September 14, 2020
Alabama Productivity Center
2020 Fall Semester Newsletter
In this Issue:

Student Internships

NEW Lean Office Training

Open Enrollment Courses

APC Training Services

APC Success Stories

What's Happening in Alabama?

Welcome Lauren Brown to APC

About Us
Student Internships
Huntsville/Tuscaloosa Areas:

(205) 242 - 6057

Birmingham Area:

(205) 348 - 7968

Greater Mobile/Baldwin Area:

(251) 234 - 1724
Open Enrollment Courses
NEW Lean Office Training
What is Lean Office?

Lean is a systematic approach to identifying and eliminating waste through continuous improvement by lowering the product at the pull of the customer in pursuit of excellence.

  • Lean Office is the application of lean philosophy within an office workplace.

For example, here are some metrics you can set:

  • Amount of time it takes to answer a quotation once the customer asks?
  • What tasks are non-value added and how many minutes do you spend to perform these tasks?
  • How many customer requests are we able to satisfy daily, monthly, yearly?

  • Lean Office is about focusing on identifying and performing the right administrative tasks with the right processes.

Don't know what processes to use? We teach you in our class!

  • Lean Office provides added value to the end-user. Non-value added activity is an action that does not increase the worth of what is delivered to the customer.


We teach you the tools, principles, processes and culture of Lean Office to transform the amount of time it takes to perform tasks reducing wastes and increasing production.


All training can be done in-person (with proper COVID-19 guidelines) or 100% online. Contact Justin Rodgers below for more information!

jprodgers@cba.ua.edu
(251) 234 - 1724
APC Training Services
APC Success Stories
APC Helps Precision Coil and Rotor Transition to ISO 9001:2015

Situation: Precision Coil and Rotor manufactures and rebuilds components for rotating electrical machines. They first registered to ISO 9001:2000 back in 2006. Since that time their business has grown and in 2015 the University of Alabama ATN Center helped them transition to ISO 9001:2015. In 2018, they acquired a new customer that required the addition of new processes. In preparation for the March 2019 ISO 9001:2015 surveillance audit, the University of Alabama ATN Center was asked to assist with their preparation.

APC Intern at Austal USA Creates Impacts through Additive Manufacturing

"...Thomas spoke with various skilled workers on parts and pieces of parts they regularly have to order. Rather than spending $30-$40 on a part, Thomas would take the part and model it in CAD Software. From there, he would 3D print the part for roughly $1 and that would then replace the part the skill worker needed, preventing the part being ordered. Now, any time someone needs that specific part they would go into the CAD Software, pull up the design and print it giving them the part needed at a fraction of the cost."
What's Happening in Alabama?
Welcome Lauren Brown to APC Staff
Lauren Brown is the Budget Manager for The Alabama Productivity Center, a part of the Culverhouse College of Business and The University of Alabama. Lauren earned a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from the University of Alabama and is currently pursuing her Certified Management Accountant licensure.

While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Lauren managed Ellie Tuscaloosa, a local women’s boutique, where she initiated various strategic efforts and enjoyed helping customers shop. She then accepted a finance internship at ZF Chassis Systems, an international automobile supplier whose Tuscaloosa location primarily serves the Mercedes-Benz of Vance, Alabama. There, she learned a lot about the automobile industry, became proficient in the accounting information system, and aided in an internal audit.

Lauren joined the team at the Alabama Productivity Center in September 2019 as the Contracts and Grants Specialist and Budget Manager. She loves serving in the nursery as part of the Dream Team at her church, Church of the Highlands, and enjoys spending time outdoors at her husband’s family farm.
Help us welcome Lauren to the APC Team!
Lauren Brown Contact Information:
lbrown@cba.ua.edu
(205) 348-8953
About Us
In an effort to improve economic development in the state of Alabama, the Alabama Productivity Center was established on January 1, 1986, on the University of Alabama campus. The mission of the APC is to focus research and educational resources on the enhancement of productivity and quality within Alabama businesses and the state's industry.

The Alabama Productivity Center, a non-profit organization, is an outgrowth of a 1983 joint venture of the University of Alabama and General Motors to save a Tuscaloosa GM plant from closing. The positive experience utilizing university faculty and students to save Alabama jobs led to the establishment and sponsorship by Alabama Power Company and the University of Alabama.

In 1996, APC became home to Region 3 of the Alabama Technology Network (ATN), the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the state of Alabama. Headquartered in Montgomery, the ATN brings together a set of sixteen regional centers covering the entire state and serving the technical assistance and workforce development needs of small- and medium-sized manufacturing firms.

The APC’s accomplishments, such as recognition by the National Council for Urban Development and the U.S. Economic Development Administration as an “innovative” and “imaginative” program, demonstrate that the APC is a valuable resource for Alabama businesses.
Thank you for your support of the Alabama Productivity Center. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact us through our website or social media. Also, follow us on Facebook and Twitter for prizes and updates throughout the year! 
Thank you, 
Alabama Productivity Center Staff
Alabama Productivity Center
1818 University Blvd
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
(205) 348-8956