Manager Six Sigma

PAUL NEBLOCK

*** **** ***** ***** • Whitmore Lake, MI 48189 • ****.*******@*****.*** • 734-***-****

C ONTINUOUS I MPROVEMENT E XECUTIVE

Enterprise Transformation / Lean Sigma Master Black Belt / Change Leadership

M.S. Nuclear Engineering, B.S. Physics

Strategic planner who has developed and implemented improvement initiatives to sharpen business

focus and direct large scale business transformations.

Aggressive leader who has taken an enterprise perspective and has made “breakthrough”

improvements in: revenue, profitability, quality, cycle time, inventory levels, and customer service.

Excellent project manager who has developed detailed, realistic plans and has managed

implementation in difficult situations in multi-site environments.

Skilled mentor and coach who has worked with all organizational levels to effectively implement change

in demanding corporate cultures.

Proven manager who has directed multiple departments, led business transformations, built and

operated a business.

Creative implementer of significant, lasting improvements in multiple industries: medical products,

capital equipment, electronics/instruments, specialty vehicles, consumer products, durable goods,

building products, distributors, job shops, process industries, and service organizations.

Degreed engineer who has coupled Lean and Six Sigma improvements with capital equipment/process

upgrades to achieve significant operational gains.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• • •

Lean Enterprise/TPS Six Sigma Master Black Belt Multi-Plant Transformations

• • •

Change Management Profit Improvement Business Optimization

• • •

Team Building Project Management Capital Project Management

• • •

Kaizen Events Strategy Development/Deployment Lean Product Development

Professional Experience

OWNER AND PARTNER, 2003 – PRESENT

KOBALT PARTNERS LLC, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Kobalt Partners LLC is an operational excellence consulting firm that serves clients in manufacturing,

distribution, and service industries.

Founded and grew fees to $1 million/year focusing on Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement services

for middle market to Fortune 500 firms. Led marketing and sales effort, provided hands-on services, managed

large projects, and mentored client personnel and consulting associates.

Selected Achievements:

Led turnaround of large custom truck producer to increase profitability by $1.8 million/year using Lean

Enterprise techniques, mixed model assembly, and increased business focus. Trained and led teams

to value stream map, identify opportunities, implement standard work and kanbans in mixed model

assembly cells, and apply visual management to monitor flow. Trained teams to use formal root cause

analysis to drastically reduce warranty costs. Mentored all levels of management and modified

incentive system to reinforce the improvements.

Organized and led Lean transformation of privately held custom machining company to reduce lead

times >50%, slash set-up time 75%, reduce inventory 40%. Trained entire organization in Lean

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PAUL NEBLOCK

techniques, led them through value stream mapping, opportunity selection, and led teams in 6S, SMED,

work cell design, plant layout, standard work, and streamlining order management.

Utilized Lean, Six Sigma, and process optimization techniques with $2.5 million capital upgrade to

improve productivity by $1.5 million/year and reduce scrap by $300K/year. Managed large project,

trained and facilitated teams to implement Lean fundamentals, reduced process “noise” and optimized

operating process. Mentored plant supervisors, managers, and General Manager in the transition and

worked directly with all levels of the organization to achieve results.

SENIOR MANAGER, 2001 - 2003

GRANT THORNTON LLP, Southfield, Michigan

An international CPA firm providing consulting services to large mid market to Fortune 500 firms

Led Lean Enterprise consulting practice to serve manufacturing, distribution, and service firms. Developed

methods, hired and mentored consultants, managed large scale change projects, and provided hands-on

service to manufacturing, distribution, and service clients.

Selected Achievements:

Conducted multi-site operational due diligence for $1 billion distributor of home health care products.

Identified over $1 million in operational synergies in acquisition target with plants in the US and Mexico.

Implemented Lean assembly process for custom office furniture manufacturer to reduce labor cost by

50%, slash cycle time by 75%, and eliminate line stoppages. Used work cells and simplification to

better focus the line and ensure parts supply sequenced to assembly.

Led process assessments and information system selection/implementation assignments for custom

equipment manufacturers and consumer products distributors. Reengineered order management,

quoting, engineering change, inventory management, and machine rebuild processes.

ENGINEERING MANAGER, 1999 - 2001

EXATEC LLC – Wixom, Michigan

Joint venture between Bayer AG and General Electric to commercialize plastic automotive windows

Managed process and plant engineering functions at large product/process development organization to

manufacture automotive window systems. Learned and applied Six Sigma techniques to optimize plastics

molding, cleaning, and coating processes. Organized and managed large capital projects to expand capability

and capacity.

