About Us

 

 

We are a teaching and consulting company that:

  • Specializes in training a selected client team to design and implement lean thinking; for healthcare, manufacturing, administrative and product development processes.

 

  • We specialize in training and implementing one piece balanced synchronized flow assembly cells, creating high man to machine ratios, mixed model assembly, setup reduction, visual management controls, mistake proofing techniques, supply chain management, and total quality.

 

  • We have experience working with companies that manufacture high mix, low mix, high volume and low volume products ranging with annual sales ranging from $700k to Fortune 50 companies. These companies experienced significant improvement in profitability, inventory reduction, cycle time reduction, and quality and growth.

 

We can help successfully transition your supply chain from one that drains cash to one that supplies cash. Our clients will become “distinct” manufacturers and service companies possessing a successful track record, embracing continuous improvement, constantly striving to eliminate waste in their processes and driving toward world class premier businesses. These implementations are backed by documented case studies and video taped results.

 

We have an extensive network of Lean and Six Sigma consultants available to work on virtually any type of Lean implementation, Six Sigma, and LeanSigma project opportunity or kaizen event. However, our consultants are in high demand and are on a first-come-first-serve basis.

 

Experience

  • We have over 17 years experience training and implementing Lean Thinking across a variety of industries, services and healthcare

 

  • We have a strategic partnership with ValuMetrix services, a division of Johnson and Johnson supporting Lean Implementation and Training with Healthcare

 

  • Our client list includes ITT industries, Amsted Industries, and Honeywell amoung others. We are based in MD and have worked locally w the Maryland World Class Manufacturing Consortium, Novatec, BAC, Qiagen Sciences, Life Technologies and several other companies.

 

  • We have a network of Six Sigma resources and mostly “Toyota” trained Lean consultants that we subcontract. References and results furnished on request.

 

 

Our Vision

  • To be a Premier, results oriented, hands-on consulting with a heavy focus on training, implementation, and initiative integration in pursuit of World Class.

 

Our Mission

  • Assist companies in assessing and closing gaps between baseline and world class standards.

 

Our Goal is Total Customer Satisfaction

  • We want to assist you, with “hands on” implementation on the floor or in the office

 

  • We want to transfer knowledge and skills to make you self sufficient as quickly as possible

 

  • We want to assist you in “getting to the next level” and driving toward World Class

 

  • If we don’t have it or can’t support it, we will do everything we can to assist in finding someone else that can meet your needs

 

  • We want to be a conduit for sharing non-proprietary ideas across organizations in order to benefit U.S. Industry

 

 

Our Values

  • People and Customers

  • Integrity

  • Results

  • Speed

  • Proclivity to eliminate waste

 

 

BIG

Charlie Protzman - Biography

In November of 1997, Charles Protzman formed Business Improvement Group, LLC (B.I.G.). B.I.G. is located in Baltimore, Maryland and specializes in implementing lean thinking principles and the Lean Business Delivery System - LBDS and the BASICS training and problem solving methodology.

Charles has over 27  years experience in Materials and Operations Management. He spent 13 ½ years with AlliedSignal, now Honeywell, where he was an Aerospace Strategic Operations Manager and the first AlliedSignal Lean Master. He has received numerous special-recognition and cost-reduction awards.  Charles was an external consultant for DBED’s Maryland Consortium while he was with AlliedSignal. He had input into the resulting World Class Criteria document and assisted in the first three initial DBED World Class Company Assessments. Charles has taught students in Lean Principles and Total Quality from all over the world.

Charles has spent the last 17 years implementing successful lean product line conversions, kaizen events, administrative business system improvements (transactional lean) across the U.S. He is following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who was part of the Civil Communications Section (CCS) of the American Occupation. prior to Deming’s 1950 visit to Japan. C.W. Protzman Sr. surveyed over 70 Japanese Companies in 1948. Starting in late 1948, Homer Sarasohn and C. W. Protzman Sr. taught top executives of prominent Japanese Companies an 8 week course in American Participative Management and Quality techniques in Osaka and Tokyo. Over 5,100 top Japanese executives had taken the course by 1956. Many of the lessons we taught the Japanese in 1948 are now being taught to Americans as “lean principles”. The lean principles had their roots in the U.S. and date back to the early 1700s and later to Taylor, Gilbreth and Henry Ford. The principles were refined and expanded by Shigeo Shingo and Taiichi Ohno at Toyota. Modern day champions, Jim Womack and Dan Jones, are now carrying them on in a book called Lean Thinking and Seeing the Whole.

Charles participated in numerous Benchmarking and Site visits including a two-week trip to Japan in June 1996 where he worked with Hitachi in a kaizen event. He is a Master facilitator and trainer in TQM, Total Quality Speed, Facilitation, Career Development, Change Management, Benchmarking, Leadership, Systems Thinking, High Performance Work Teams, Team Building, Myers Briggs Styles Indicator, Lean Thinking and Supply Chain Management. He also participated in Baldridge Examiner and Six Sigma Management Courses. He was an Assistant Program Manager during “Desert Storm” for the Patriot missile-to-missile fuse development and production program.

Charles has a BA and MBA from Loyola College in Maryland. He is currently a member of SME, SAE, IIE and Association for Psychological Type. He is a charter certified MBTI Instructor (#C10083).  He was a past member of APICS, AME Champions Club, and NAPM organizations.