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Wal-Mart’s bid to install solar energy systems in its stores in five states could boost the solar industry as a sign of corporate interest in sustainable technologies and practices.Photovoltaic cells—solar cells—change sunlight into electricity directly via semiconductor materials such…
InfoWorld’s 2007 Technology of Year Award has gone to Zimbra, a provider of open-source, next-generation collaboration and messaging software.The Application Innovator Award went to Zimbra Collaboration Suite, an open-source messaging and collaboration solution for service provider,…
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…
Dielectric Communications recently implemented lean manufacturing, which now helps the company to maintain stringent quality levels, reduce waste before and during production, and ensure that customers receive products faster with minimal lead times. Dielectric is the largest…
Siperian recently opened of a London office, established to serve its European customers better. The London office is the company’s sixth location and the first in Europe. Siperian Hub, Siperian’s adaptive master data management solution, is an integrated platform that helps organizations reduce…
The L.S. Starrett Co. is the focus of a recent episode of a television series on the Travel Channel. The network’s “Made in America” series focuses on U.S. manufacturing companies with long histories of producing high-quality, world-renowned products. Starrett was chosen based on its…
epcSolutions alleges that in 2006 more Wal-Mart suppliers used EpcSolutions’ RFIDTagManager than any other radio frequency identification application. Its customers for the software included suppliers of frozen foods, clothing, sporting goods, produce, candy, auto parts and other products…
Isonics Corp. recently hired Patrick Taylor, Ph.D., as director of quality assurance for its semiconductor division.Taylor received his doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh and worked as manager of quality assurance, director of analytical services operation and lead scientist…
Eighty-three percent of organizations contacted suffer from problems caused by poor master data, according to “Master Data Management: Consensus-Driven Data Definitions for Cross-Application Consistency,” a report issued by The Data Warehousing Institute.TDWI, a worldwide provider of…
COLA, a clinical laboratory education and consultation accreditation organization, recently received renewed approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to accredit laboratories to meet requirements set by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments. A…
Eighty-three percent of organizations contacted suffer from problems caused by poor master data, according to “Master Data Management: Consensus-Driven Data Definitions for Cross-Application Consistency,” a report issued by The Data Warehousing Institute.TDWI, a worldwide provider of…
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…
Siemens Medical Solutions recently completed the EUR 4.2 billion ($5.5 billion) acquisition of Bayer Healthcare’s diagnostic division and merged it with Diagnostic Products Corp., creating Siemens Medical Solutions Diagnostics.The new wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens Medical Solutions…
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…
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…
In November 2006, the Pentagon sent a letter to Sikorsky Aircraft criticizing its management for quality control and delays in the production of Black Hawk helicopters. Sikorsky, a division of United Technologies, subsequently submitted a plan for addressing the concerns in a Level III…
The 2007 Baldrige criteria for performance excellence in education and health care, and in business and nonprofit organizations, were recently published on the Baldrige National Quality Program Web site, along with the 2007 Baldrige award application forms.The Baldrige criteria help…
EFQM will offer a workshop on May 10–11 designed to allow business, process and quality managers to meet like-minded people, to learn new ways to define their innovation agenda, and to measure their innovation performance and improve their competitiveness.Innovation brings added value…
Accelper Consulting recently published ISO 9000:2000: An Implementation Guide (BookSurge Publishing, 2006) to help small to large corporations achieve an effective quality management system.The book contains a summary of ISO standards requirements and methods for conducting value-added…