TROY, Mich., May 15, 2008 – Champion Homes of Lillington, N.C., a member of the Champion family of builders, has earned the prestigious Carolina STAR award for safety. The award, sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Labor, recognizes work sites that are self-sufficient in their ability to control hazards.
North Carolina Department of Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry presented the award to Lillington plant management and employees on April 23rd. “You are the first company of this type to achieve this award,” she said during the ceremony. “I would be proud to have my children work here, and I can’t always say that.” Champion’s Lillington facility is the first in the factory-built housing industry to earn the award and only the 104th in the entire state to achieve the honor since the Carolina STAR program’s 1993 inception.
More than two years ago, the Champion facility began the multi-faceted and meticulous process of working with State agencies to satisfy the four key elements of the Carolina STAR award: management commitment, employee involvement, hazard recognition and training. The Company involved everyone at the plant in identifying areas for improvement. Suggestions were solicited and many were implemented into permanent manufacturing and material staging processes.
“We could not have done this without the commitment of our valued employees,” said Nathan Norris, operations manager. “It was a group effort and our employees were instrumental in helping make our work environment safer.”
The valuable benefits gleaned from the STAR process extend beyond improved plant safety. Lean manufacturing has been a Champion initiative for quite some time, and when the Lillington plant added the STAR safety process, it found additional ways to further enhance these efforts. In addition, the process resulted in an overall improvement in efficiency, quality, and employee morale.
“Commitment to worker training and safety is part of the Lillington plant culture,” said Elizabeth Carter, human resources and safety manager who spearheaded the STAR process at the plant. “We’ve always had classroom training with safety manuals and videotapes before our new employees could enter our manufacturing area. In addition, we conduct retraining on an annual basis. The STAR process has added to these efforts and broadened our dedication to it.”
“We’re very proud of our collective accomplishment, and we are committed to this level of quality and safety for the long-term,” said John Soukup, general manager of the facility. “We’re excited about the fact that not only do we build exceptional homes, but we do it in an environment that is safe and productive for our Champion family of valued and skilled employees. It’s a win-win situation for all of us.”