Posts Tagged ‘continuous improvement’
Celebrating 10 years with Green Tier program
*Read the DNR’s announcement here. The C.A. Lawton Co. began its Green Tier journey in 2013 when it joined Tier 1 of the program. The company leveraged its environmental management system to assess, mitigate, and plan for potential future events, such as fires, spills, natural disasters, power loss, and active threats to its business. Lawton became…
Read MoreEngineering at The C.A. Lawton Co.
A successful casting is the result of a close collaboration between the OEM design engineer and the foundry. Our cross-functional engineering and production team meets with the customer to discuss the part’s application, critical dimensions, and performance characteristics. The goal of this deep technical dialogue is to reduce the manufacturing cost of the casting, improve…
Read MoreDuctile iron process improvement as a long-term business strategy
The C.A. Lawton Co. is working to improve our ductile iron casting offerings. Why is ductile a good long-term business strategy? We asked Barry Adamski, President of The C.A. Lawton Co. If you missed our first blog in this series, check out What is ductile iron? Ductile is growing “The Ductile Iron Pipe and Valve…
Read MoreWhat is ductile iron?
Ductile iron is more impact and fatigue resistant than gray iron due to the spheres of graphite that form with added magnesium. The science and strength of ductile iron From a microstructure standpoint, the primary difference between gray and ductile iron is the shape of the graphite. Gray irons have flake graphite, whereas ductile iron…
Read MoreMaking a Difference: Wisconsin Humane Society
The Lawton Standard family is proud to have so many remarkable people who give back to their communities. This week, we are looking at the Wisconsin Humane Society and our most recent marketing intern, Olivia Rinehart. The Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) is the largest shelter in Wisconsin. They are a private non-profit organization that’s been…
Read MoreToolbox Talks: The hazards of daylight saving time
Toolbox Talks are an effective method of communication for employees at The C.A. Lawton Co. Each week, a handout is designed and posted by our compliance coordinator, Katherine Jungwirth. This handout is created to freshen everyone’s memory and remind them of various safety precautions. This week we’re sharing information on daylight saving time. It’s never…
Read MoreLearn all about a Kaizen
Kaizen is a Japanese expression meaning “change for better” or continuous improvement – whatever you are doing, you can do it better. At The C.A. Lawton Co, we strive for continuous improvement every single day. Breaking apart and putting together The first part of the word, kai, means “to break apart,” and zen means “to…
Read MoreHappy Thanksgiving from the C.A. Lawton Co.
This Thanksgiving and holiday season, we reflect on all the people and things we are thankful for. At The C.A. Lawton Co., we are always thankful for our hard-working and caring employees that make Lawton the family it is today. We appreciate all members of our team, their safety, and their contributions to the continuous…
Read MoreTeam building with The Lawton Standard Co. family of companies
To build any team, members need to know and understand the capabilities of each member. Anyone who has been on a team, whether a sport, business organization, or even a volunteer group, understands that everyone has different strengths and skills to bring to the effort. The Lawton Standard Co. recognized that to join four distinctly…
Read MoreLawton’s continuous transformation
An organization that is committed to continuous improvement needs a visual plan that gets and keeps everyone going in the same direction. At The C.A. Lawton Co., that plan is the transformation calendar. It’s a key tool the company uses to manage its commitment to continuous improvement and strategy deployment. The first step is to…
Read MoreLawton uses EBI Lites for quick and easy kaizen
Lawton’s EBI Lite program carries on the tradition of quick and easy kaizen, empowering our workers to seek out and make incremental improvements to their work areas. According to Barry Adamski, EBI Lite may be the most critical path to a better future for the five-generation, family-owned foundry: “We believe each person has unlimited creative…
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…
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