MORRISTOWN, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alcoa (NYSE:AA) operations in Morristown, Tennessee, has been recognized by ASQ, the global voice of quality, as a bronze award winner among a field of 32 finalists in competition at the World Conference on Quality and Improvement held recently in Anaheim, Calif.
Alcoa Howmet, Morristown is the first Alcoa business selected by ASQ among its award winners in the highly regarded international quality competition. In addition, Morristown was selected by its peer finalists as the Attendee Choice Award recipient in the organizational impact category. ASQ awarded one gold and six bronze awards. No companies were awarded silver status.
“The bronze award validated our business transformation strategy against other world-class companies. The judges put the stamp of approval on the effectiveness of our approach and the sustainability of the solution,” said Alexander Alford, Plant Manager, Alcoa Howmet, Dover, New Jersey. Alford served as plant manager of Morristown from 2007 to 2011 when the operations began its strategic transformation. Morristown drove significant culture change throughout its manufacturing processes to improve delivery time by 63 percent, reduce the OSHA recordable rate by 23 percent, and decrease cost by 26 percent annually.
“The Morristown team demonstrated to the ASQ community how it unlocked its world-class capabilities, securing a well-earned place among this year’s top performers in the very demanding competition. As the first Alcoa business to be recognized by ASQ, I am very proud of the Morristown team and their commitment to excellence,” said Michael Pepper, President, Alcoa Power and Propulsion.
The rigorous process requires the competitors to address each one of 13 criteria areas, all in 30 minutes. The areas require competitors to describe milestones along the improvement journey, from project selection, implementation and validation to stakeholder buy-in and project results. Points are deducted if the presentation falls short of 29 minutes or if it exceeds 30 minutes. The judges evaluate the oral presentation and a written report.
ASQ, the sole administrator of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, has 80,000 members in 150 countries.
About Alcoa
Alcoa is the world’s leading producer of primary and fabricated aluminum, as well as the world’s largest miner of bauxite and refiner of alumina. In addition to inventing the modern-day aluminum industry, Alcoa innovation has been behind major milestones in the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation, consumer electronics and industrial markets over the past 120 years. Among the solutions Alcoa markets are flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, as well as Alcoa® wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building systems in addition to its expertise in other light metals such as titanium and nickel-based super alloys. Sustainability is an integral part of Alcoa’s operating practices and the product design and engineering it provides to customers. Alcoa has been a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for 10 consecutive years, and approximately 75 percent of all of the aluminum ever produced since 1888 is still in active use today. Alcoa employs approximately 61,000 people in 31 countries across the world. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com.
About Alcoa Howmet, Morristown
Opened in 1986, Alcoa Howmet, Morristown, is in east Tennessee, about 50 miles from Knoxville. The plant employs about 535 people in the production of complex-shaped ceramic cores that form the internal cooling passages of investment-cast turbine airfoils used in the aircraft engine and industrial gas turbine industries. The cores range in size from less than one to more than 30 inches in length. The casting support operation currently occupies 121,000 square feet of manufacturing space. Alcoa Howmet, Morristown, is among the community’s business leaders, supporting a number of vital community programs with financial and volunteer support. Alcoa Howmet is an operation in Alcoa Power and Propulsion, a major business unit of Alcoa. For more information, visit www.alcoa.com/app.