HUSCO Receives Award for Continuous Improvement NACCO Material Handling Group

The unique partnership HUSCO crafts with each of their customers is highlighted once again by receiving NACCO’s Continuous Improvement award. Central to this recognition are the 9550 and 9650 main hydraulic control valves that are used in the company’s Hyster and Yale brand Class 4, 5 and 8 forklifts. Both valves were developed specifically for NACCO and are produced in HUSCO’s Whitewater, WI manufacturing facility since 2003.

Building hydraulic control valves is a process that encompasses a high degree of precision and oversight, especially with the level of customization HUSCO provides to each of their customers. Adding to the inherent complexities of the project, large numbers of the program’s components are sourced from around the world, all designed to create a cost-effective solution that fits with the customer’s requirements.

With any advanced project, refinements were inevitable. To achieve measurable results, the solution had to be multi-tiered. Some of the answers HUSCO developed resulted in different materials and leading changes to the structure of the component groups. Using our Six Sigma improvement processes, HUSCO was able to locate and address issues quickly and control the production process with much more granularity.

Specifying new materials and adjusting our manufacturing processes were only a part of the steps HUSCO has taken. Partnering with other vendors to enhance individual product performance led to a total solution that resulted in a significant improvement in Parts per Million (PPM) quality scores. The solutions also had a waterfall effect in reducing warranty issues in the field.

And the changes didn’t end on HUSCO’s shop floor. Seeing the results created, HUSCO was asked to train the customer’s personnel to Six Sigma Black Belt level and further assist their quality engineers in resolving other supplier’s issues within NACCO. In the last few years, this training has included employees from all across NACCO’s global locations, including Italy, Holland, Germany Ireland and China.

As an example of the deep partnerships HUSCO works to maintain and the lengths the company goes to delight its customers, this award symbolizes our commitment to those goals. Relationships like the one HUSCO has with NACCO illustrates the lengths the company goes through to be a reliable contributor to the success of our customers.