On Dec. 11, 2014, JCB North America hosted its annual Celebrating Success Awards, which recognizes employees for outstanding performance during 2014. Several key areas were celebrated during this Academy Award-style ceremony, including an award for the 2014 Best Kaizen.

The term “kaizen” is Japanese for “good change” and in that spirit, is a new award for 2014 at JCB North America. This award honors an individual who has implemented an improvement in a process, product, system or technology that resulted in cost savings, improved process efficiency, productivity or employee safety.

The 2014 Best Kaizen Award was presented to Jim Fountain. Fountain joined JCB in 2011 and is a member of the production control team for the skid steer line. In 2014 he implemented a new management system for the small parts area that simplified and improved the management of that area.

“Jim went above and beyond his everyday tasks to implement improvement in a process that he was overseeing,” said his nominator. “The new system is so effective that Jim has been able to apply it to other areas of the business.”

“In the words of our founder, JCB is never content. We are constantly making improvements in systems and processes, the Kaizen award recognizes the implementation of that philosophy,” said JCB President and Chief Executive Officer Arjun Mirdha. “Jim’s new system and its ability to be carried to different areas of the business is the ideal manifestation of ’never content’.”

A senior team member presented Jim with a trophy in recognition of his efforts.

For more information, visit www.jcbna.com.

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