2009 brought great challenges to the window and door industry, and the Windsor Operations Team was no exception. There were many unknowns and changes as we moved into the early stages of the year. Our dedication to Lean Manufacturing Principals kept us focused on the necessary adaptations to drive improvements for our customers. We believe 2010 holds promise of improved conditions, and our commitment to lean manufacturing is more important than ever. We must continue to remove waste from all that we do. Windsor will focus on two fundamental lean strategies for the upcoming year.
A high quality product is essential, regardless of the market conditions. Based on internal unit audits and customer feedback, the operations team will continue to improve the reliability and repeatability of key manufacturing processes. These improvements will be driven by investment in new equipment, refurbishment of existing equipment and kaizen evaluation of current processes. Improvements to process reliability and repeatability will not only drive quality, but also help eliminate the waste caused by mistakes and rework.
A high on-time delivery is also extremely important. In 2010, our manufacturing teams will be focusing on improved material availability and internal material flow. In other words, we will ensure that needed materials are in house when required. In addition, we will ensure that these materials are delivered internally at the right time and in the right amount. This focus will help control inventories while improving on-time delivery to our customers.
In 2010, Windsor's Operation Strategy will continue to uphold our commitment to lean manufacturing fundamentals. We will focus on process reliability and repeatability and materials availability and flow. Ultimately, these strategies will drive improvements to on-time delivery and quality to our customers while reducing manufacturing waste.