Quarterly Update: Celebrating the First Successes of the Year

By Mike Loughrin

We’re excited to share with you our top accomplishments from the first quarter of 2026.

1. Propelling Careers with Lean and Six Sigma
2. Lean Leadership Resource
3. Blast from the Past
4. Featured Customer of the Quarter
5. Supporting the Next Generation of Supply Chain Leaders
6. 2026 Annual Plan

Let’s dive in!

1. Propelling Careers with Lean and Six Sigma

We’re proud to have helped individuals achieve career milestones by earning certifications as Certified Lean Apprentices and Certified Six Sigma Yellow Belts.

We celebrated a significant number of certifications earned in Q1, including:

• 22 people earning the Certified Lean Apprentice designation.
• 51 people earning the Certified Six Sigma Yellow Belt designation.

Looking ahead to Q2, we’re excited to see a large number of individuals complete their training and earn the Certified Lean Practitioner designation.

2. Lean Leadership Resource: Empowering Transformation

We’re excited to share that our resource on Lean Leadership has been well-received by organizations seeking guidance on their Lean journeys.

Our comprehensive resource page outlines the key phases of a Lean Transformation, which are crucial for leadership teams to navigate. These three critical phases are:

• Explore: Identify opportunities for improvement and lay the foundation for change.
• Launch: Implement changes and drive momentum towards a more efficient organization.
• Sustain: Embed Lean principles into daily operations and continuously improve processes.

We’re thrilled with the positive response to our resource page, which has prompted us to expand our offerings. We’re developing additional content for Leaders to utilize during each phase of a Lean Transformation and recruiting a specialist to provide expert coaching on Project Champions and Continuous Improvement Enthusiasts.

3. Blast from the Past: Levi’s Sells Dockers

One of our most memorable clients, Levi’s, has been in the news recently after announcing it sold the Dockers brand.

Looking back on our work with Levi’s, it’s great to remember the positive impact we had on their supply chain management processes. We helped them transform their operations using value stream mapping and SAP APO.

Those were great times – working in San Francisco meant that Monday through Thursday was all about jeans, while Fridays were Dockers days!

Want to learn more about Levi’s news? You can read about it here: Levi’s Sells Dockers.

4. Featured Customer of the Quarter: Vanlife Customs

We’re proud to highlight our work with Vanlife Customs, who launched a comprehensive Lean Transformation program focused on education for everyone, projects, and building a culture of continuous improvement.

We helped Vanlife Customs understand the benefits of Lean, including why it’s considered the #1 organizational improvement program. We also emphasized the importance of having a Lean Transformation program.

Vanlife Customs has made significant progress in their Lean journey, with all employees now holding the Certified Lean Apprentice designation. They’ve also started implementing Lean Value Stream Mapping projects.

5. Supporting the Next Generation of Supply Chain Leaders

We’re excited to continue our partnership with the University of Wyoming Supply Chain Management (SCM) Club, providing educational and professional development opportunities for students.

As part of this ongoing partnership, we’re offering a special deal on our Certified Lean Apprentice, with the special club price of $125 available to everyone until April 30th, 2026.

By taking advantage of this promotion, you’ll not only get access to our high-quality training programs at a discounted rate, but the SCM club will also benefit from a portion of the proceeds. It’s a great way to support the next generation of supply chain leaders while advancing your own skills and knowledge!

6. 2026 Annual Plan: Building on Our Commitment to Continuous Improvement

We’re proud to share our 2026 Annual Plan, crafted on January 7, 2026 – a little later than usual, but we wanted to take some time to recharge after the holiday season.

One of our top priorities is helping clients and prospects apply for educational grants facilitated by Manufacturer’s Edge, Colorado’s official Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Center. Through the Skill Advance Colorado Job Training Grants program, we can help you access funding for training and upskill your workforce. If you’re a Colorado manufacturer interested in learning more, please reach out to us.

Our 2026 Annual Plan also includes:

• Investments in upgrading our content and technology for our Certified Lean Apprentice and Certified Six Sigma Yellow Belt
• Expanding our collaborations with universities, focusing on helping student clubs earn revenue and promote the value of Lean and Six Sigma certifications as differentiators in their students’ resumes
• Increasing our thought leadership content in the Transformance Communiqué, the newsletter for those crafting a sustainable organization