In Part 1 of this series on Independent Distributors Transforming the Playing Field (see “nexAir’s Path to Operational Excellence,” CryoGas, December 2011, p. 38), we described how the low performing warehouse department at nexAir, a Memphis, TN based distributor with revenues over $100 million, became an internal benchmark for improvement company-wide.
In Part 2, we track the progress and the cultural transition the warehouse team experienced as they became more empowered to make decisions and take action without asking for permission from management.
Beginning in 2008, nexAir (www.nexair. com) enlisted Bob Werner and Jonda Vance of Edwards Group International (EGI) (www. edwardsgrp.com) and embarked on a continuous improvement journey that resulted in an improved business platform. That success resulted from nexAir’s changing culture (see “Culture: The Linchpin of Continuous Improvement,” CryoGas, August/September 2011, pp. 68-69); a committed top management that empowered employees and established accountability through key performance objectives (see “Linking Strategy and Continuous Improvement to Achieve Superior Performance,” CryoGas June 2011, pp. 40–42); and a manager that became a leader.
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