ICONICS Case Studies Customer Success Story: PGT Industries

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	Customer Success Story: PGT Industries ICONICS

Customer Success Story: PGT Industries

ICONICS

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Process Analytics Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management
Applicable Industries	Construction & Infrastructure
Applicable Functions	Discrete Manufacturing
Use Cases	Manufacturing System Automation Predictive Maintenance
Services	Data Science Services System Integration
Challenge	PGT Industries, a leading manufacturer and supplier of residential impact-resistant windows and doors in the U.S., was facing a challenge of demand exceeding production capacity, which was constraining revenue growth. The company had developed a capital plan to expand their manufacturing operations. However, before executing the capital expansion, the Vice President of Operations decided to test the assumptions about current capacity by installing and applying a productivity analysis tool. The company selected ICONICS Productivity Analytics software to analyze the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) of the current plant. The software’s drilldown and correlation capabilities were used to zero in on sources of loss of OEE, focusing on three OEE factors: availability, quality and performance. Read More
About Customer	PGT® (pgtindustries.com) pioneered the U.S. impact-resistant window and door industry and today is the nation’s leading manufacturer and supplier of residential impact-resistant windows and doors. PGT is also one of the largest window and door manufacturers in the United States. Founded in 1980, the company employs over 1,000 at its manufacturing, glass laminating and tempering plants, and delivery fleet facilities in Florida. Sold through a network of over 1,300 independent distributors, the company’s total line of custom windows and doors is now available throughout the eastern United States, the Gulf Coast and in a growing international market, including the Caribbean, South America and Australia. PGT’s product line includes PGT Aluminum and Vinyl Windows and Doors; WinGuard® Impact-Resistant Windows and Doors; PGT Architectural Systems; and Eze-Breeze® Sliding Panels. PGT Industries is a wholly owned subsidiary of PGT, Inc. (NASDAQ: PGTI). Read More
Solution	ICONICS Productivity Analytics software was applied to the 12 most critical production assets to analyze the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) of the current plant. The software’s drilldown and correlation capabilities were used to zero in on sources of loss of OEE, focusing on three OEE factors: availability, quality and performance. Once the data analysis tools were online, numerous immediate issues were visible to all levels of the organization. These included production start-up meetings greatly exceeding allocated time, sporadic loading cart availability, improper material layouts causing gaps on conveyors to furnaces, and unplanned idle time. Once these issues were uncovered with the assistance of Productivity Analytics, PGT created work teams to swiftly remedy the causes of downtime and production gaps. Productivity Analytics continues to deliver real-time, accurate data to the plant operators and upward through the organization. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Process Analytics

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management

Applicable Industries

Construction & Infrastructure

Applicable Functions

Discrete Manufacturing

Use Cases

Manufacturing System Automation

Predictive Maintenance

Services

Data Science Services

System Integration

Challenge

PGT Industries, a leading manufacturer and supplier of residential impact-resistant windows and doors in the U.S., was facing a challenge of demand exceeding production capacity, which was constraining revenue growth. The company had developed a capital plan to expand their manufacturing operations. However, before executing the capital expansion, the Vice President of Operations decided to test the assumptions about current capacity by installing and applying a productivity analysis tool. The company selected ICONICS Productivity Analytics software to analyze the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) of the current plant. The software’s drilldown and correlation capabilities were used to zero in on sources of loss of OEE, focusing on three OEE factors: availability, quality and performance.

About Customer

PGT® (pgtindustries.com) pioneered the U.S. impact-resistant window and door industry and today is the nation’s leading manufacturer and supplier of residential impact-resistant windows and doors. PGT is also one of the largest window and door manufacturers in the United States. Founded in 1980, the company employs over 1,000 at its manufacturing, glass laminating and tempering plants, and delivery fleet facilities in Florida. Sold through a network of over 1,300 independent distributors, the company’s total line of custom windows and doors is now available throughout the eastern United States, the Gulf Coast and in a growing international market, including the Caribbean, South America and Australia. PGT’s product line includes PGT Aluminum and Vinyl Windows and Doors; WinGuard® Impact-Resistant Windows and Doors; PGT Architectural Systems; and Eze-Breeze® Sliding Panels. PGT Industries is a wholly owned subsidiary of PGT, Inc. (NASDAQ: PGTI).

Solution

ICONICS Productivity Analytics software was applied to the 12 most critical production assets to analyze the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) of the current plant. The software’s drilldown and correlation capabilities were used to zero in on sources of loss of OEE, focusing on three OEE factors: availability, quality and performance. Once the data analysis tools were online, numerous immediate issues were visible to all levels of the organization. These included production start-up meetings greatly exceeding allocated time, sporadic loading cart availability, improper material layouts causing gaps on conveyors to furnaces, and unplanned idle time. Once these issues were uncovered with the assistance of Productivity Analytics, PGT created work teams to swiftly remedy the causes of downtime and production gaps. Productivity Analytics continues to deliver real-time, accurate data to the plant operators and upward through the organization.

Impact #1	Productivity Analytics helped provide transparency of undiscovered losses of production capacity.
Impact #2	It is now being used as the source of benchmarking and performance measurement to drive a culture built around Overall Operational Effectiveness.
Impact #3	With ICONICS software solutions, PGT’s operations now run as smooth as the glass they produce.

Impact #1

Productivity Analytics helped provide transparency of undiscovered losses of production capacity.

Impact #2

It is now being used as the source of benchmarking and performance measurement to drive a culture built around Overall Operational Effectiveness.

Impact #3

With ICONICS software solutions, PGT’s operations now run as smooth as the glass they produce.

Benefit #1	Over the course of a year, improvements were identified and implemented that resulted in an increase in production output using current assets.
Benefit #2	The planned plant expansion has been canceled, resulting in major savings for the company.
Benefit #3	After the resulting improvement programs were implemented, the plant has achieved improved production rates, running only five days a week instead of seven to meet current demand. This resulted in an approximate 20 percent decrease in labor and energy cost.

Benefit #1

Over the course of a year, improvements were identified and implemented that resulted in an increase in production output using current assets.

Benefit #2

The planned plant expansion has been canceled, resulting in major savings for the company.

Benefit #3

After the resulting improvement programs were implemented, the plant has achieved improved production rates, running only five days a week instead of seven to meet current demand. This resulted in an approximate 20 percent decrease in labor and energy cost.

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Overview

Customer Success Story: PGT Industries

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit