PROFILE
Lean Certification
In 2018, Superior Cabinets received Lean certification after an internal Lean audit was conducted by Canadian Manufacturing & Exporters (CME). A management philosophy derived from the Toyota Production System in Japan, Lean manufacturing focuses on continuous improvement, adding value and reducing everything else. In fact, two of Superior Cabinets’ Lean experts – CFO John Povhe and Continuous Improvement Manager Michael Kachur – have spoken at various Canadian kitchen, manufacturing, home building and continuous improvement conferences on the topic of Lean certification and the company’s transformation. “The word Lean has somewhat of a negative connotation, especially here in Saskatchewan. Getting the opportunity to tell the story of the Lean journey of Superior Cabinets has helped other companies see that it’s possible to successfully implement a continuous improvement mindset, no matter the size of the organization,” says Povhe. To further transformation, the company invested $2 million in technology and procedures that consolidated 17 homemade systems into one robust front-to-back order system. Plus significant capital investments were made in manufacturing automation and equipment.
Our culture is when anyone has the authority to do what’s right for the customer and where everyone is encouraged to drive continuous improvement.
Superior Cabinets has a strong focus on supply chain excellence and believes in a Total Cost of Ownership approach (TCO is the purchase price of an asset plus the costs of operation). As a result, over 90 per cent of its manufacturing spend is locked into longterm agreements that include partnerships with Sherwin-Williams, Hettich and Hardwoods Speciality Products. Excellent product design is ongoing and the Superior Cabinets’ design team works to continuously improve its product portfolio with the goal of staying a market leader. Always innovating, in 2016 Superior Cabinets adopted 3D printing which allows the team to make jigs for specialty hardware drilling, depth and gauges. This advanced technology helps to streamline manufacturing processes and print specific hardware components that have lengthy lead-times.
Giving Back
Superior Cabinets sells products through its retail stores and showrooms in Saskatoon, Regina, Calgary and Edmonton, as well as a network of 75 dealers. The company still has room to grow with its 57,000 square foot cabinet production facility in Saskatoon. Hodson summarizes: “Our culture differentiates us. Our culture is when anyone has the authority to do what’s right for the customer and where everyone is encouraged to drive continuous improvement. Management didn’t transform our company, technology didn’t transform our company – our employees transformed Superior Cabinets.”
For more information please visit www.superiorcabinets.ca
With a strong sense of corporate social responsibility, Superior Cabinets has supported Habitat for Humanity with beautiful kitchens and bathrooms for deserving families for a number of years. On top of providing cabinetry products for new homes, the company donates excess product to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore and empowers its employees to participate in various Habitat builds in Saskatoon, Regina, Calgary and Edmonton. BUSINESSVOICE SASKATOON MAY/JUNE 2018 21