Session ID:

VS2-05

Brett Larson, Associate & Debra Waites, Associate

Hitting the Ground Running With New Product Development
Applying Continuous Improvement from a Manufacturing Perspective to New Product Development in Medical Device Manufacturing

WL Gore prides itself on innovation and freedom to create. A key challenge is to provide structure using Lean methods while encouraging creativity and continuous improvement. Their focus is to produce a continuous stream of innovative, high value medical products for their customers while continuously improving their operational effectiveness.

This interactive session will include topics such as:

At W. L. Gore & Associates, products are designed to be the highest quality in their class and revolutionary in their effect. They steadfastly live up to their product promises, and their associates address technical challenges with innovative, reliable solutions.

The company began in 1958, when Bill and Vieve Gore set out to explore opportunities for fluorocarbon polymers, especially polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Within the first twelve years, Gore had wire and cables on the moon and operations worldwide!

Today, W.L. Gore's enterprise is comprised of approximately 7,500 associates in 45 locations around the world. Annual revenues top $1.98 billion. Their fluoropolymer products provide innovative solutions throughout industry, in next-generation electronics, for medical products, and with high-performance fabrics. They have repeatedly been named among the '100 Best Companies to Work for in America,' and their culture is a model for contemporary organizations seeking growth by unleashing creativity and fostering team-work.

W.L. Gore takes the reputation for product leadership seriously, continually delivering new products and better solutions to the marketplaces of the world.

Brett Larson, Associate

Brett Larson has a BS in Industrial Engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Colorado University. He is a Six Sigma Blackbelt and has been implementing Lean Manufacturing Tools for 20 years. He is well versed in kanban systems, VSM, error-proofing, SPC, implementing Lean production lines, and uniting teams behind continuous improvement efforts. As a Manufacturing Leader and OPEX Champion at WL Gore and Associates, he is applying his knowledge and experience in influencing several New Product Development project teams toward creating designs which are highly manufacture and process capable at day 1 of commercial production.

Debra Waites, Associate

Debra Waites has a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Colorado. Her commitment is to Leading Process Engineering in Gore’s Peripheral Vascular Medical Device manufacturing. She is certified as a Six Sigma Blackbelt and has applied Lean and Operational Excellence methodologies in both the Automotive and Medical Device industries over the past 10 years. She is currently an OPEX Champion for Gore focused on driving continuous improvement by uniting manufacturing in slashing waste, embracing continuous flow, and providing a vision and roadmap to a visual factory.