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Almond Facts
JULY | AUGUST 2016
Continuous improvement has always been a
priority of
Blue Diamond Growers
and has
contributed to the cooperative’s longstanding
success. Understanding when and how best
to improve is critical to minimize production
costs while maintaining quality and increasing
productivity, ultimately driving the company’s
ability to provide the best products to its
consumers and maximize the return to each
Blue
Diamond
grower.
In the cooperative’s commitment to continuous
improvement, it is constantly seeking new ways in
which it can enhance performance, be it in the ability to
produce customers’ exact product specifications, slice,
dice and sliver almonds faster with better quality or
providing employees with the necessary tools in order to
maintain an effective and engaged workforce.
After launching the newest
Blue Diamond
facility in
Turlock, the team decided to enhance its production
line, specifically reporting and tracking productivity.
What was needed was real-time visibility and accurate
data collection to better analyze and report what occurs
on the plant floor. Additionally, the team wanted the
implemented technology to engage employees working
the lines, encouraging teamwork and transparency.
“We wanted to ensure we had a bottom up approach
and that our team members were engaged in our
continuous improvement journey,” said Juanita
Nungaray, Continuous Improvement Manager. “We
wanted the idea of empowerment. That’s what we are
promoting here at Turlock.”
Continually Improving:
A
Blue Diamond
Mantra
