Y-12 Blog
Y-12 Procurement Coordinator Derek Raby, left, and Dennis Lorick of onsite vendor Tevet discuss some of the items that will be available at the new tool crib and parts station.
The way parts and materials will be ordered, handled, and distributed at Pantex and Y-12 is changing—instead of going out to get parts and tools from a vendor, the vendor is coming to us, and it’s not costing us anything—in fact, it’s saving taxpayer dollars.
Known as vendor-managed inventory, the concept basically brings the supplier and materials to the point of use, similar to having an on site storefront. It was piloted at the new John C. Drummond Center at Pantex where a catalog of 10,000 office supplies was reduced to 1,000 approved items that are delivered directly to the employee. Until the items are delivered to the worker, they are owned and managed by the supplier.
The savings come from bulk ordering, reducing redundant ordering by various departments as well as more costly emergency ordering. CNS does not own or pay for materials until they are issued to a work order or end user. The small business provider will manage the materials and ensure stock levels are maintained.
Once the tool crib station at Y-12 is up and running, a second station will be opened. Both the office supplies and the tool crib/parts models will eventually expand to include both sites.
Nancy Jo Nicholas, (at left) INMM Fellows Committee chair, recognizes Hassler as INMM Fellow, along with Corey Hinderstein, INMM president
Morris Hassler, senior director of Consolidated Nuclear Security’s Global Security & Strategic Partnerships, was named a fellow of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management at the organization’s 59th annual meeting in Baltimore, Maryland. Only senior INMM members who have attained distinction in the field of nuclear materials management may be honored with the rank of fellow through nomination by their peers, recommendation by the Fellows Committee, and approval by the Executive Committee. INMM promotes leading research and development as well as the practical application of new concepts, approaches, techniques and equipment for managing nuclear materials.
Y-12 employees unload school supplies donated to ADFAC.
Anita Hazlewood, Y-12’s United Way chairperson, presents a check to ADFAC in support of the agency’s annual school supply drive.
Students in Anderson and Morgan counties are heading back to class with a backpacks full of school supplies thanks, in part, to the generosity of many Y-12 employees. The program, which assists children from low-income families, is managed by ADFAC, Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties. The ADFAC School Supply Drive is part of this year’s Y-12 United Way Campaign. Y-12 United Way Chair Anita Hazlewood said, in addition to the supplies collected, employees donated $1,297. UPF employees also donated school supplies and $400.
Some of Y-12’s leading ladies at the Leading Ladies Luncheon fundraiser for United Way of Anderson County.
CNS employees enjoy the Leading Ladies Luncheon for United Way of Anderson County.
CNS hosted four tables at the Anderson County United Way Leading Ladies Luncheon. Guest speaker Tracey Vlahos, also known as The Lady V, shared a message of empowering women to achieve the thriving business, stylish lifestyle, and personal wellness they deserve, all with a greater sense of worklife harmony.
Y-12’s Lean Six Sigma team visited DENSO Manufacturing Athens Tennessee, Inc. to learn about how the company uses lean tools.
Y-12 Lean Six Sigma recently hosted a visit to the DENSO Manufacturing Athens Tennessee, Inc. to see lean tools and principles in action.
Josh McDaniel of Lean Six Sigma said, “We looked for ideas on how we could apply their use of lean tools to our work. DENSO’s plant employs more than 1, 500 and is a supplier to some of the top automobile manufacturers in the world, with one of those being the Toyota Manufacturing Company, the model we chose to base our Performance Enterprise System on.”
Meghan Lovelace of the Oak Ridge Metrology Center said, “From the moment we entered the building, you could tell that DENSO runs lean. I liked the management boards posted in the various work areas. It was a great way to keep lines of communication open between workers on the line and supervisors.”
Infrastructure’s Brandon Peters said, “Lean is a vision and journey that takes time, but results in great teamwork. We saw the importance of taking the consideration and thoughts from the folks doing the jobs and then implementing them.”
“One thing that really impressed me was how they incorporated 5S (sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain) in to all parts of their operations,” Tony Beal of Production Support said. “Seeing the 5S sign as you are entering the visitors’ parking lot made me realize that it is not just something that they do, but something that is part of who they are.”
McDaniel said, “It was evident at the heart of DENSO’s lean culture was employee involvement. Just like our PES lean approach, none of this works without empowering people to drive change. This trip gave us opportunity to brainstorm areas of new applicability to use the lean methodologies at CNS.”