Millwork Innovations: Reimagined with excellence
Millwork Innovations was founded in 2007 and is based in Lethbridge, Alberta. The company is co-owned by Jill Chouinard and Willy Reger. It manufactures architectural millwork and cabinetry for institutions such as schools, hospitals and commercial entities.
With a steady group of 20 employees, Millwork Innovations sells its millwork across Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
With growing sales, Millwork Innovations sometimes had trouble meeting demand. However, Chouinard and Reger knew that more staff and space would not solve their problems or be financially sustainable.
They had a feeling there was a better option.
Embarking on a productivity improvement process was a real leap of faith. We didn’t know what to expect or what the return on investment would be.
Jill Chouinard
Co-Owner, Millwork Innovations
A structured approach
With help from BDC, Chouinard and Reger took a structured approach to improve productivity in their business. Chouinard notes that asking for external help was a massive moment for the company: “It was a real leap of faith for us.”
Chouinard and Reger decided against imposing changes directly. Instead, they wanted to engage their staff to understand their daily challenges. This was a game-changer.
Regular process mapping sessions with staff members gave every team member a chance to speak about the operational difficulties they faced: multiple reviews at each stage of the work, not knowing what other team members were working on and missing data about key supplies were major themes. Employees in the production line were also eager to discuss the material waste they saw at work.
Leadership, employee engagement and operational efficiency
After walking through the shop with employees and listening to their suggestions, Chouinard and Reger focused on making changes to improve operational efficiency.
They engaged the team in problem-solving and made specific action plans to tackle the key causes behind significant issues:
- Implemented right checks early in the process.
- Jobs are now handed off from the office to production staff with accurate information, which reduces the number of revisions introduced to the shop.
- Moved workbenches and machines to facilitate better process flow.
- Now, each section of the floor advances the work to the next phase.
With these new, stable processes and production flow, rework and redundancies were reduced. What’s more, introducing key performance indicators (KPIs) and a dashboard moved decision-making from an intuitive to a data-driven process.
Streamlined and documented methods also made Millwork Innovations more efficient. And Reger and Chouinard reinforced a culture that proactively monitors operations. Combined, these changes helped team spend less time solving urgent problems, and daily stand-up meetings improved communication for everyone.
A shift towards problem-solving
Today, employees hold themselves accountable. They discuss how to work better and share their ideas in a formalized process. Team members always find something to improve—this has become a big part of what makes the job rewarding. Everybody is engaged and takes responsibility for their role.
Chouinard and Reger believe in a workplace where everyone is equal, and their job is to make employees feel valued. They always ask what they can do to ensure their team is happy to work at Millwork Innovations: “When an employee feels heard and they understand their worth, they are more likely to come to us and say, ‘Hey, can we do this better this way?’” adds Chouinard.
A culture of continuous improvement
The most significant difference—and what makes Millwork Innovations stand out among its peers—is the improved company culture, which has profoundly affected its owners and staff.
Employees feel valued and supported, resulting in lower turnover rates and stronger loyalty to the company. Reger and Chouinard have created a thriving workplace where everyone feels empowered to contribute to the company's success.
It was life-changing for us to have external help. Entrepreneurs need to be open enough to listen. Letting someone in and helping your business is uncomfortable, but it’s worthwhile if you are open to listening and willing to change. There is a big return on the investment.
Jill Chouinard and Willy Reger
Co-Owners, Millwork Innovations
Key outcomes
The owners ensure their gross margin remains protected regardless of their sales figures. Chouinard and Reger have found that they increased their gross margin by over $22,000 per employee, per year.
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