BACKGROUND

Vermeer Corporation serves the farming, construction, landscaping, environmental, and excavation industries as a manufacturer of industrial and agricultural equipment. Vermeer has continued to experience strong growth and demand for their products. The company operates 1,500,000 square feet of plant space for manufacturing over 100 agricultural and industrial products. In 2018, the Vermeer campus in Pella, Iowa was hit by a tornado, causing damage to two plants and to other buildings, significantly impacting the production strategy and workflow across the entire site. Inefficient handling of materials and movement of parts between buildings had a major effect on productivity. Then in 2020, supply chain delays related to the pandemic caused additional productivity challenges and limited their growth.

CASE STUDY
Vermeer Corporation

INDUSTRY: Industrial and Agricultural Machinery Manufacturing

EMPLOYEES: approx. 3,500

FOUNDED: 1948 by Gary Vermeer, family-run and privately owned

HEADQUARTERS: Pella, IA

THE CHALLENGE

Vermeer hired Coleman Consulting Group to review the current work schedule at the Pella site, focusing on the schedules of hourly employees in five production plants and a warehouse used for parts distribution. The challenges were to improve schedule predictability, increase retention, meet time off needs and requests, and attract a broader group of future team members. In addition to meeting these employee desires, Vermeer was looking for a scheduling solution that would maximize capacity to reduce outsourcing. It was critical to develop a solution that offered operating flexibility to meet swings in customer demand.

"Our purpose in engaging with Coleman Consulting Group was to truly understand what our team members appreciate and value from their work life balance. We wanted to develop a schedule for our team members that would allow them some flexibility and also predictability."

Mindi VandenBosch, VP of Operations

THE SOLUTION

CCG used business data and employee input to develop the best solutions for the business. Across the campus, all schedules needed to be complimentary and work together, but they did not have to be the same. Different workgroups chose different options, with some opting for shorter workdays and other areas choosing longer shifts to get more days off. The result was more options and more flexibility for team members. In addition, certain areas have the ability to increase capacity utilization and revenue by as much as 40%.

THE RESULTS

This project focused on team member engagement. Large group sessions were used to collect anonymous data on employee desires, and later focus groups helped narrow down the choices. As the project progressed, CCG handed over more of the change management process to the Vermeer leadership, and our consultants took an advisory role as opposed to leading the day-to-day meetings. It worked well for management to take more ownership in the process. Team members have more choices, and various schedules are being used to recruit the next generation of team members.