New Porta Kleen Branch Pulls It All Together
The new Porta Kleen Fairfield branch is a shining example of how to achieve the company-wide “Culture of Cleanliness.” Meeting that goal took a lot of work, but Branch Manager Ron Sagers said it was time well-spent. “We’re pretty motivated,” he said.
Sagers spent weeks sorting through inventory and labeling where all parts and supplies belong throughout the facility while the rest of the team worked together to ensure the branch is spotlessly clean and stays that way.
The “Culture of Cleanliness” is the first step of a three-step process that began this year to refocus the MPW family of companies’ commitment to organization and efficiency. The second and third steps in the process are deep cleaning and 5S, respectively.
During a recent visit to the Fairfield branch, EHS Manager Anthony Tagliaferro witnessed firsthand the impressive strides the facility made in line with the “Culture of Cleanliness.” “The facility’s commitment to organization and upkeep was evident from the moment I walked through the door,” he said. “A clean and well-organized workplace is a safe workplace.”
So far, the new Fairfield branch is off to a great start. “Now we don’t spend an hour trying to find something we don’t have,” Sagers said. “We have a specific spot for everything. If we don’t have it, we can order it. It’s been a lot less stressful.”
Porta Kleen President Adam Black said the entire Fairfield branch team has gone above and beyond to work together and create a pristine and systematic work environment. He said not only does the crew work more efficiently, but morale is significantly improved as well.
“People enjoy working in an orderly workspace,” Black said. He said no-one wants to be the person who ruins all the hard work it took to organize the facility in the first place, and everyone does their part to ensure the branch stays clean.
Division Manager Chris Waite said keeping the new building looking the same way as it did on Day One—and everyday thereafter—was a huge priority. He knew it would require a consistent cleaning schedule and all employees being on board and aware of expectations. The Fairfield team also focused on organization, Waite said, adding that everything must have a spot, be labeled, and stay neat.
Sagers spent a lot of computer time creating labels for all the parts, from pumps to screws, on each of the facility’s dozens of shelves. Next, he went through all the inventory, separating parts, going through all the boxes to record all part numbers and verifying from where the parts are ordered. Sagers said organizing everything and determining the best spot for it was the most time-consuming aspect of the process.
“It helps you out in more ways than you would think to save money,” Sagers said. “You save money on labor, wasted ordering and stuff like that.”
Keeping track of inventory is key, and Sagers acknowledged the innovative Porta Kleen material planners who recently reinvented the way inventory is ordered, tracked and organized. The new system features a standardized inventory list on an Excel spreadsheet, which allows branch managers to watch changes made to inventory in real time, and to join material planners in the ordering process. The new inventory system saves branch managers time, money and headaches.
Operations Manager Brad Alcorn said the ability to find everything and knowing where it is makes life a lot less stressful for the drivers and all the employees. “When you know exactly what we have and exactly where to find it, you can’t beat that,” he said. Before the new inventory system, it was tough to know what supplies were needed until someone complained to a manager.
Mechanic Gary Cruz said the cleanliness effort has improved his life because he can spend more time fixing equipment and less time directing people to supplies. He’s determined to help keep the branch clean and organized. “I’d recommend it to everyone,” Cruz said.