250630-A-BS696-1024

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.

Looking to streamline processes within multiple facilities o
f Letterkenny Army Depot, the LEAD mission space planning team recently completed an initiative that will save the government money and reduce production times.

The depot consolidation included various air missile defense programs into one of LEAD’s primary production facilities and organized that facility into more conducive product lines.

(U.S. Army photo/Pam Goodhart)

250630-A-BS696-1010

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.

Looking to streamline processes within multiple facilities o
f Letterkenny Army Depot, the LEAD mission space planning team recently completed an initiative that will save the government money and reduce production times.

The depot consolidation included various air missile defense programs into one of LEAD’s primary production facilities and organized that facility into more conducive product lines.

(U.S. Army photo/Pam Goodhart)

250523-A-BS696-1021

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.

Looking to streamline processes within multiple facilities o
f Letterkenny Army Depot, the LEAD mission space planning team recently completed an initiative that will save the government money and reduce production times.

The depot consolidation included various air missile defense programs into one of LEAD’s primary production facilities and organized that facility into more conducive product lines.

(U.S. Army photo/Pam Goodhart)

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – Looking to streamline processes within multiple facilities of Letterkenny Army Depot, the LEAD mission space planning team recently completed an initiative that will save the government money and reduce production times.

Spearheaded by Jason Pyles, LEAD Ground Equipment and Missile Systems deputy division chief, the depot consolidation included various air missile defense programs into one of LEAD’s primary production facilities and organized that facility into more conducive product lines.

“We spend approximately $300,000-500,000 per leased building per year on the depot,” said Harold Coder, LEAD Production Engineering division chief. “These buildings have poor lighting, failing construction, and are difficult to maneuver assets once inside.

“By consolidating our operations from these leased buildings into one main production facility, our work areas are more organized and efficient. Additionally, this is part of an overall strategy that will eliminate all leased buildings for parts and production.”

The mission space planning team had four goals when starting the process of putting everything into one primary production facility. Those goals included:

  • Consolidate production efforts from leased buildings
  • Move the ground mobility vehicle shop
  • Move the tire shop
  • Put the PATRIOT antenna mast group, launchers, and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems all into the high bays

High bay access allows for the larger assets to lift certain assemblies during repair or overhaul of production items.

“We saw impacts almost immediately with the more structured layout of the building,” said Pyles. “The consolidation reduced the movement of assets and parts across buildings and the depot; it made managing the shop floor more effective by consolidating programs together instead of being spread out; and it increased the lines of communication by efficiently communicating production requirements, defects and issues.”

Coder explained that with the more conducive production lines that like products are now together.

“This effort saves time and money on movement of the assets themselves, it saves time and money on allocation points for parts, and it also provides less chance for mix-ups of those parts.”

The recent changes also benefit the warfighter.

“The time savings we are seeing in the movement of the parts leads to a shorter repair cycle time, which allows us to get the asset back to the warfighter faster,” said Pyles.

Coder and Pyles spoke to the overall communication and teamwork efforts that made this streamline happen.

“Throughout the entire process, the LEAD Industrial Equipment Maintenance team played a vital role in the removal, movement and installation of various pieces of equipment and depot assets from one area to the next, ensuring there were no shutdowns to production during this time,” said Pyles. “These moves would not have been possible without the collaboration between all stakeholders every step of the way.”

“The moves have been one of the largest, effective, and quickest change initiatives at mission space planning,” said Coder. “Jason and the team made this one of the fastest and most well-communicated change initiatives in mission space planning. Everyone involved deserves a huge thanks for their leadership and teamwork.”