AGM Container Controls is a Tucson, Arizona-based company known for designing and manufacturing devices to control and monitor pressure, moisture and humidity in containers used to ship and store equipment for defense and aerospace applications. The company also operates three distinct divisions: Precision Machining, Ascension and Omeo. Precision Machining is AGM’s in-house machine shop and provides custom fabrication and machining services for AGM’s manufacturing needs and some outside customers. The Ascension division offers portable and permanent ADA-compliant wheelchair lift solutions for commercial spaces, including arenas, stadiums, theatres and schools. Omeo is a two-wheel self-balancing mobility device that allows users to go up to 30 miles on a single charge. For the past five years, AGM has collaborated with Arizona MEP to train its employees on Lean, including hosting a Kaizen event to improve the welding process used for the Ascension wheelchair lifts to reach increasing sales goals.
Arizona MEP and AGM began their partnership after the company sent employees to the Basics of Lean workshop, where Legos are used to simulate the manufacturing process with the goal of understanding how to apply Lean principles to streamline manufacturing. The company also recently enrolled four employees in Arizona MEP’s Lean Green Belt course, which teaches leaders how to identify areas of improvement and sustain Lean activities. This initiative equipped AGM’s team with the skills and mindset needed to fully embrace Lean manufacturing principles. The training proved successful, sparking a commitment to continuous improvement that became a cornerstone of the company’s partnership with Arizona MEP.
Arizona MEP Helps AGM Streamline Welding and Assembly to Reach Goals
With the help of Arizona MEP’s Senior Client Advisor, Kyle Randels, AGM conducted a Kaizen workshop to help the team map the wheelchair lift manufacturing process. The AGM team had already done a prior analysis and identified the welding area as a possible area for improvement. Kaizen is a Japanese methodology focused on continuous, incremental improvements that lead to long-term gains. "The Kaizen process helped us identify key bottlenecks, especially in our welding area," explained Estevan Gregory, Industrial Automation and Process Improvement Specialist for AGM. "By focusing on small, manageable changes, we saw immediate improvements—our production capacity grew, and the quality of our lifts improved significantly."
The Kaizen workshop brought immediate and measurable results for AGM. In the past, the welder would weld all the subcomponents for a section of a lift in batches, then assemble the batches and weld the remaining pieces. After the workshop, the team began welding the subcomponents in one complete piece instead of using batch processing and found that building one piece reduced manufacturing time from six days to four. AGM also standardized the welding process with clear instructions and set up quality checks to control quality earlier in the production process, significantly reducing costly defects and delays. The team implemented visual management boards, which tracked progress and helped maintain focus on critical improvements. These improvements allowed AGM to scale production while improving standards, directly contributing to the company’s growth and profitability.
Before the Kaizen workshop, AGM produced seven wheelchair lifts per month. After the workshop, AGM and Arizona MEP set a goal to produce 15 wheelchair lifts per month, and they hit that target within just three months. Even better, the improvements made through Kaizen have positioned AGM to produce up to 20 wheelchair lifts per month if needed, demonstrating a substantial increase in production capacity and efficiency. The Kaizen workshop’s impact on the division’s operations was significant, allowing Ascension to double its manufacturing capacity, reduce build times and allow the Ascension division to say “yes” to more projects with tight timelines. AGM also added a third welder and two additional post welders.
AGM and Arizona MEP are Driving Lasting Change and Future Growth
AGM started its adoption of continuous improvement with an Arizona MEP Basics of Lean training class and continues to implement and benefit from Lean principles. Thanks to sending employees to Arizona MEP’s Lean Green Belt course, AGM embarked on a continuous improvement project that sets its Ascension division up for success by reducing production time and improving quality. Looking ahead, the company is committed to further growth and development, with plans to invest in leadership training and send more team members to future Green Belt courses to sustain momentum and success. “With the Ascension lift project, we've seen firsthand how Lean tools and Kaizen can drive real improvements in our processes and efficiency,” said Estevan. “Before engaging with Arizona MEP, we didn't really have a great resource for Lean training in Tucson, we would drive to Phoenix. As we work more with Arizona MEP, we see an opportunity to hold their training events at our facility, which supports our initiatives and is also a benefit to smaller manufacturers in town.”