By John Walker
Special to Inside
The application of technology and true innovation at a local window manufacturing business means it will be not just a maker of windows, but a powerhouse in the home improvement industry. With over 700 employees, the company has had zero employee turnover in three years with an increase of 50 percent in wages and 100 percent decrease in quality defects. Material yield increased 25 to 30 percent. What's going on here?
William Spielman founded Republic Windows & Doors in Chicago in 1965. The first products the company manufactured were aluminum storm products, and first-year sales were $350,000. Republic moved into aluminum prime and replacement windows. Early customers included Chicago's Inter-Continental and Allerton hotels. In 1983, the company saw vinyl as an interesting material that would be a more cost-effective alternative to aluminum and then began making vinyl windows.
A new plant was built in 1997 when Republic chose to relocate from the West Side to an industrial park in Chicago rather than move to a green space out of state. The move to Goose Island facilitated the redevelopment of the industrial area, which had been deteriorating. The company was also able to retain its entire workforce, who lived nearby.
Rich Gillman, executive vice president, had a vision of creating a facility that was a dramatic shift from a dreary factory to a lighter, brighter facility that housed both management and manufacturing under one roof. Ground was broken in October 1996 with the move into the new plant in 1998. The beautiful, modern $37 million facility soon became known as "Goose Island's Corporate Gem" and won Business Week's Industrial Design Award as well as Window & Doors' Crystal Achievement Award for Most Innovative Plant in 1999.
Inspired by the award-winning facility, the management initiated an intense focus on creating a culture of innovation, and building the infrastructure, that would enable the company to perform to the standards exemplified by the building it occupied. A common vision, a common language and a shared understanding of where the company wanted to go, were essential. Once in place, world-class standards were developed.
In 1998, Republic created the plant's customized Blast process. The Ramguard line was ripped apart, each minute process identified and evaluated for value-add. Any non-value-added steps were eliminated. The extraordinary results achieved by the Ramguard Blast shook the foundations of the company as a whole. Ramguard became the model for all other manufacturing lines and the mother of the Ripping process, similar to the Blast but used in the non-manufacturing areas of the company. The entire company began "ripping" for lean operations.
With the Ramguard Blast, 50 percent of used floor space was freed up, productivity increased 100 percent, and material yield increased by 30 percent. It became clear that ahead lay a potential of producing and distributing 700,000 units per year from this single location—something other companies use several facilities to accomplish.
Republic has steadily increased its presence in the vinyl window industry in the residential remodeling, new construction and acoustical window categories. A continuing commitment to innovation has led Republic to add state-of-the-art products and machinery to enhance its product line-up. A Stay Clean Æ Glass machine, four Intercept Spacer machines, a glass tempering oven and an on-site test lab add the latest methods of manufacturing to the company's capabilities. In 2003, Republic became the first U.S. company to acquire the latest tempering technology with the purchase of a convection machine that will allow the company to temper glass in 40 percent less time.
Steady growth every year since its inception has made Republic the largest privately-owned vinyl window manufacturer in the U.S. Offering Energy Star certified windows for all U.S. climates, Republic sells its nine distinct lines of vinyl windows to builders and remodelers throughout 27 states. The company remains family-owned, and is currently headed by President Ron Spielman (the founder's son), Executive Vice President Rich Gillman, and Chief Operating Officer Les Teichner. Most of Republic's 750 workers live within the Chicago city limits. |
