Scott Butler

Manufacturing Coach, FSO Institute
former VP R&D, Quality & Operations Services, Del Monte

Scott provides his nearly 40 years’ experience in the food and beverage industry with Del Monte and Nestle.  His leadership responsibilities include New Product Development and Commercialization, Supply Chain Optimization, Quality/Food Safety, Consumer Affairs, Regulatory/Government Affairs, Environmental Services, Corporate Engineering, Real Estate, Sustainability/Corporate Responsibility and Agricultural R&D.  He supported the company’s compliance with the new FSMA regulations and achieved top ratings by all company operated production facilities under the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). 

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“Optimizing the launch of new food and beverage products – safely and effectively.”

• Supported multiple domestic and foreign production facilities in the production of high-quality food products. Lead an R&D effort that introduced novel new products in both produce and center store. Supported the company’s compliance with the new FSMA regulations and achieved top ratings by all company operated production facilities under the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).
• Alignment of corporate and plant Quality policies and procedures for role clarity and responsibilities. One example included instituting a process to audit compliance to the plant quality policies at a minimum of once per year.  A best practice would require a review of 2-4 policies per month. At the end of the year, have the Plant Manager and QA Manager certify to the VP-Quality.
• Working with a smaller manufacturer’s Quality team to support the company’s rapid growth and product expansion. Developed with the client’s staff a 100 Day Plan including:
  • Audit Response Support
  • Customer Complaint Management
  • Recruiting Support of QC Manager
  • QC Processes
  • Evaluation of testing of finished product In-house vs External
  • QC Hold Management
  • Training and 5S Clinics
  • Quality Manual Update
  • Maintenance Management
  • Production Uptime 

James Couch

Manufacturing Coach, FSO Institute
former Director of Equipment and Process Engineering, Smithfield Foods

James’ experience in the meat industry spans 43 years. Career began in operations and production, later advancing through maintenance, purchasing, worker safety, engineering, project engineering and the environmental field. He has held several corporate level positions in the Beef and Pork industry during his tenure. He joined the corporate management team of Smithfield Foods in 2008. Other company experience includes John Morrell & Co. and Packerland Packing.

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“Going for the Gold through Asset Optimization. Achieving sustainable results on equipment performance requires Systemic Thinking of the manufacturing lines.”

• Asset Optimization includes a process that engages the operators, maintenance, and OEMs
  • Fundamentally determine the “Need” and the “Value”, if you can meet both then it’s worth pursuing the process
  • Engineering and Maintenance must be in alignment with the Manufacturing KPIs
    • For example….When you get on a plane you except it to fly. To do so, Full Power at Take Off is required. Just like a pilot, the machine operator should have a start-up check list to achieve consistently for preparing the machine for First Hour Full Power, 100% of performance 100% of the time.
  • Partner with OEMs – gain their insights in helping you to achieve your KPIs
  • Consider the OT and IT interface throughout the process “Going for the Gold” pathway, what is the visibility needed by both and when. Establish a protocol for sharing secured performance data.

• Innovative Equipment design through partnerships with leading Original Equipment Manufacturers …For the Food Industry hygienic design is of the upmost importance. Working closely with the OEM on the hygienic design early in the manufacturing process provides countless value in the manufacturing facility

Some recent cases:

• Strategic Asset Reliability Planning: Developed the role of an engaged workforce in accelerating the adoption of the company’s significant maintenance and reliability strategy, including involvement of internal and external stakeholders to improve the equipment performance and increase machinery uptime. This pilot will serve as the foundational basis from which other plants will be coached towards their adoption.
• Facilitated global manufacturer in rolling out key corporate program that can support achieving Vertical Start-ups of Capital projects. Conducted workshops and training with corporate engineering and at major plants. These OpX best practices; Total Cost of Ownership and Factory Acceptance Tests, have been adopted as internal standards, already providing substantial project delivery time reduction and improved cost containment of capital spend.
• Design and implemented new fully automated box handle system to reduce labor improve shipping turns, improve inventory accountability with improved carton quality
• Energy management… saving substantial energy expenditures through a process to better monitor and manage your resources.

