GREENE, N.Y. — The Raymond Corporation announced that it recently joined the ranks of manufacturing’s top leaders as a recipient of the 2022 IndustryWeek Best Plants Awards. 

This award win is a testament to Raymond’s dedication to fostering a culture of continuous improvement across all levels of its manufacturing operations, the company said in a news release.

“At Raymond, we utilize traditional Toyota Production System methodologies with a keen focus on continuous improvement activities to improve our processes throughout the plant,” said Tony Topencik, VP of operations, quality, environmental health, and safety at Raymond. “We are honored to again be recognized by IndustryWeek. This distinction is special this year as we celebrate The Raymond Corporation’s 100th anniversary.”

Raymond said it has more than 15 years of experience implementing lean-management processes through the Toyota Production System, which has helped standardize processes, visualize improvements, and increase efficiency. This approach continues to carry through the company’s founding principles of innovation, quality, and service, the firm said.

In addition to lean-management techniques, Raymond’s Greene manufacturing facility has implemented key initiatives — including defect reduction, visual management, and 44 active quality-control circle activities — to help double production volume and increase overall quality by 35 percent over the course of the past three years. 

The selection process for the annual competition included a detailed assessment of the plant’s operations and an in-person evaluation from an IndustryWeek editor. The IndustryWeek Best Plants Awards program aims to encourage other manufacturing teams to adopt world-class practices, technologies and improvement strategies, increase customer satisfaction, and offer rewarding work environments for employees.

During the annual IndustryWeek Manufacturing & Technology Show in Cleveland, a Raymond representative spoke on the IndustryWeek Best Plants winners panel, during which each of the winning facilities shared insights with conference attendees. Raymond also was honored during the IndustryWeek Best Plants award ceremony held on Oct. 19.