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Old Posted Nov 5, 2006, 1:11 PM
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OWATC and Williams International
Announce Lean Manufacturing Training Center

Center home to over $25 million in equipment, is unique in nation


Summary:
The Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College (OWATC) is teaming with Williams International to create a new Lean Manufacturing Training Center for Excellence. Williams International is making equipment valued at over $25 million available to train students in lean manufacturing and advanced machining principles. The OWATC is providing faculty, curriculum, and will coordinate instruction with manufacturing employers throughout Weber County. The equipment has already been delivered to its new home at the Business Depot Ogden (BDO).

The new facility will be operated by OWATC and Williams and will include classrooms and a realistic production operation. It should be operational by early spring of 2007 and will be open to all employers in Northern Utah. This new center will bolster Northern Utah's already strong aerospace cluster and is in keeping with the Governor's economic development plan for Northern Utah. This center will be the only training facility of its type in the nation, and will raise the entire region's profile as an aerospace hub.

A Fast Track to Fruition
Lloyd McCaffrey, Director of Manufacturing Technology for Williams International, presented this proposal to OWATC’s board after experiencing frustration over the funding provided to OWATC by the Legislature. He said, “You can't buy any machine tools of any serious size with the amount of money given by the legislature each year. I realized that the only way to get more equipment for students would be to team up.” So when an opportunity came for Williams International to purchase 25 state-of-the-art milling machines, McCaffrey presented the idea to OWATC’s Board late last spring. When both organizations gave the green light, Williams quickly siezed that opportunty. From that point, the project has moved forward at a remakable speed.

As of last week, all 25 machines have been delivered from Michigan, and construction crews are actively retrofitting the building including pouring concrete for a new subfloor. If schedules hold, the facility will be operational by next spring.

New Center Unique in the Country:
The new center will be the only facility of its kind in the U.S. It will be open to OWATC machining students and local employers for training. Students in OWATC’s machining program will first complete prerequisites and then will be eligible to go through the Lean Manufacturing Center for Excellence as a capstone to the already rigorous machining curriculum.

“This center is a huge boon to Weber County,” said OWATC President, Brent Wallis. He continued, “Students will benefit by learning the latest manufacturing principles in a realistic environment, on state-of-the-art equipment. Employers benefit by having workers who are ready to hit the ground running. The community benefits in its ability to attract new aerospace companies.”

Aerospace an Important Cluster for the Region:
Governor Huntsman has designated Northern Utah as the Aerospace hub for Utah as part of his overall economic plan that focuses on key industry clusters. Northern Utah is the natural choice for this cluster with the presence of Hill Air Force Base and companies like Williams International, ATK Thiokol, Barnes Aerospace, and recent relocations such as Adam Aircraft. Ron Kusina, Executive Director for the Weber Economic Development Corporation expressed enthusiasm for the deal. Kusina said, “This deal adds an incredibly important piece to the high-tech manufacturing mix, particularly as it relates to aerospace in Weber County. In short, this is a fine opportunity for Northern Utah.”

Building on Past Partnership Success:
The ability to hire enough skilled machinists in Weber County has turned from a crisis to a success story in recent years. Recently, local employers including Williams International, Parker, JD Machine and Petersen Inc. faced severe shortages of skilled labor in spite of the industry’s high wages and good working conditions. The answer was a partnership between local machining companies, OWATC, the Chamber of Commerce and Weber Economic Development Corporation to re-brand the profession and attract more workers.

The effort paid off by increasing numbers of students enrolled in machining at OWATC. While demand for students remains high, many more students have graduated into these great jobs. Since then, the industry has continued to improve by adopting lean principles. These practices require an even higher level of training that isn’t widely available. The new Lean Manufacturing Center for Excellence will fill this need.

About the facility and equipment:
The facility is located at the Business Depot Ogden and offers 53,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The total value of the equipment is over $25 million and includes 25 4-axis CNC milling machines that plus robots, parts loaders, conveyors and other auxiliary pieces. They must be aligned to within tolerances smaller than the width of a human hair. Renovations include redoing the concrete foundation to hold the weight of the 50,000 pound machines, installing transformers, wiring, and air compressors.

About Lean Manufacturing:
Lean Manufacturing is one of the latest improvements globally in manufacturing techniques. The term was made popular by a book entitled, The Machine that Changed the World written by James Womack, et al, published in 1990. It defines lean as, “A systematic approach to identifying and eliminating waste through continuous improvement, flowing the product at the pull of the customer in pursuit of perfection.” When implemented, it reduces the cost of operations, eliminates waste, reduces inventory, and simplifies work areas. Lean manufacturing principles are highly visual. Companies like Williams use ingenious techniques like dispensing tools and parts from vending machines provided by suppliers. The vendors own parts until Williams employees “buy” them from vending machines.

About Williams International
Williams International is the world leader in small turbine engines and customer support, with headquarters in Walled Lake, Michigan, and a design-to-production facility in Ogden, Utah. For more information about the company, its products, and support, please visit www.williams-int.com

About OWATC
The Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College is a 35-year old college institution that provides hands-on training in over 50 programs that fall within 5 cluster areas: Business & I.T., Construction, Health, Manufacturing and Services. OWATC teaches short-term programs so students can get in, get out, and get hired quickly. There are three campuses in Ogden, Roy, and at the Business Depot Ogden (BDO). Most programs operate on an open-entry system, which means a student can start any Monday.

Facility Open to Public at Chamber Business Expo:
The Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its annual business expo where the new center will be located. The address is Building 550, suite 2 at 550 South, Depot Drive in Ogden. BDO is operated by The Boyer Company, Master Lessor and Developer at BDO. Boyer completed the Gateway project in downtown Salt Lake City and is currently working on the Ogden City Mall site.

Contact information:
Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College
Rhonda Boren, Director of Marketing
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