Six Sigma Turns a New Page

"From its inception three years ago, NewPage planned to make Lean Six Sigma an integral part of how the company was run. The paper producer is using the methodology to connect its amalgam of mills in a common culture and to differentiate from the competition at a time of decreased demand in the paper industry. NewPage has tailored its deployment to best meet those needs."

A couple of those tailor-made aspects of the NewPage deployment:

1) RLSS (Rapid Lean Six Sigma) – 60 day process that engages all employees in DMAIC not just the Belts.

2) Green Belt Pairing – Green Belts are paired up through training and projects. Each leading one project and supporting the other in one project.

3) Additional Belt designations- Yellow Belts and Brown Belts: Yellow Belts receive Six Sigma overview training. Brown Belts are technical experts certified as Black Belts but left in their previous roles.

If you want to learn more about the NewPage Lean Six Sigma deployment, come see Richard D. Willett Jr., NewPage President and Chief Operating Officer deliver a keynote address at the iSixSigma Live! Miami conference in January.

NewPage Links

Papermaker Makes Lean Six Sigma Work, ControlGlobal.com, 2008

NewPage Honored As One Of “America’s Most Admired” In Its Industry by Fortune Magazine

Lean Six Sigma at NewPage