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The SGS Group recently published a standard for Six Sigma that requires third-party auditing. The Six Sigma Standard consists of 65 program indicators and incorporates formal program audits done by SGS. Programs that score high enough on the audit qualify for Six Sigma Program…
Hyperion Solutions Corp., a provider of business performance management software, reports that its acquisition of Decisioneering Inc. will allow it to integrate risk management principles more deeply into its software products. Hyperion will operate Decisioneering as a stand-alone business…
The U.S. Army recently reported a dramatic operations improvement at a European Humvee engine rebuilding facility due to the application of lean Six Sigma.A team of Black Belts and Green Belts organized a week-long Rapid Improvement Event (RIE) at the Rhein Ordnance Barracks in Germany in…
Nineteen ProfitLine employees recently graduated as Black Belts from the Lean/Six Sigma Program at the University of San Diego. The graduation marks the first wave of ProfitLine employees to complete the program, which was led by Keith Boyle, a Master Black Belt and principle consultant…
A new audiocast reveals six “Rules of Innovation” for lean organizations. The rules are included in a new book, The Rules of Innovation: A Guide to Systematic Innovation Management, by Bart Huthwaite, founder of the Institute for Lean Innovation. An accompanying audiocast focuses on giving…
Quality Trainer is a new, Web-based learning service devised by Minitab Inc. With a focus on statistical education, Quality Trainer is a useful resource for busy quality professionals.The service is available via subscription at the company’s Web site and uses narration, animation, and other…
PACCAR Inc., U.S. commercial vehicles maker, recently unveiled plans for a new $400 million powertrain manufacturing and assembly facility in the Southeast United States, saying its comprehensive Six Sigma program helped the company attain the goal. “PACCAR’s outstanding profits,…
Xerox Corp. is the first company to achieve J.D. Power and Associates Technology Service and Support Certification two years in a row for excellence in customer service, and its comprehensive lean Six Sigma programs contributed to the achievement.Xerox was honored for continuing to deliver…
EFQM will present a workshop March 5 and 6 dealing with best practice methods of process improvement, assessing the effectiveness of an organization’s process improvement approach and how these approaches can fit into different organizational cultures.This workshop will show how…
Bill Evanson, a Six Sigma Black Belt and former Kodak supply chain executive, recently accepted a position as vice president and general manager of a warehousing and product delivery company. Evanson will manage JDF Distribution’s facility in Texas, which provides warehousing and…
The Turkish Society for Quality (KalDer) held its 15th Annual Quality Congress in Istanbul, Turkey, in late November. More than 2,200 quality professionals attended the three-day event, including Grace Duffy, vice president of the American Society for Quality. The conference featured…
Pepperweed Consulting, which provides various process improvement and Six Sigma consulting services, has announced the acquisition of JCube Consulting. JCube Consulting specializes in information technology services, and has headquarters in San Diego. The compay also produces the JCube…
Gen. Colin Powell, former secretary of state, will deliver the keynote address at the upcoming 8th Annual Six Sigma Summit,presented by IQPC.The event will be held Jan. 22–25 at the Hyatt Regency Miami, and will include a full day of events tailored toward the needs of Six Sigma…
MoreSteam.com recently released software that’s designed to track lean Six Sigma projects. TRACtion is a Web-based interactive project management tool that helps lean Six Sigma teams reduce project cycle time through enhanced communication, easy access to analytical tools, project road…
Comerica Bank recently announced three winners of its annual National Quality Excellence Award program. The award recognizes outstanding contribution to Comerica’s vision and core values. This year’s winners are Adagio Graphics, SHI and Standard Register. Adagio Graphics designs…
The president and executive coach of the Juran Institute, Joe DeFeo, recently received the 2006 North East Quality Council Special Recognition Award. The award is presented to professionals from the Northeast who have made significant contributions to the quality and business communities…
Heartbeat Software Inc. has named Six Sigma Black Belt Irena Petsche its new vice president for professional services. Heartbeat Software is a provider of software for the life sciences industry. Petsche has 20 years’ experience in the software industry and was most recently director of…
John Wilkerson, a Six Sigma Black Belt, was recently certified as the first international lead management consultant in the United States. Wilkerson is executive director of Bellwether Services, a lean Six Sigma consultancy and training organization. Published in 2003, the international…
FlexNet Quality, recently introduced by Apriso Corp., supports the prerequisites for effective implementation of Six Sigma, including statistical process control and define-measure-analyze-improve-control techniques.FlexNet Quality supports lean manufacturing programs by focusing on waste…
The market for continuous improvement software—primarily programs for lean and Six Sigma—had total hardware, software and services revenues of more than $200 billion in 2005, and it will nearly double by the end of 2010, according to new research. Research firm ARC Advisory Group forecasts…
MoreSteam.com recently announced a two-fold expansion of its lean Six Sigma curriculum. Each of the online training company’s lean Six Sigma DMAIC courses—Black Belt, Yellow Belt and Executive Overview—are now available in versions customized for service or transactional environments. In…
Tom Johnstone, president and CEO of SKF, recently received the Six Sigma Premier Leader Award from the International Society of Six Sigma Professionals. Johnstone is the first corporate leader in Europe to receive the prestigious award. It was presented during the ISSSP’s 6th annual Six…
Chuck Aubrey, vice president of process management and lean Six Sigma for Anderson Packaging Inc., received the prestigious Harrington-Ishikawa Medal at the 12th annual Asia Pacific Quality Organization Conference. The conference was held in October in Sydney, Australia, and Aubrey spoke…
A civilian worker at the Corpus Christi Army Depot was recently recognized for his supervision of a Six Sigma project that dramatically improved maintenance work on Army aircraft. George Kunkle III, the depot’s process optimization manager, received the first-ever Joint Depot…
Companies that use technology to support their Six Sigma systems do better at controlling their defect rates, according to new research.“The Lean Six Sigma Benchmark Report,” a survey performed by the Aberdeen Group, found that data collection and the standardized use of information…