriculum in order to develop a common understanding of JI methods, benefits, as well as to improve processes and productivity.
MEP's Role
Hexagon Agility contracted with the Nebraska MEP to provide Job Instruction training to approximately 100 supervisors and leads over five different sessions to create a common vocabulary and understanding of work processes. The MEP provided two instructors to bring multiple points of view to the trainings. The trainings were provided to employees from multiple shifts leading to more consistency in work output throughout the company.
The common understanding of JI processes and procedures allowed Hexagon to proceed with new production procedures which helped lead to higher and safer production levels in the local facility. Additionally, management was able to use the new job instructions to quickly train both new and existing employees, resulting in cost savings through higher efficiency.
Results
After the renewed training on Job Instruction, Hexagon Agility was able to use the job instruction approach to effectively and efficiently train new and existing employees in the best practice methods for the manufacture of their products. They moved from 24/7 work schedule to 24/5 schedule, leading to a better work-life balance for the employees, as well as helping with the retention of talent. All of this contributed to large dollar impacts for their Lincoln, NE facility. Company officials estimated that the Job Instruction training resulted in the following impacts:
Another way of looking at the summary of the impacts would be that Hexagon measured an improvement of 44% in the number of parts produced per hour.