Selected Achievements:

Used Six Sigma techniques to resolve long standing window cleaning process to reduce coating defects

by 50%. Learned DFSS techniques from GE training and applied it to this and other issues in the

facility.

Planned and managed large capital projects to commercialize vacuum coating and large injection

molding processes - project value exceeding $8.0 million.

SENIOR MANAGER, 1997 - 1999

HYDRO ALUMINUM ADRIAN, Adrian, MI

Tier II automotive supplier of precision extruded and formed aluminum components

Organized and led continuous improvement initiatives and all engineering/ maintenance functions at complex

aluminum forming and extrusion operations. Hired and mentored personnel, instituted proper metrics, developed

improvement strategy with operations. Used Lean and Six Sigma tools to make significant improvements to

operations and support functions:

Selected Achievements:

Improved OEE for forging work cells from 60% to 92% using Preventive Maintenance.

Reduced set-up time in forming area by 75% using SMED, Poke Yoke, and 5S.

Reduced die maintenance cost and cycle time by 60% using Lean Maintenance and work cells.

Utilized DoE’s to double die life and improve yield by 3% ($300K/year)

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PAUL NEBLOCK

SENIOR CONSULTANT TO SENIOR MANAGER, 1991 - 1997

GRANT THORNTON LLP, Madison and Milwaukee, WI

An international CPA firm providing consulting services to large mid market to Fortune 500 firms

Developed and led Operations Excellence practice using Lean, TQM, and Six Sigma tools to solve complex

business challenges in a diverse portfolio of clients. Developed methods, hired and mentored consultants,

managed large projects, mentored client executives and associates, led change initiatives and strategic

improvement planning sessions.

Selected Achievements:

Developed multi-plant improvement strategy for $1 billion beverage bottler with emphasis on Lean

Manufacturing and Distribution principles.

Led operational assessments and development of improvement strategy for a large special equipment

manufacturer with savings of over $3 million/year.

Organized and implemented Lean Product Development principles to streamline quoting and product

design for custom packaging equipment supplier to reduce lead time 40%.

GROUP ENGINEERING MANAGER, 1989 - 1991

EZ Paintr (Newell Corporation), Milwaukee, WI

Multi-site international manufacturer of paint applicators serving large retail outlets

Managed engineering function and led continuous improvement initiatives across three sites in North America.

Utilized Lean manufacturing techniques to reduce costs, improve quality, and enhance safety. Implemented

plant consolidation efforts to bring off shore operations back to the US.

Selected Achievements:

Implemented flexible packaging cells to accommodate wide variety of special product assortments to

reduce labor cost by over $150K/year.

Organized and implemented first work cell into manufacturing (metal paint tray forming and welding) to

reduce costs by $100K/year and improve operator safety.

Developed multi-plant capital improvement plan including automation, new tools and dies and other cost

saving equipment. Led justification and implementation of 70% of projects.

MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING MANAGER, 1985 - 1989

Nichols Home-shield, Rice Lake, Wisconsin

Large division of Quanex that manufacturers a wide variety of building products for large window producers

Organized and managed manufacturing and industrial engineering, maintenance, tool and die, and plant

engineering functions for large, rapidly growing firm to reduce costs, improve flow, enhance quality, and

introduce new products.

Selected Achievements:

Developed integrated work cells for new sliding door, worked with all equipment vendors to develop and

implement cells to produce doors with 1,000% better quality, 40% less labor, and 20% improved margin.

Designed and implemented Lean factory layout that included small flexible assembly cells, individual

screen cloth cutters/dispensers, and integrated packaging – saving $500K/year in labor cost.

Upgraded maintenance and tool room departments to improve responsiveness and cost effectiveness

by using 5S, functional work cells, operational metrics, and improved supervisory staff.

ENGINEER TO ENGINEERING MANAGER, 1979 - 1985

Hyster Company and Flo-Con Systems (Vesuvius), Illinois

Provided hands-on engineering support to manufacturing for industrial products manufacturers and was

promoted to department head to lead engineering and tool design for multi-site operations. Learned and

implemented Lean manufacturing techniques and honed management and problem solving skills.

Numerous Lean and Six Sigma Classes – General Electric, MSU, AME, ASQ, SME, MAQIN, APICS

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