Sometimes boosting efficiency and productivity are a matter of organizing things in an orderly manner.
Just ask employees at the North Platte, NE, P&DF, which has reorganized its workroom floor, and Gateway District, which has consolidated casing equipment at facilities in Illinois and Missouri.
Both projects were recently honored through the Lean Innovation Challenge, a twice-yearly program that recognizes improvements in mail processing, transportation, delivery and other areas.
The challenge is part of the Postal Service’s Lean Six Sigma efforts to reduce waste and improve operational efficiency.
The North Platte P&DF was honored for most improved existing project. The team used one question as its basis: “If I could have the ideal Lean Mail Processing (LMP) layout, what would it look like?”
“Everyone embraced the concepts of LMP and was amazed at our results,” said North Platte P&DF Manager Tami Forrester.
Gateway District received the award for best new project. Capital Metro Area and Greater Michigan District also were honored for most Lean Innovation Challenge submissions from an area and a district.
A panel of judges from the Postal Service and the mailing industry chose the winners after reviewing more than 150 submissions.