Editorial Contributor

Wes Waldo is a Lean master with over 12 years of successful quality and process improvement experience in diverse manufacturing environments. This includes increasing profit from operations through process and productivity improvements as well as cost, scrap and defect reductions. He has been very effective in applying Lean and Six Sigma principles to operations and support functions.

Recognised by all levels of the organisation as a results-oriented leader, Wes can identify problems and apply solutions that have a positive impact on the bottom line.

As a value stream manager, he led the manufacturing start-up of a new product to include overseeing equipment installation, designing plant layout and workflow, creating a staffing plan and implementing the manufacturing processes. Wes used lean manufacturing principles to improve performance, reducing the product's top defect by 50% while reducing projected costs by 60%.

As an engineer for a battery manufacturing company, he provided process consulting to engineers on methods of investigating quality issues and planning projects based on Kepner-Tregoe techniques. He won the plant's quarterly Variability Reduction Award four times.

Wes has demonstrated his ability to lead lean transformations as both an active user of the tools and a process champion. He successfully communicates to all levels of the organisation on both tactical and strategic issues.

Wes received a BS in chemistry from Appalachian State University and became a certified Lean master at the Ohio State Fisher College of Business.

Wes has also been certified as a quality engineer by the American Society of Quality (ASQ).