Links to additional information:

David Drum

Manufacturing Coach, FSO Institute
former Senior & Principal Engineer, Kellogg Company

David Drum has over 35 years’ experience in the food processing industry. At the Kellogg Company for 16 years with global hygienic design responsibilities, plus major process engineering projects within the snacks network. In plant projects focused on raising OEE through capacity improvements, scrap reduction, and rate & yield improvements. Previous employers included Hill’s Pet Nutrition/Colgate-Palmolive, M&M/Mars, Ralston Purina, and Wolverine Proctor & Schwartz. He is well known for his expertise in sanitary equipment design and clean facility design. He is the primary author to OpX Hygienic Design, a collaboration between CPGs and OEMs to get the cleanest equipment at a competitive price.

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“Getting the most out of your production line and equipment while minimizing capital investment”

• OEE gains through capacity improvements, scrap reduction, and rate & yield improvements. Accomplished through coaching and teaching production line staff and supervisors:
  • 22% increase in line throughput across several lines in 2 years, 15% reduction in changeover time in 6 months and 5% reduction in energy usage in 3 months –
  • see case study: “OEE meets business growth need ”

“Aligning hygienic equipment design with sanitation procedures to consistently deliver on your products’ Quality promise and your productivity performance goals”

• Equipment Design – Case Study “Collaborating with OEMs on Hygienic Equipment Design” 
  • Hygienic Design decision tree 
  • Concept of Hygienic Zoning 
• “CIP Case in point”

Doug Herald

Partner, Chief Development Officer, FSO Institute
former VP Operational Strategy and Continuous Improvement, AmeriQual

Doug brings over 30 years of manufacturing experience in the food manufacturing and packaging industry.   The breadth and depth of his experience includes Sara Lee Foods, The Wornick Co., Zwanenburg (Baxter) Food Group USA, and AmeriQual.  As Global Vice President of Continuous Improvement of Baxter Food Group he was responsible for implementing the Baxter Operating System (TPS) in Scotland, Australia, Canada, Poland, and the US.

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“Bringing the Toyota Way into the Food & Beverage industry. The Floor Management Development System (FMDS) engages people, delivers results”

• FMDS (Floor Management Development System) the way the shop floor is performing each shift including daily shop floor meeting, daily departmental meetings, standard work development and daily auditing of the system to drive improvement, 8 step problem solving, works training and development plans.
• OEE improved by 20 points, with sustained results
• EBIDTA more than doubled - Prepared meals manufacturer embraces operational excellence for company turnaround – link to case study
• Servant Leadership: I am honored to be a people first leader. It is amazing to me in this day that some leaders still rely on discipline for their number one tool to lead people. I think it is proven that a model of deep engagement of employees truly sets a company apart.
• Organizational change management: To drive improved results, client recognized need to establish new manufacturing vision and strategy for this privately held company. Building upon previous wins, plant leadership (all levels) are in process of creating that new strategy and in so doing, experiencing firsthand significant Leadership Development individually and collectively.
• Team development: New private equity owners directed significant cost reductions in manufacturing. Workforce departures depleted staffing at greater numbers than anticipated. The challenge for leadership was to re-engage the once high performing team. By focusing on lean applications to what the customer requires began to rebuild the pride and productivity
• Servant Leadership: “I am honored to be a people first leader. It is amazing to me in this day that some leaders still rely on discipline for their number one tool to lead people. I think it is proven that a model of deep engagement of employees truly sets a company apart.”
• ProFood World Case in point Factory Acceptance Tests, The Power of One Voice—On-site or Virtually 

Rich Larsen

Manufacturing Coach, FSO Institute
former VP Product Development, Honeyville Food Products

Richard brings over 40 years of food manufacturing expertise in his career at Honeyville Food Products, a primary supplier of baking ingredients and bulk grains to the food industry.  He held several leadership positions including its Vice President Product Development and Chief Facilities Officer. His core strengths are in the development of simple to fully automated systems in milling, blending, line manufacturing, packaging, distribution, E-Commerce, and retail operations. He has served in a variety of capacities in the OpX Leadership Network as Vice-Chair of the Executive Council and a co-author of the Asset Reliability Roadmap. 

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“Scaling up operations to meet the growing needs of the business unit.”

