Continuous Improvement at Ingredion
Written by Justin Sorto, TCC Education Committee Chair
The term “continuous improvement” (CI) is very popular in the current business environment of cost cutting to improve profits. However, in a recent conversation with Marcus Payne, VP of Continuous Improvement at Ingredion, I was reminded that cost cutting is a common misconception of the true value of continuous improvement culture, and that the real value is what it brings to all stakeholders of a company, including employees and customers.
Before we dive into the current continuous improvement efforts at Ingredion, it’s important to understand how the journey began 10 years ago. In 2010, Corn Products acquired National Starch and the resulting company was later named Ingredion. The Six Sigma methodology for eliminating defects in processes was part of the acquisition. In the beginning, the CI efforts were project based, but eventually a continuous improvement culture followed with the help of senior management buy-in. Today the company deploys Six Sigma to the processes of the company, finding ways to reduce waste and variation. In 2017 the company took Six Sigma a step further with the introduction of Lean principles, taking even more waste out of the company’s everyday processes.
One project doesn’t change the corporate culture, but by being process focused and having management buy-in, the entire culture of a company changes. In order to be successful in continuous improvement, you need tracking, including metrics and KPI’s, and leadership/coaching. Ingredion’s training approach varies, giving employees in different functional areas throughout the company opportunities to take part in continuous improvement education and CI efforts. Training offered includes an app-based training platform and a two-week Black Belt training program for those more advanced in their Six Sigma journey. As a result, 80% of the organization has exposure to Six Sigma, which has helped to shape the CI culture within Ingredion.
When asked about the size and scope of Ingredion CI projects, Marcus told me that no project is too big or too small. He gave the example of a recent project at Ingredion where the monetary value wasn’t easy to calculate, but it made employees’ lives better by reducing the after-hours calls. In a world where employee retention is at the forefront, finding ways to keep employees happy is important, not to mention the costs related to employee turnover such as training and onboarding. Other examples of Ingredion’s continuous improvement efforts are within supply chain/logistics, where the teams continue to work to find optimal vendor partners, such as logistics providers and distribution/warehousing partners. The efforts include four different areas of supply chain: customer service, ocean, rail, and truck.
Common CI processes used at Ingredion include:
- Gemba walks: series of structured, on-site interviews with representative process participants
- Daily standup meetings
- Kaizen events (2 – 4 days): efficient way to quickly improve a process
Future of Continuous Improvement at Ingredion
As the name states, processes need to be continually evaluated in a continuous improvement culture. Initially the continuous improvements efforts were piloted in the North American and South American regions of the company within the areas of manufacturing and supply chain. However, the future of continuous improvement will expand globally throughout the company, as well as all areas of business, including marketing and finance.
Why Get Lean Six Sigma Certified
Even if your company doesn’t offer Six Sigma training, Marcus believes that the methodologies and principles of Lean, and opportunities it provides to reduce waste, is a great tool for any company’s toolbox. It doesn’t matter the industry, as he’s seen Six Sigma and continuous improvement efforts successfully implemented not only in manufacturing and supply chain, but in all types of businesses, such as hospitals, government, and military.
How to Find a Project
It’s important to understand that anyone can find and be a part of a company’s continuous improvement efforts. Important questions to ask when searching for a project include the following:
- What are customer pain points?
- What’s important to management/company’s strategy?
- Where are the opportunities?
Ingredion is a great example of continuous improvement culture. A common misconception is that continuous improvement is only for manufacturing or supply chain. Any area of business can benefit from reduction of waste, including functional areas like human relations and accounting. Certifications, like Six Sigma or Lean, can add value to your toolbox and make employees much more valuable in the workforce.
For further information on continuous improvement training, please contact the Traffic Club of Chicago. The Traffic Club of Chicago, in partnership with Loyola University, offers discounted rates for continuing education training, such as Six Sigma, Project Management and even the Mini-MBA. Visit the Traffic Club of Chicago’s website for more information about these great opportunities.
Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR) headquartered in the suburbs of Chicago, is a leading global ingredient solutions provider serving customers in more than 120 countries. With annual net sales of nearly $6 billion, the company turns grains, fruits, vegetables and other plant materials into value-added ingredients and biomaterial solutions for the food, beverage, paper and corrugating, brewing and other industries. With 27 Ingredion Idea Labs innovation centers around the world, and more than 11,000 employees, the Company develops ingredient solutions to meet consumers’ evolving needs by making crackers crunchy, yogurt creamy, candy sweet, paper stronger, and adding fiber to nutrition bars. For more information, visit Ingredion.com