––– SPECIAL EDITION –––
This is a special edition of the SEA Newsletter – Part 3 of a 5 part series dedicated to showcasing the 2012 Aerospace & Defense Supply Chain Award Finalists. Suppliers were nominated in recognition of their performance and investment in continuous improvement. Applications were reviewed and scored by an independent panel of judges, then all scores were combined and final selections were made through a consensus meeting. The Judges are retired aerospace and defense industry executives representing the SCORE organization that is co-sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

PART 2
Operational Excellence Award Finalists
Applicants under this category had to show progress in setting up an operational excellence system within their organization by describing how company sets and reviews priorities for Kaizen events, how company ensures effective deployment of 6S Visual Workplace strategies for workplace organization, how company continually reduces changeover and setup times and how company focuses on improving material management in support of lean and flow manufacturing objectives. Finalists are among the few and the rare breed of suppliers who have distinguished themselves by making an uncommon investment in improvement. In many cases the difference between the announced winners and finalists is very small.

––– 2012 OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD FINALISTS ––

AMZ Manufacturing, York, PA
AMZ is a finishing company that provides electroplating, anodizing, painting, and other specialty finishes to defense and aerospace companies including BAE Systems, Lockheed, ATK, Northrop Grumman, L-3, and others. AMZ has achieved NADCAP accreditation for both Quality and Chemistry processing.

MPC Industries, Irvine, CA
MPC Industries is a precision grinding and polishing company serving the aerospace, medical and various other industries for over 50 years providing a high quality flat sheet/plate precision grinding and flat sheet/formed parts polishing.

Mini Circuits, Brooklyn, NY
Mini Circuits is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of RF/Microwave Component devices including amplifiers, splitter/combiners, couplers, transformers, switches, frequency mixers, limiters, attenuators, and accessory items.

TSI Plastics, Minneapolis, MN
TSI Plastics is a provider of non-metallic parts and assemblies to the aerospace, defense and industrial products industries. We produce parts using various manufacturing processes including, injection and compression molding, rotational molding, thermoforming, CNC milling and turning, die cutting and punching. We have complete secondary operation solutions including mechanical assembly, bonding, riveting, painting and silk screening.

Hercules Heat Treating Corporation, Brooklyn, NY
Hercules Heat Treating Corporation has served the United States Military and commercial aerospace industry for sixty-one years. Its focus is highly specialized heat treatments, applied to a wide range of diversified airframe parts, landing gear and space shuttle parts--utilized by major manufacturers.

––– OTHER NEWS –––

New Associate Membership
The new ASSOCIATE membership is an "individual" membership and it is designed to provide individuals with the opportunity to join SEA, and explore ways in which their company can implement the roadmap by attending webcasts, briefings, conferences and Process Owner Forums to learn and collaborate with other suppliers. This package includes a number of webcasts designed to support a supplier's implementation of the SEA Roadmap. Membership for individuals associated with the aerospace and defense industry. Click HERE to request more information.

Process Owner Forums - Free One-Day Pass!
Get a Day Pass and find out just how powerful the Process Owner Forums can be. Are you a member but not enrolled in the Process Owner Forums? The Day Pass gives you access to the forum of your choice. Just register using the "Click" link on the right of the session you wish to attend and we'll send you all the info you need to participate. click HERE for forum schedule and to request your free pass.

––– PARTNER NEWS –––

PNAA 2013 Aerospace Conference - February 12-14 in Lynnwood, WA
PNAA’s Aerospace Conference is the largest commercial aerospace conference of its kind in the Pacific Northwest and the second largest of its kind in the U.S. It is specially geared toward supply chain issues and the small and mid-sized suppliers. The 2013 conference will include a full day devoted to airlines and MRO business, as well as commercial aerospace days and an expanded Supplier’s Fair. Expect to hear top-notch speakers addressing timely topics for the Pacific Northwest supply chain. PNAA’s conference is a global event attracting registrants from the United States and around the world. In 2012, 330 attendees represented nearly 200 aerospace companies. Get More Information on PNAA 2013

––– ABOUT SEA –––

Did you know…?  
SEA is an unprecedented aerospace and defense alliance led by sub-tier suppliers committed to accelerating supply chain performance. SEA is a non-profit 501c6 funded by supplier memberships and sponsorships that provides...

• a proven turnkey system for supplier development targeted to mid-tier aerospace and defense customers.
  
• a platform for supplier visibility, performance improvement and collaboration.
  
• an industry voice for suppliers on issues affecting supply chain performance.

SEA partners and alliances include Agie Charmilles Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG), Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC), and California Space Authority.

Contact Information
For further information and answers to your questions about SEA, please contact:
 
SEA Website
 
Main telephone: (949) 476-1144

Executive Director: Mickey Wiebe, Ext 6
Director, Operations: Hilda Pacheco-Taylor, Ext 3
Director, Sponsorships: Mickey Wiebe, Ext 6
Director, Project Management: Jeff Hawley, Ext 1

JOIN SEA!
SEA is the premiere supply chain organization for the aerospace and defense supply chain. We’re in our 9th year and we’re a group of suppliers who have taken charge of our destiny and we're helping our members to meet three important needs:

• Increasing performance by following a step-by-step process called the roadmap designed for small companies from 10 to 500 employees.
• Increasing visibility and creating opportunities for new business by using the SEA Supplier brand to distinguish ourselves to our peers and customers.
• Increasing collaboration to work on what our customers really want - an integrated supply chain where we work together to solve industry and customer problems.

We invite you to join SEA today.
Let’s work together to build a competitive aerospace and defense supply chain!

––– WATCH THE SEA VIDEO –––

 "Join SEA"