Lean Six Sigma KatridgPak Chub Machines

We Have Improved Equipment Lead Time & Cost

Our team is continuously searching for more efficient ways to run operations while simultaneously ensuring the integrity of our machines. As a company, we routinely evaluate our processes and how they accommodate and interact with our customer's needs for reliable, efficient, and timely machinery. To aid us in these efforts, we have introduced Lean Six Sigma methods to our overall operations. Due to the hard work and effort of our employees and leadership, we have been able to fully transform our company into a leaner organization, which allows us to move product off our floors faster, and into the hands of our customers sooner.

What is Lean Six Sigma?

Lean Six Sigma is a method that relies on collaborative team efforts to improve performance by systematically removing waste and reducing variation. We identify waste in a variety of ways such as defects, overproduction, downtime, transportation, or anything else that is not essential to production. Our goal is to examine current processes and identify inefficiencies. Once these inefficiencies have been determined, a team is formed to develop a strategy that will improve, implement, and track its success. Through the implementation of Lean Six Sigma methodologies and tools, we may help manufacturers utilize resources more effectively to improve lead time and the quality of their products.

How Have We Introduced Lean Six Sigma?

We decided to first apply these processes to our popular KartridgPak Chub equipment. The KartridgPak Chub product line is ideal for packaging foods like ground beef, sausage, and doughs, as it’s the most standard machine with the most repetitive volume within the R.A Jones manufacturing catalog. The nature of the KartridgPak Chub line makes this model an ideal fit to integrate with Lean Six Sigma. By applying Lean Six Sigma processes, we have added efficiencies that resulted in shorter lead times which only continue to decrease.


However, Lean Six Sigma is more than just a method to improve efficiencies; it provides an overall organizational culture change. We are committed to our position as industry leaders, and the key to that is our transformation into a learning organization. Therefore, we are examining different places in the value stream at different levels where we can continue to apply Lean Six Sigma initiatives until we have developed new practices for our entire operation. In addition to the introduction of the Lean Six Sigma methodology, we have incorporated Kaizen events into the growth process for our staff to ensure continued learning and heightened industry expertise. As a result, operations within R. A Jones are now leaner than ever, and the effects continue to spread. 

Have We Seen Results?

Since introducing Lean Six Sigma to our KartridgPak Chub line, we have seen lead times reduce by 40%, on average. We have reduced engineering hours by 43% per machine, and assembly labor reduction has gone down 29% per machine. We have implemented monthly meetings to review these results and plan for future implementation, standardized our efforts to support quality and lead time reduction, and incorporated visual management to support project status and labor reduction. These numbers have proven Lean Six Sigma's success and support our plans to further expand these processes and efficiencies across our organization. Lean Six Sigma allows us to check each of these boxes and boost overall productivity in the process.

How Can Lean Six Sigma Help You?

Since integrating Lean Six Sigma with our company, we have experienced shorter lead times, higher return on investment, and our customers have saved on costs. To learn more about our machines, methods and to make a purchase, contact our new equipment sales team at info@rajones.com or by requesting more information below.

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