Xerox facility is Plant of the Year
(OCT, 2005) – Xerox Corp. has worked for several years to turn its Webster campus into a showplace of modern manufacturing.
An industry publication took notice Tuesday: Assembly magazine named
the Webster manufacturing facility “Assembly Plant of the Year.”
The magazine made the announcement at an event in Chicago.
Xerox’s Webster operation produces printers in the iGen3, Nuvera and
DocuTech lines. Assembly cited Xerox’s ability to transform Webster
from a high-volume traditional manufacturing line to a facility that
produces more specialized and technically advanced machines.
“We had several exceptionally strong candidates for the award, which
made the final decision difficult,” said Austin Weber, senior editor at
the magazine, in a statement. “In the end, it was Xerox’s ‘turnaround
story’ that truly impressed the judging panel.”
The plant earned the highest scores in four categories ranked by the
magazine: improved use of technology, reduced production costs,
increased productivity and improved product quality.
“We’re really proud. We’ve talked a lot about the journey we’re on to
make Webster our center of competence for manufacturing, and this is
great recognition that we’re on the right track,” said Wim Appelo, vice
president of paper, supplies and supply chain operations for Xerox, who
oversees manufacturing.
The Webster operation used to manufacture tens of thousands of copiers
annually. Now production there focuses on complex machines such as the
iGen3, a digital press that turns out 100 pages per minute and can cost
more than $500,000.
The Webster facility produces a few hundred of the machines each year.
With five miles of wiring, each 3-ton machine takes nine days to build
and test.
Appelo said the award is also a tribute to the workers who build the machines.
“The nature of assembly is changing, and we have upgraded our skills” to meet tougher standards, Appelo said.
Xerox will hold an employee rally in Webster today to celebrate the award.
This is the second time Assembly has given the award. Kenworth Trucks of Kirkland, Wash., won it in 2004.