LRM is first medtech company in Europe to win a Shingo operational excellence award
Wexford-based Lake Region Medical (LRM) has become the first company in the Republic of Ireland, and the first medical device manufacturer in Europe to be awarded a Shingo Accreditation Bronze Medallion for Operational Excellence.
The Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence is a not-for-profit located in the Jon M Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. The mission of The Shingo Prize is to create excellence in organisations and to empower people and transform organisational culture.
“The achievement is a real win for the company but also Ireland as an economy, as we strive to continue to grow in investment in operations by delivering higher value to investors than that available in competing locations globally,” said John Harris, VP OUS operations at LRM.
“Lake Region Medical is delighted to be the first of many medtech companies in Ireland who recognise the importance of best in class manufacturing operations in Ireland as part of our overall economic development strategy.”.
“Gaining the highly coveted Shingo Bronze Medallion status is acknowledgement of the hard work and commitment put in by all our employees since we first started out on our ‘lean journey; in June 2003 with the goal of making Lake Region Medical Limited a centre of excellence,” said the company’s continuous improvement director, Noel Hennessy.
“While it is undoubtedly a major milestone on our lean journey we believe this accreditation will spur us on to achieve true world class status. I would also like to acknowledge Dermot O’Neill and the ICBE for their help in providing best practice visits and experts in the field of world class manufacturing to transfer their specialist knowledge.”
LRM employs 750 people at its plant in New Ross and another 100 at its international research and development centre in Galway. The company has its global headquarters in Chaska, Minnesota.