1. Factory Building Symposium on Lean Production
January 29, 2007 Austin, Texas

2. Empowering the Lean Team
Cavalier Homes, Inc.
Addison, AL
Michael Wade,
Director of Manufacturing Operations

3. Cavalier Plant 2 Started: 1993 Location: Addison, AL Home type(s):
HUD Code
Price point:
Moderate
Design:
Minimal customization
Production:
8 floors/day
Market area:
Southeast US

4. Gaining Support for Lean
Inspire through example
Build from small to large

5. Cavalier’s Strategy Form a lean team of volunteers
Improvements:
Combined electrical activities into one area
Streamlined material flow
Eliminated obsolete materials and equipment
Relocated closer to the point of use
Form a lean team of volunteers
Select highly visible electrical department for first success
Push to get it done:
complete overhaul applying the “Five Ss”
Anthony Dickerson, water tester, committee chair
Jerry Andrews, assistant production manager
Dave Berry, QC inspector
Mike Cornelius, exteriors
Barry Doss, assistant supervisor - floor department
Greg Gilliland, supervisor, partitions and electrical departments (rotating member)
Roger Naylor, purchasing agent
Buck Vickery, maintenance
Greg Wiggins, production manager
Johnny Wooten, QC manager
Lean Committee Corporate Liaison
Michael Wade, director of manufacturing operations
Timothy Donaldson, value engineer

6. Leveraging the Initial Success
Celebrate success
Next, a major improvement

7. Exteriors Department
Poorly organized work area resulting in multiple inefficiencies

8. Exteriors Department Equipment and materials Conveyance Loading
Storage
Then
Now
Lack of storage system
Designated storage locations and racks for all materials
Excessive motion to supply materials into the area
Arranged materials for ease of loading
Material not close to point of use
Disposed of obsolete materials and fixtures
Brought materials closer to point of use
Obsolete materials and seldom used equipment clogging area

9. Highlights Lean team mainly production employees Team took initiative
Little upper management pushing
“Me too” factor
Workers own results
Strategy to sustain changes
Lean a framework for efficiency initiatives
Freedom to express constructive opinions

10. Moving Forward Expand “Five S” activity Initiate more ambitious RPIs
Celebrate success
Form lean teams at all other facilities

11. Lean Symposium

12. Factory Building Symposium on Lean Production
Manufactured Housing Research Alliance
Jordan Dentz
(212) x13