Continuous Improvement Manager

Gerald J. Merkel

Lexington, SC, ***** 803-***-**** ***********@*****.***

www.linkedin.com/in/geraldmerkel

Continuous Improvement Manager

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

15+ years as a dedicated, experienced Lean Manufacturing Continuous Improvement Manager.

Expert in implementing the Toyota Production System in manufacturing and non-manufacturing areas.

Expert in training, facilitating, and coaching of Lean concepts to all levels of an organization.

Led/participated/directed 50+ kaizen events on and off the shop floor.

Excellent project management, team leadership, presentation and communication skills.

Areas of Expertise:

Toyota Production System Process Analysis

Project Management Six Sigma

Process Improvement Accessing Current State – Value Stream Mapping

Facilitation Standard Work / 5S

Collaboration Kaizen

Change Management Total Productive Maintenance - TPM

Root Cause Analysis Problem-solving

Certifications/Tools/Skills:

Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt, Kaizen, One-Piece Flow, Jidoka, Poke Yoke, Visual Management, Kanban, Heijunka, JIT, Takt Time, Bottleneck Analysis, Andon, Gemba, Hoshin Kanri, OEE, Cellular Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, TPM, TQM, Root Cause Analysis, Value Stream Mapping, Continuous Flow, Lean Audit, Quick Changeover, Right First Time, 7 Wastes, Six Big Losses, SMART Goals, KPIs, 5S, SMED, A3 Problem Solving, PDCA, Standardized Work,

5 Whys, Demand Flow, MPFS, Policy Deployment, Six Sigma, DMAIC, Statistical and Process variation analysis,

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Michelin North America, Lexington, SC 2022 - 2023

Industrial Progress Engineer

Mentored and trained cross-functional teams on continuous improvement principles, tools, and techniques to identify/eliminate waste and improve efficiency throughout the organization. Reduced defective tire inventory by 50% within 3 months. Led team implementing FIFO system for mining tires achieving one-time $4.4M cost avoidance.

DS Smith Packaging, Columbia, SC 2020 – 2021

Continuous Improvement Manager

Researched, analyzed and mapped out all workflows to remove waste and non-value-added activities and

utilized formal kaizen methodologies in order to accomplish recommended solutions. Acted as Leader, Manager, Facilitator, and Mentor throughout different areas of the organization in order to establish new norms and standards company performance. Led Waste Reduction Kaizen resulting in 21% reduction and $1.1M/yr. annual savings.

ARYZTA, West Columbia, SC 2017 – 2019

Continuous Improvement Manager

•Trained/implemented 5S, Standard Work, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Gemba Kaizen to help ARYZTA's largest volume Bakery in North America (30% of total volume) achieve reduced financial costs, leaner production and higher levels of food and personnel safety.

•Improved processes and practices at the plant floor level by reducing unrecognized inefficiency and waste (muda) through continuous improvement (Kaizen) using methodologies such as Just-In-Time (JIT), Heijunka (leveled production), and Jidoka(automation).

•Utilized tools developed by ARYZTA Operations Management Group (OMG) to guide research and activities (including 5 Whys and Fishbone Root Cause analysis) and assign the associated preventative action items.

•Managed documentation developed through the CI projects and shared best practice identification to all locations.

•Assisted Capital Project Teams with new line start up, systems development and training.

•Conducted Set-Up-Reduction Kaizen which reduced the weekly Allergen Clean Changeover times on both Cookie lines by 33% which improved throughput by $4M/yr.

ConAgra Foods / Treehouse Foods, Battle Creek, MI 2015 - 2017

Continuous Improvement Manager

•Led and coordinated the implementation of the ConAgra Performance System (CPS)/Treehouse Performance System (TPS). Engaged Operators to take ownership of their machines and identifying HTC & HTR areas.

•Lead and taught the application of CPS/TPS Methodologies in order to drive improvements in plant culture while implementing Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). Led Operators to initiate their own improvement projects.

•Developed/Lead implementation plans for needed process improvements in order to achieve targeted results.

•Facilitated team training for problem-solving utilizing Focused Improvement methodology tools.

Kraft Foods, Avon, NY 2013 – 2015

Continuous Improvement Engineer

•Responsible for supporting Kraft Foods Integrated Lean Six Sigma (IL6S) Journey.

•Utilized Lean and Six Sigma principles and methodologies to drive continuous improvement initiatives.

•Identified opportunities and executed projects in the value stream process

•Facilitated Sanitation Set Up Reduction Kaizen achieving 50% reduction across 3 lines saving $750K/yr. annually

•Provided training, coaching and mentoring for improvement activities.

•Subject matter expert in Lean Tools of Toyota Production System (TPS).

•Energized team members to Learn and Do: VSM, JIT, Demand Flow, SPF, 5S, SMED, TPM, Kanban, MPFS.

•Sold ideas/influenced others with ability to exercise influence without authority.

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS

M.S. Applied Statistics

Rochester Institute of Technology - Rochester, NY

Graduate Certificate Quality Control

Rochester Institute of Technology - Rochester, NY

B.S. Civil Engineering

University of Virginia - Charlottesville, VA

Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt – Eastman Kodak Company / Shingijutsu Global Consulting

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