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GlaxoSmithKline and Pretium Packaging Build Supplier Partnerships through Green Belt Training

GSK's St. Louis site recently awarded their first Green Belt certification to a vendor associate, Mark Winkelmann, Regional Sales Manager for Pretium Packaging, after Mark completed a project on Improving the Process for Receiving and Approval of Pretium Material by the St. Louis site.

Photo left: (left to right) Steve Bishop, St. Louis Site Director, Mark Winkelmann, Pretium Packaging Regional Sales Manager and Cindy Moore, St. Louis Operational Excellence Champion

As part of their Vision Factory initiative, the St. Louis site identified increasing supplier partnerships as a key to being able to achieve their Future State 1 vision.

One of the ways that they have done this is by inviting associates from some of their key suppliers to attend their Leading and Managing LeanSigma training and progress through the site’s Green Belt certification program. In 2006, Pretium Packaging, the primary bottle and cap supplier for the site, took them up on the offer and sent six of their associates to the training.

In addition, the St. Louis OE group assisted Andy Chapman, LeanSigma Master Black Belt, CH Procurement, in facilitating the Pretium baseline activity. Several projects, including Mark's, came out of this activity. The project focused on eliminating redundant activities, improving communication between the two companies and eliminating non-value added activities within the process. The benefits from this project include an estimated 429 labor hours per year saved for Pretium and 318 labor hours saved per year for GSK. In addition, this project improved the speed to the line for Pretium bottles and caps by allowing all bottles and caps to arrive at the St. Louis plant already approved and ready for use.

Andy Chapman of GSK commented, "This Greenbelt award is the result of a joint effort between Pretium, CH Procurement and the St Louis manufacturing site, and it is the first Green belt we have awarded to a supplier. Pretium, St Louis and Procurement realized the benefits from a joint OE approach with training, Value Stream Mapping and resulting improvement activity. It is therefore great to see Pretium being recognized with this award since their enthusiasm with the OE approach and desire to make a difference has been exceptional throughout. We look forward to continued support with OE."

Pretium Packaging is a St. Louis, Missouri headquartered supplier of PET & HDPE blow molded containers to the food, beverage, chemical, personal care and pharmaceutical markets. Operating 10 manufacturing facilities across the US and in Eastern Canada, Pretium supplies containers ranging in size from .85 oz / 25mL to 3 gallon / 11.7L.

GlaxoSmithKline – one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information, visit GlaxoSmithKline on the World Wide Web at www.gsk.com

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