Flotation Technologies Receives Manufacturing Excellence Award from Maine MEP
The Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Maine MEP) presented Flotation Technologies with this year’s Manufacturing Excellence Award on May 18, 2007. The award is in recognition of the manufacturer’s efforts toward achieving world-class manufacturing status, implementing best manufacturing practices, and taking the necessary steps required to compete in the global marketplace.
Flotation Technologies is the world’s largest provider of deepwater buoys for use in climate change research, as well as a key supplier to major offshore oil companies such as Chevron, Shell, and Exxon Mobil. They were also chosen to provide the syntactic foam flotation used by James Cameron to film the movie Titanic. Recently, they received a 4.1 million dollar contract to provide buoyancy modules for Frontier Drilling.
Photo of Tim Cook receiving the Maine MEP
Manufacturing Excellence Award from DECD Commission,
John Richardson on the left, and Maine MEP project manager Bob Doiron on the right.
The Maine MEP recently worked with the company to provide them with a number of services including a comprehensive assessment, which resulted in a strategic business plan, a workforce development plan, and complete reorganization of the production work flow. The manufacturer also participated in Time Wise® Principles of Lean Manufacturing training events and used their new skills to develop a layout for their new plant in the Biddeford Industrial Park. The new 45,000 square foot facility has allowed the company to add 20 new jobs, greatly increased production efficiency and manufacturing capacity.
Photo of award being presented to the Cook family;
from left to right – Connie and Dave Cook, Holly Cook,
Tim Cook and DECD Commissioner, John Richardson.