Continuous Improvement
Harnessing the power of appreciation to elevate employee engagement
The C.A. Lawton Co. periodically publishes input from professionals both within the foundry industry as well as parties from outside the casting world. These Expert Opinions may be casting related, Continuous Improvement (CI / LEAN), Operational Excellence (Op Ex), or just working through the challenges of today’s business environment. The goal is to present you…
Read MoreAlex Lawton sits down to chat about labor, economic, and political challenges
Aside from the health, political, and economic challenges we’re all facing, The C.A. Lawton Co., the foundry industry, and all of manufacturing are being confronted by specific challenges today. As a small manufacturing company within the industry, we’re striving to overcome them. Perhaps hearing what we’re working on can help you with similar challenges. The…
Read More140+ year old foundry still learning new tricks with LEAN
Several years ago, The C.A. Lawton Co. made a complete commitment to LEAN. LEAN methodology emphasizes simplifying and accelerating work processes while simultaneously improving product quality. Today, we’re a LEAN-centered company, not just doing some LEAN manufacturing techniques, we’re all in. “Historically, we always made good castings and served customers relatively well. But as a…
Read MoreMidwest Manufacturing & Logistics joins The C.A. Lawton Co. family
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: 7/2/2020 Midwest Manufacturing & Logistics joins The C.A. Lawton Co. family The C.A. Lawton Co. welcomes Minster, OH facility as second iron foundry location Birmingham, MI – Private equity firm, Oakland Standard Company, is proud to announce the expansion of their iron foundries. Midwest Manufacturing & Logistics, an iron foundry located…
Read MoreKitting and staging: preparation is key for Continuous Improvement
To effectively perform a task, all items required for that task need to be assembled. If the collection of these items is put off until the task has already started, many wastes may be realized before the task can be completed. Kitting and staging of items required to complete a task is an effective activity…
Read MoreContinuous Improvement double take: the shakeout in shakeout
Continuous Improvement is, by definition, a never-ending process. At The C.A. Lawton Co., as with all CI organizations, the mindset of this philosophy becomes part of the culture. Every team member is trained and prepared to participate in improvement events. The week of May 18-22, 2020, the Lawton team embarked on a very ambitious kaizen…
Read MoreManaging for Daily Improvement
In the past few years, The C.A. Lawton Co. has placed a great deal of importance on its Lean journey. Over summer 2018, Lawton took the next step by implementing the use of MDI boards. MDI stands for Managing for Daily Improvement. Lawton’s goal is continuous improvement, and a great way to reach that goal,…
Read MoreMaking buying easier
At The C.A. Lawton Co., we are proud of our reputation; a reputation for quality, on-time iron casting solutions alongside high-touch customer service. How does Lawton make the difficult task of procuring castings easier for buyers? We accomplish this through integrated offerings, dedicated customer advocates, a culture of flexibility and urgency, and a focus on quality and on-time…
Read MoreLawton’s power of perseverance
Through all the past struggles Lawton has faced, it is important to look back on everything they have overcome. From the Great Depression or even the Recession of 2008, Lawton continues to persevere through hard times. In 1886, Jones Bank ran into financial difficulty, and as a result, closed its doors. This caused a great…
Read MoreJust the FAQs, ma’am
At the C.A. Lawton Co., our team of customer advocates receives similar questions about our capabilities, metrics, and processes from current and prospective clients. To serve as an educational resource for readers, we’d like to answer some of these common questions in today’s post: Castings What kind of castings does Lawton produce? Lawton pours gray…
Read MoreEBI Lites as an Intern
“What are these blue papers all over the walls?” was my initial thought when I walked through the entrance of C.A. Lawton. As I continued through the building, there were more walls covered with these small papers. I had never seen anything like this in other offices and buildings I had previously worked at. I…
Read MoreQuality and on-time delivery
At The C.A. Lawton Co., we are proud of the reputation our foundry has built over the last two centuries: a reputation for quality, on-time iron casting solutions, and high-quality customer service. We won’t sacrifice quality, even in these challenging times. Here’s how we do it. Quality: The C.A. Lawton Co. strives to provide its…
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