Hot Off the Press

---

Automatic Feed Co. Going to Lean School

The Lean Learning Center, Novi, MI, a provider of lean curriculum and consulting, has been contracted by Automatic Feed Co, Napoleon, OH, manufacturer of coil-handling and press-feed automation systems, to assist in Automatic Feed’s commitment to developing an enterprise-wide lean operation. Automatic Feed calls its lean transformation the SMART (Standardization & Modularization Action Resource Team) Initiative. Its lean team has attended the Lean Kaizen Boot Camp program offered by the Lean Learning Center. Lean-team leaders are reorganizing processes, standardizing procedures and cross-training personnel to fundamentally change the way they do business. In one case, a control process has been improved so that system wiring content was reduced by 66 percent. Automatic Feed is online at www.automaticfeed.com. Learn more about the Lean Learning Center at www.leanlearningcenter.com.

---

Oxford Automotive Liquidating Three Plants

Tier One automotive supplier Oxford Automotive Inc. has retained Go Industry Michael Fox Intl., Owings Mills, MD, to auction the equipment as well as the buildings and land of three large U.S. plants. The plants, which supplied stampings and welded assemblies, are in Greencastle, IN, Alma, MI, and Prudenville, MI. The auction runs June 14-17, 2005. Learn more at www.michaelfox.com; call 800/722-3334.

---

New Springs Plant Opens to Serve Mexico

Metal stamper and springmaker Bazz Houston Co, Garden Grove, CA, has opened a new plant in Otay Mesa, on the San Diego/Mexico border, to manufacture compression, extension and torsion springs, and supply value-added work such as assembly, welding and special packaging. The firm is online at www.bazz-houston.com.

---