Streamlining Efficiency and Improving Quality
Beth Spears is a problem solver.
As Cardinal Scale’s newest Industrial Engineer, Beth’s challenge is to figure out how to improve processes so that everything in the factory runs as smoothly as possible. “I make sure production is run efficiently,” says Beth. “We’re getting everybody working together so we can efficiently make quality products.”
Beth grew up in Granby, MO, and attended East Newton High School and Crowder College before earning her degree in Engineering Management at what was then University of Missouri-Rolla (now Missouri University of Science and Technology.) Her career path has included tackling the issue of solid waste management and recycling while working for the Harry S Truman Regional Planning Commission, working as a training administrator for General Mills, a product manufacturing engineer at LaBarge, a technical writer for PlayPower, and a manufacturing engineer for Midcon Cables before being hired on at Cardinal Scale.
“At Cardinal Scale I feel like I’m finally getting to use my degree in engineering management,” says Beth. Improving efficiency at Cardinal requires Beth to take a close look at how labor is done, how machines operate, and factory layout.
“We use a lot of terms like ‘lean manufacturing’ and ‘continuous improvement’,” says Beth. “We are finding a lot of opportunities to streamline processes, procedures and material storage.”
“In some places we might change the floorplan of the production area to be more efficient,” she says. “The goal is to complete one process and move to the next in a more efficient and timely manner.”
Another strong asset at Cardinal that Beth appreciates is the company’s dedicated work force. “Cardinal has lots of long-term employees, and even some that have left and then come back,” she says.
When she isn’t helping improving efficiencies at Cardinal Scale, Beth is busy working on historic preservation projects in her home community of Granby, where she is working to restore two houses she owns. She is also a marksman, shooting competitively, and enjoys traveling including one memorable trip to China where she got to walk on the Great Wall.
Beth has only been at Cardinal Scale for several months, but already likes what she sees.
“Cardinal Scale is being progressive in wanting to maintain a leadership position in the scale industry,” she says. “We are continuously improving and I like that.”