• Program Management, Procurement Optimization and Technical Advisor
  • Provided Program Management services for client in its development of a large CapEx project. Included working with Owner on scope and budget development, strategy for project delivery and acting on behalf of Owner to represent their interests in the selection and oversight of the General Contractor and OEMs.
• Limited Capital Availability for Privately Held Company to support growth 
• Growing Pains; moving forward with plans to take company to next level
• ProFood World Case in point: Asset Reliability - Untap the Hidden Potential From Your Asset Base

Paul Schaum

Partner, Chief Operations Officer Baking & Snack, FSO Institute
former Chief Technical Officer, Pretzels, Inc.

A Certified Baker, Paul has nearly 35 years of experience in baking and food manufacturing. Some of that experience includes UTZ Quality Foods as VP of Manufacturing and Earthgrains/Sara Lee Baking as Plant Manager and Director of Total Quality Systems Nationally.

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“Vertical Start-ups reinvented. CapEx projects deliver accelerated performance with under 1.5% product waste.”

• 2021 state of art snack food baking plant opened, overcoming supply chain and workforce issues
  • At project’s inception, immediately applied forward looking planning with OEMs, contractors, and other suppliers on most critical supply chain challenges.
  • With a vision of an engaged workforce from Day 1, it was necessary to review all of the support systems in selecting, on-boarding, and coaching the new team members. This was most evidenced in setting aside the company norms for other plants and establish the new standard practices.
  • Hiring criteria was significantly different; the technicians needed to demonstrate flexibility, leadership, & loyalty. For the plant leadership team, the focus was on servant leadership, floor participation and strategic thinking.
  • Given above planning and methodology, vertical start up most efficient ever with achieving full production well advance of schedule, with added benefit of 5 times better performance in quality outcomes
• Yield Loss Reduction: Established snack food manufacturer aspired to significantly increase its EBITDA by focusing on reducing Yield loss. The traditional workforce, while hesitant at first, began its journey towards High Performance thru implementing Lean principles. The pilot program delivered over $2million in direct savings without any expenditure.
• ProFood World Case in Point: Engaged People our Greatest Asset 

Dan Sileo

Partner, Chief Manufacturing Coach, FSO Institute
former VP Manufacturing Sunny Delight Beverage Company

Dan brings his over 25 years of CPG manufacturing experience including manufacturing leadership and site management positions in Procter & Gamble and Sugar Creek Foods.  Dan was instrumental in leading the implementation of Lean Processes using an Engaged Workforce which provided results such as adding 21 production days back into the system. He began his CPG career with Procter and Gamble in 1990, providing wide exposure to and experience in P&G’s High-Performance Work System, Process Reliability and TPM systems. As a member of the OpX Leadership Network Executive Council since its formation, Dan has been integral in best practice development, adoption, and advocacy.

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“Accelerate the adoption rate of the new technology and work systems and to sustain the results throughout all levels in manufacturing.”

• Adoption of Advanced technologies: Food & Dairy manufacturer building a new plant that incorporates advanced technologies including wearables, automation and cloud services that will enable predictive analytics. To align with this, client has onboarded a more highly educated workforce, which along with the High-Performance culture and systems, will deliver results that far exceed metrics for other plants in their system. 
• First Hour Full Power: To meet the continuing competitive and production challenges, this bakery and food manufacturer has embarked on a journey to develop sustainable, year over year operating improvement results. By focusing on why process, programs and expectations don’t maintain, they can accomplish their vision. Proof of Concept to the workforce is critical and decided to focus its first effort on “First Hour Full Power”. 
• Shop floor new hire recruitment and retention issues affecting productivity
• Cannabis company improves throughput and product quality
• Beverage company targeted yield improvements to meet business demands
• Lean: Worked with manufacturer of frozen foods to develop and implement a new manufacturing and production strategy aimed at improving customer service performance and reducing unnecessary labor costs. Initiated pilot program for engaging manufacturing workforce to achieve results in greater productivity and increased worker satisfaction at this client’s key North American plant. Leveraged the OpX Workforce Engagement model via Lean Events with focus on OEE and Changeovers
• ProFood World Case in point: Asset Reliability – Drive to Zero Downtime