For Dave Boles, Atlantic Packaging President, being a big company does not have to mean sacrificing agility. When Boles ran Quebecor World’s North American retail insert network he delivered on millions of weekend edition print inserts across both Canada and the United States for his clients. “We had a seamless delivery system by using multiple points of manufacture,” he explains. Our value proposition was a single point of contact with a ‘networked’ distribution solution to enhance speed to market. No matter where your product was produced there was a consistency to our offering.”
Running a complex organization that makes results look easy starts with vision and leadership, says Boles. Plants first need to understand and buy into the vision that they are part of a network and the network is stronger than the sum of its parts. Next they must subscribe to a standard set of productivity and quality measurement systems. That maximizes synergies at various points of manufacture whether it’s human or machine
capital. Finally, the company has to support its people to get their jobs done. That means recognizing accomplishments and when standards aren’t being met, holding people accountable. Underlying it all, says Boles, is hands on leadership. “No one on a plant floor should ever have to go too far to get help,” Boles insists. “This helps to create a culture that brings seamlessness to your manufacturing platform.”
In Atlantic Boles sees all the same potential for a highly integrated company. It’s his vision as President to drive better synergies in the company’s various plants for the better of its
customers. “All the elements are there,” he says enthusiastically. “We’ve got committed ownership that is more than ready to put money back into the business. We have very strong market share in the GTA. And we have an already highly sophisticated manufacturing capability.” Boles loves the market position Atlantic sits in: a company big enough to be powerful and small enough to be nimble. Why shouldn’t he? He’s been there before.
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Excellent comments Edso! While it is our intention to push accountability and decision making down to the front lines it is clear we need to equip our people with the knowledge tools to do their jobs. AP conducted an extensive employee engagement survey in the Fall. Many salient issues surfaced and I can tell you that training and communication are at the forefront of our impending action plan. In fact as I write we are in the midst of forming dozens of employee led implentation teams that are articulating sustainable and meaningful solutions for these type of engagement gaps.