Living lean and making big splash across the globe

IN SEARCH OF THE EDGE: Lean manufacturing and use of Kaizen principles have helped Hayward Industries prosper on a global scale. Pictured are technicians Joseph Veillette, right, and Chanouch Soeum with Hayward Industries Continuous Improvement Manager Gregory Fowler, standing. / PBN PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY
IN SEARCH OF THE EDGE: Lean manufacturing and use of Kaizen principles have helped Hayward Industries prosper on a global scale. Pictured are technicians Joseph Veillette, right, and Chanouch Soeum with Hayward Industries Continuous Improvement Manager Gregory Fowler, standing. / PBN PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

For the nearly 200-person-strong team over at residential swimming pool equipment manufacturer Hayward Industries Inc. of North Kingstown, the concept of lean manufacturing means more than just a set of lofty goals aimed at delivering quality products with greater efficiency.

Much more.

“Lean is a way of life,” said Gregory Fowler, who has served as Hayward’s continuous-improvement manager for the past two years. “It’s a thought process, always challenging the norm to improve upon a process or a product so you can be the best, be competitive in a global economy, generate cash to reinvest in your company and be stronger tomorrow.”

Founded in 1925 and headquartered in Elizabeth, N.J., Hayward today has 1,500-plus employees spread across offices in Clemmons, N.C.; Pomona, Calif.; and Nashville, in addition to North Kingstown. The manufacturer also has locations in Australia, Canada, China and France. The company offers a wide array of energy-efficient residential pool equipment.

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In the past few years, Hayward has made some important and strategic business moves, including the acquisition of Poolvergnuegen, a California-based manufacturer and marketer of pool cleaners. Hayward also unveiled OmniLogic, its most intuitive pool controller ever; HydroRite, which utilizes UV, ozone and advanced oxidants to reduce the threat of deadly waterborne illnesses; and the AquaVac 500, a state-of-the-art, robotic pool cleaner.

“New-product introductions are critical in meeting our strategic plans,” said Robert Hughes, plant manager. “Speed to market is essential, and as we sell our products globally, we need our designs to meet global customer requirements.”

Lean manufacturing, Hughes says, is just one tool that Hayward uses to drive the company’s overall operational excellence.

With all the talk of manufacturing making a comeback across the country, Hughes says manufacturers have finally figured out how to successfully compete in a global market through innovation, elimination of nonvalue-added functions and by investing in people and processes.

But, he adds, measuring the climate in Rhode Island is a bit trickier. Hughes feels that things are getting better, but he says there are not nearly enough skilled workers to sustain any long-term growth.

“We as a state have ignored manufacturing for such a long time that most of the highly skilled workers are nearing retirement age, and with no real feeder system in place, there will be a gap,” Hughes said.

For 14-year Hayward vet Russell Buckley, a test and manufacturing engineering manager, the work is always different and challenging, with something new to accomplish. Making his work more fulfilling, he says, is the fact that Hayward’s management allows workers to solve problems and handle issues by themselves.

“Our choices and decisions are highly respected and almost always accepted,” Buckley said. “Hayward recognizes that its engineers are highly educated and responsible employees who have a stake it the success of the company.”

Fowler agrees and believes lean is a business model for success when applied and embraced the way it is at Hayward.

“Hayward makes the investment in its people, the people that make the company the success that it is,” Fowler said.

It’s not just the employees who believe in what Hayward stands for and promotes.

Cranston’s Pools by Richard, a family-run business that specializes in custom gunite pools and spas, has been using Hayward products for 25 years.

“They have continually produced reliable products and given great sales and product support,” said Ted Richard, president of the company. “We look forward to continuing our relationship. It’s nice to see a state-of-the-art manufacturer producing products in America.” •

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