Sanford, a division of Newell Rubbermaid, expects to save more than $1 million within three years through the implementation of Lean Six Sigma.

  Gaston Garcia, engineering manager for Sanford, said his company will reduce costs $360,000 annually through methods he learned in the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification program at San Diego State University’s College of Extended Studies.

  “Lean and Six Sigma are great tools,” Garcia said. “They are very practical and easy to understand.”

  From a small company producing and marketing inks and glue, Sanford has grown to be the leading manufacturer of writing instruments. Today, it offers a wide variety of familiar brands, which are relied upon by kids to professionals, young and old alike, including Sharpie and Paper-Mate.

  Just how does Lean Six Sigma maximize shareholder value? By achieving the fastest rate of improvement in customer satisfaction, quality, process speed, and invested capital in both manufacturing and transactional processes. Lean Six Sigma combines the speed and agility of Lean with the statistical predictability of Six Sigma to create solutions for better business practices and dramatic bottom line results.

  According to Garcia, his company will save $200,000 of work-in-process inventory and $160,000 in reduced labor each year through the methods he learned under instructor Sally Ulman at SDSU’s College of Extended Studies.

  Garcia said his company streamlined the former process of products going from assembly to the warehouse to packaging by combining them into an in-line packaging process. “We reduced the work in process,” he said. “We send the product directly...

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