TriMas (NASDAQ: TRS) today announced the winners of its 2022 TriMas Kaizen Challenge. The 2022 winners are TriMas Aerospace’s Optimizing Subcontracting Supply project and TriMas Packaging’s Productivity Improvement project.

TriMas launched its annual, enterprise-wide Kaizen Challenge five years ago, as part of its TriMas Business Model. Since its introduction, more than 147 of the Company’s top product, process and service-related projects have been submitted into the competition from 24 different locations in nine countries. Annually, the Company’s most impactful Kaizen projects are assessed and winners are selected based on specific criteria including the positive impacts on the business, key stakeholders and the environment, as well as the demonstrated use of employee engagement and the tools of Kaizen.

“This year’s submissions were of the highest quality level since we began the TriMas Kaizen Challenge,” stated Thomas Amato, TriMas President & CEO. “I thank all of our Kaizen project teams around the world for their efforts. Kaizen has proven to be an effective way for TriMas to utilize employee engagement to drive sustainable improvements in all of our processes and products.”

TriMas Aerospace’s Optimizing Subcontracting Supply project was a cross-functional team effort at RSA Engineered Products, led by Juliana Bermudez, Program Manager. Utilizing the tools of Kaizen, the team focused on creating sustainable processes to standardize commercial variations and streamline subcontracted components. By eliminating waste, standardizing minimum order quantities and improving processes, the team was able to optimize its subcontracting channel.

TriMas Packaging’s Productivity Improvement project, led by Brian Fitzgerald, Director of Operations, was a cross-functional team effort within Rapak. Using the tools of Kaizen, the team conducted a root cause analysis to better understand the challenges in producing components, while meeting increased customer demand and maintaining the highest quality. Once constraints were identified, the Kaizen project team took many positive actions, including improving and standardizing the manufacturing process, enhancing equipment preventative maintenance, providing additional training, and reducing SKUs. As a result, the team increased production rates and productivity, all while reducing inventory stocking levels.

Additional 2022 TriMas Kaizen Challenge finalist projects were submitted by TriMas Packaging’s locations in Haining, China; New Albany, Ohio (USA); and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

“Congratulations again to our 2022 winners, top finalists and submitting teams, and I look forward to another year of continuous improvement across our businesses,” concluded Amato.

About TriMas

TriMas manufactures a diverse set of products primarily for the consumer products, aerospace and industrial markets through its TriMas Packaging, TriMas Aerospace and Specialty Products groups. Our approximately 3,500 dedicated employees in 13 countries provide customers with a wide range of innovative and quality product solutions through our market-leading businesses. Our TriMas family of businesses has strong brand names in the markets served, and operates under a common set of values and strategic priorities under the TriMas Business Model. TriMas is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol “TRS,” and is headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. For more information, please visit www.trimascorp.com.

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