FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 2021
For more information please contact:
Zenagui Brahim
President, NH MEP
603-226-3200
zenaguib@nhmep.org
Pembroke, NH – WS Dennison Cabinets has been creating custom cabinets for residential and commercial industries throughout New Hampshire and New England since 1986. When COVID-19 hit last spring, like so many other manufacturers across the country, Dennison was affected and lost some of their workforce. Looking to make production improvements, the company attended an NHMEP workshop that introduces the basics of a 5S Program, a lean tool which improves organization in a production environment. 5S is an abbreviation for Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize and Sustain.
After the event, NHMEP Project Manager Josh Treadwell went onsite to help Dennison Cabinets implement a 5S Program to organize their production process, eliminate waste, reduce searching time and increase efficiency. The project was funded through the CARES Act, a federal grant that is currently covering many NHMEP services at no-cost to manufacturers. With Dennison’s proactive approach, the program has had a positive ‘domino’ effect on their organization.
Tyler Dennison, General Manager of WS Dennison Cabinets, expressed that implementing the 5S Program in their production process has transformed their culture’s morale, efficiency, safety and increased cost savings. They have even created a new position, hiring a dynamic team leader who they feel now has a better chance to succeed in his role. Though it’s early in the process, they believe more revenue growth will be inevitable as they stick to their continuous improvement strategy.
When asked about any key takeaways during the project, Tyler responded, “We learned that leftover material in the warehouse was bottlenecking production and that it cost a lot more to save the material than it was actually worth,” he said. “You aren’t just saving boards for a year – you’re paying to store it and paying someone else to lift and move it, just to get to a material you need in the warehouse. So it’s better to just recycle it or throw it out. Now what used to take up to several hours to pull material only takes one. ”
Manufacturing is now a lot smoother with mistakes becoming far fewer, driving quality output even higher. “There used to be sawdust and scraps laying around, but since we cleaned up the shop, there are no more tripping hazards and it’s much safer,” Tyler explains. “Our work culture has also greatly improved. People enjoy coming to work more because the environment is more organized and efficient. They know where to find the tools and materials they need to do their job.”
Now With a 5S focused strategy WS Dennison Cabinets looks forward to more success and growth in 2021 and serving the New England community.
To learn more about NHMEP’s 5S Program or other CARES Act funded services, please call Jill Duddy at (603) 226-3200 or jilliand@nhmep.org.
About WS Dennison Cabinets – Wayne “George” Dennison started Dennison Cabinets out of his home in Chichester, NH in 1986. He ran his business single-handedly for many years before high demands led him to hire help and upgrade his facility and move to Pembroke. After expansive growth, the business now operates in a new industrial park on Silver Hills Dr. in Pembroke. The 20,000 sq. ft. shop employs 25+ men and women and services many major entities in New Hampshire and New England in addition to their custom home and kitchen designs.
