Implementing Lean and Six Sigma Within the European Defence Industry

News source: Business wire

BRUSSELS, Belgium--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 1, 2005--For today's European defence industry and military forces, improving structure and product quality has become a main focus. Implementing and effectively executing quality strategies such as Lean and Six Sigma methodologies is a must if these organizations are to maintain a competitive advantage in the industry and initiate constant forward moving improvement. As a result of this demand for integrating Lean and Six Sigma tactics, and achieving a seamless collaboration of the military forces and the European defence industry, marcus evans defence has introduced the Lean and Six Sigma for Defence conference scheduled to take place November 2-4, 2005 in Brussels, Belgium. This event will be practical, informative and interactive and will include case studies, relevant accounts, instructive examples and supportive workshops concerning the Lean and Six Sigma practice.

To facilitate discussion and allow industry personnel the opportunity to understand military requirements, knowledge, expertise and best practices will be shared. Keynoting the event will be General John G. Coburn (Ret.), Former Commanding General, US Army Materiel Command and currently, CEO and Chairman of Vision Technologies Systems - USA. His session will be presented on day one and entitled "Logistics - The First Battle" and will focus on defining future goals of defence capabilities, developing and implementing logistics and delivering and identifying innovative solutions in the defence market. General Coburn will also be participating in a panel discussion on day two featuring Major General Jakob Baumann, Chief, Armed Forces Planning Staff, Member of Board of Directors, RUAG Aerospace Defence Technology - Switzerland, and Don Ronchi, VP, Raytheon Six Sigma and Supply Chain Leader. Their panel discussion entitled "Interoperability - Integrating Lean and Six Sigma Across European Defence Forces" will examine which countries have implemented Six Sigma into their defence forces and who is leading the way in such initiatives or collaborative solutions. This discussion will also analyse what can be learnt from successes and failures thus far and touch on best practices realised from innovative and practical solutions from the field. Major General Baumann will also be briefing on "Accelerating the Procurement Processes Within Defence Forces." Other key speakers at this event include Dr. Marino Niccolai, Director, Lean Six Sigma Quality and Process Improvement, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, who will be presenting a case study on "Lean Six Sigma and Ship System Design," and Elie Louzon, Corporate Director Six Sigma, Rafael Ltd. - Israel, presenting a case study on "Integrating Six Sigma into the Quality System at Rafael."

At this event key tools and expertise knowledge will be specified, allowing military and industry personnel the ability to effectively execute Lean and Six Sigma quality projects. This event also features a post-conference workshop facilitated by Pertinence and a post-conference site tour of Solar Turbines, Inc., a Caterpillar subsidiary.