WMS 10 Year Anniversary Spotlight: Mark Johnson
Ten years ago, Washington Manufacturing Services started assisting Washington’s manufacturers, and Mark Johnson has served on the Board of Directors since the beginning. He has worked at different companies during his time on the Board and has a unique perspective on the changes in manufacturing and at WMS, so we asked him to reflect the last 10 years.
You’ve been a Board member since the beginning of WMS. How has WMS changed over the last ten years?
WMS has gone through the same phases as most start-up businesses. There were several years of just forming and trying to gain critical mass. There were several important inflection points where things looked rather uncertain. And then there was a period where a more professional management approach took hold to make growth and sustainability an integral part of the business. So, WMS is simply more mature now.
You’ve been with a few different companies during your time on the Board. In your experience, how have manufacturing needs changed over the last ten years?
In the last ten years, we had an outrageously energetic boom period followed by an extremely difficult regression. In the last two years, the Washington manufacturing environment has begun to expand again. This cycle pruned a lot of waste out of the value chain and also brought a different kind of competition. In manufacturing, I think there is much more focus on effectiveness so that Lean thinking is continuing to gain adoption. As for competition, the number of companies that have low cost regions as part of their overall supply chain has expanded dramatically, creating the need for competencies that didn’t exist a decade ago.
What has been WMS’ key to success during your time on the Board?
We started becoming successful when we finally put in place a professional management team that understood why strategy deployment is important even in a government-subsidized consultancy. Some of the key factors considered in the strategy included proactive engagement with legislative stakeholders, diversification, risk planning and sustainability.
As a manufacturer as well as a Board member, how has WMS helped you meet your goals?
I have utilized WMS in a number of different situations at several of my companies. We would always compare them against alternative or competitive approaches and make an objective selection. I can say that I have been a satisfied customer, but a better measure is to look at how WMS is perceived by the hundreds of companies with which they have engaged.
What does the future of manufacturing in Washington look like to you? What role do you think WMS will play in the future?
To begin, the future of manufacturing in Washington must now, more than ever, be considered in the context of a global economy. Sometimes, one can conclude that what goes on outside of the state will not affect a particular company, but this should never be taken for granted. With that said, manufacturing companies that really embrace Lean thinking and extend it across the entire value chain can start and grow and thrive. There is still a long way to go with most industries in their understanding of just how much value can be gained from contemporary manufacturing approaches. Clearly, this is a need right in the sweet spot of what WMS exists to serve.
[PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION]
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