Success – Standlee Hay Company Inc

Operational Excellence

Standlee Hay Company Inc.

Eden, Idaho

Standlee Hay Won’t Bail on its Lean Journey

Standlee Hay Company Inc. of Eden, Idaho, is a family owned business providing fine quality forages for over 25 years. Standlee has become a leader in the hay industry by developing, marketing, and delivering the highest quality products for the industry.

Project

The company owns over 8,000 acres of carefully managed grasses and alfalfa forages to provide their customers with the finest crops. Standlee swaths, bales, and stacks a good portion of its own hay in a 142,000 square foot facility and sells to domestic and international customers. In 2005, Standlee Hay realized that due to incredible growth, the company was in need of better control of several processes and, with the help of TechHelp, took action to regain control.

Results

• A new computerized maintenance system improved the up-time of Standlee equipment.
• Standlee implemented the principles of 5S Visual Workplace to create a safer, more organized, more intuitive, and more efficient workplace.
• Employee training and involvement in Lean activities created a more organized and stable workforce that is more involved in identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Increased productivity and the use of a Lean “supermarket” improved on-­time deliveries to 100%, often with same-­day shipments.
• Sales increased 12% as a direct result of the above activities.
• Scrap was reduced by 33% overall.