Based in Easton, Pennsylvania, Hindle Power is a leader in the manufacture of advanced electrical power solutions, specializing in designing, production, and servicing of battery chargers, power distribution equipment, and energy storage systems for critical infrastructure. Their products ensure reliable, safe, and efficient power for utility, telecom, and other end use industries.
Hindle Power Leverages MRC Training to Drive Throughput, Streamline New Hire Onboarding
“If one employee learns one thing, that was worth the investment.”
– – Brian Fritz, Human Resources, Hindle Power
In keeping with a corporate mission to improve the lives of its employees, Hindle Power turned to MRC for a range of training solutions. In the process of aiding staff members to improve their abilities, the company also realized significant, measurable improvements.
Solution
Quality Lead Carol DiTaranto says Hindle takes an unusual approach to determining which employees are the best fit for a particular training course. “We see training as a means of acknowledging employees’ skill and eagerness to grow,” she says. “What we don’t do is pick people because they lack something. It’s the opposite approach; when someone shows strength in a particular area, we look for training to reinforce that talent.”
In response, the company engaged MRC for several training topics during the 2024 calendar year. “We offer our employees a range of training options,” says DiTaranto. “From the Manufacturing Leadership Initiative and CEO Forum to the Safety Forum, Maintenance Master program, Customer Service, Servant Leadership, and others. MRC’s offerings are comprehensive and convenient.”
Two key programs were Foundations of Lean and its complement, Lean Master Certification. “Those were our most popular programs,” says Brian Fritz, Hindle’s Human Resources Representative. Fritz echoes DiTaranto’s approach, saying that as production employees demonstrate skill, and the company identifies their potential to grow, formal training is the logical next step.
DiTaranto adds that having more people pull in the same direction with a common skill base makes it possible for those skills to spread through the plant. “The person doing the work is the expert,” she says. “The person walking to get hex nuts will be the first to say, ‘it would be easier to keep a bin here,’ and having people with lean knowledge enables that.”
HindlePower, the industry leader in the stationary battery charger market, is incredibly proud and thrilled to be the recipient of 2 prestigious awards, Lehigh Valley’s Top Workplace, and IndustryWeek’s Best Plants. Our success in these friendly competitions highlights our commitment to our employees and their dedication to our customers. A great win-win
Hindle also benefits from the ability to promote from within that comes from effective training. “If we can take someone who knows the product and has been making it for several years, and have them in a new supervisory role, there’s a bottom-line payoff,” Fritz says.
The company has seen that manifest first-hand, with well-reasoned training plans reducing onboarding of new employees, and production throughput increasing twofold with a key legacy product, thanks in no small part to their depth of lean expertise as Hindle transitioned to a new production line.
Moreover, Fritz says the exposure to individuals with unique expertise makes the MRC approach even more valuable. “MRC gives us the chance to learn with people from other companies,” he says. “Those conversations are a big part of the benefit.”
Results
• $200,000.00 Savings -.The ongoing relationship with MRC has saved HindlePower more than $200,000.00..
• Doubled Throughput – Following the completion of Lean/5S training, HindlePower saw its production throughput of a key legacy product more than double.
• 40% Reduction – The company reduced its new-employee onboarding by more than 40%.
To learn more about HindlePower, visit their website at https://www.hindlepowerinc.com/