McDonnell & Miller, a unit of ITT Industries that manufactures boiler controls and steam specialty products, received a National Award for Sustainability in the Pollution Prevention category from Renew America and the President's Council on Sustainable Development. The award is given to organizations that demonstrate leadership and excellence in integrating environmental, economic and community sustainability.
The company received its award at the National Town Meeting for a Sustainable America held May 2-5 in Detroit. It will be listed in Renew America's "Environmental Success Index," a comprehensive database record of more than 1,400 successful environmental programs throughout the United States (www.crest.org/renew _america).
In related news, McDonnell & Miller, celebrating its 75th anniversary in 1999, recently conducted a plant tour highlighting its manufacturing facilities. The company reorganized into four focused factories: residential boiler controls, commercial boiler controls, flow switches and electronic boiler controls, and Hoffman Specialty products. The reorganization was made to position management closer to where the products are manufactured.
Chet Ernst, manufacturing operations manager, explained that, instead of an unorganized and cumbersome assembly process, each focused factory has several component manufacturing cells and several assembly cells. Each cell consists of all the machinery needed to make the component or assemble the product, as well as the team of workers assigned to that cell.
Components are put at the "point of use" and employees working the assembly line are responsible for managing their own inventory.
The company established its Web site, www.mcdonnellmiller.com, as a repository for installation instructions on all its products, complete catalogs and technical information.
"It's meant to be an aid for installers and contractors to use our products," said John Cecilia, marketing manager. Direct-order entry is also available for distributors and OEMs.
