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W. l. Gore & Associates. Company Overview. W. L. Gore is a private firm that is headquartered in Newark, Delaware. It operates 17 development and production plants throughout Delaware and Maryland and operates several plants in Asia and Europe as well.
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Company Overview • W. L. Gore is a private firm that is headquartered in Newark, Delaware. • It operates 17 development and production plants throughout Delaware and Maryland and operates several plants in Asia and Europe as well. • It consists of four divisions: fabric, medical, industrial, and electronics. • Annual revenue is over $2 billion. • The company’s main strength is innovation. • It has been named among the “100 Best Companies to Work For in America” by FORTUNE Magazine since 1998. • The products that Gore manufactures ranges from fabric laminates to industrial sealants.
Company Overview Continued • All products developed by Gore are basically produced through the use of different types of plastics. • Scientists and engineers are not assigned to departments. They work together through project teams to accomplish assignments. Once the assignment is finished, team members disperse and join other teams. • Gore is one of only a handful of companies that manufacture fabrics in the United States. • Gore is best known for their fabric named Gore-Tex. The fabrics are used for sports and outdoor activities and are also water and wind resistant yet still breathable. • Company website
Company Problems • It was almost impossible for workers in one plant to learn from the experiences of workers in another plant. • Engineers needed to know which chemical processes worked and which didn’t. • The engineers tried using multiple software applications for analysis but it didn’t work all that well. • Management wanted to implement a system that would allow engineers to share their knowledge.
Process Health Assessment Tool • Uses a custom built Web service that allows workers to access reports that give detailed information about the companies production processes. • The data is linked to different sources which include: spreadsheets, archival databases, and ERP systems. The data is then pooled into a single database. • An analytical software developed by SAS Institute is then used. It consists of tools that mine the data, model processes, and statistically analyze the data to help improve the quality of the products. • Engineers can receive reports on the position of the processes including: the materials that were applied, how they were applied, what worked well, and what didn’t work well. • The purpose of the new software tool is to: meet customer specifications, and to predict the results of a process.
Process Health Assessment tool • Predictability has a big impact on the company’s supply chain management. • It helps answer questions like: which materials to purchase and in what amounts, how to schedule orders from suppliers, and how to apportion raw materials to the different plants.
Questions 1.) What is the name of Gores fabric that it produces that is water and wind proof yet breathable? A.) Gore-Proof B.) Gore-Text C.) Gore-Wear D.) Gore-Tex
Questions 1.) What is the name of Gores fabric that it produces that is water and wind proof yet breathable? A.) Gore-Proof B.) Gore-Text C.) Gore-Wear D.) Gore-Tex Answer: D
Questions 2.) What was the name of the software that Gore implemented? A.) People Helping Others Tool B.) Process Health Assessment Tool C.) There Is No Process Tool D.) Process Batch Assessment Tool
Questions 2.) What was the name of the software that Gore implemented? A.) People Helping Others Tool B.) Process Health Assessment Tool C.) There Is No Process Tool D.) Process Batch Assessment Tool Answer: B
Questions Since Gore manufactures all its fabrics in the U.S., do you think it would be wise for the company to transfer their fabrics division to Asia, where the cost of wages is at a fraction of the cost of the U.S.’s, to increase profits?
