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Six sigma is a methodology for pursuing continuous quality improvement and reducing inherent variability. It is clearly focused on customer-driven expectations and requires thorough process and product understanding. When Motorola’s Semi-Conductor Products Sector sought to limit damage and reduce costs associated with wafer transport, it chose to work with the 3M Industrial Services and Solutions Division to develop and implement systematic improvements to their wafer transport process. The ongoing goals include: improving the reliability of wafer transportation, eliminating damage, reducing freight and packing materials costs, increasing productivity, and improving customer satisfaction. Since both companies employ six sigma for manufacturing, they agreed to apply this methodology to supply chain execution, not a traditional area of six sigma focus.
Motorola’s Semiconductor Products Sector ships millions of products and SKUs daily – from microcontrollers for automotive safety systems and chip sets for cell phones, to microprocessors for network routers. Inevitably, many challenges and issues arise, given the sheer complexity of global shipping. Competition is intense, with a large number of global players acting to drive down prices. Reducing excess costs in the global supply chain is a significant area of opportunity for maintaining competitive strength and profitability.
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