As a company that prospers off of helping people be healthy, Vitamix Corp. understands that healthy people know how to bring balance to their lives. When it comes to having a healthy, growing business, balance is just as important.
In 2010, Vitamix sales grew 50 percent over the previous year, led by Jodi Berg, chairman, president and CEO of the company. It achieved this record sales year in a difficult economy in large part by utilizing a systems thinking approach to business that focuses on bringing balance to product and process quality, customer satisfaction, and cost.
It accomplished this by developing increased flexibility in operations, which allows processes and products to be adapted quickly for changing consumer, supplier or company needs. As a result, the company was able to release three new products in 2010.
Vitamix employs a built-to-order process for products, which allows flexibility and adaptability in its customers’ changing needs. From the start, customers have maximum flexibility in designing their product objectives. Vitamix, in turn, can also ensure cost efficiency as customer requirements change.
This flexibility is also present in the company’s assembly process, which now includes certain assembly lines that can shift usage around as needed based on a customer’s specified product and production requirements. Adding more lines in short order has also helped the company meet production demands without taking on nonvalue-added costs.
Focusing on cost management rather than cost cutting, Vitamix is always looking for ways to streamline inefficiencies so it doesn’t have to sacrifice quality for cost. The company sees inspecting product quality at the end of production lines as a misguided and costly way of doing business, both financially and in customer satisfaction. Instead of waiting until the end of assembly to recognize poor quality products, Vitamix monitors quality measurements throughout the process to make sure specifications are met on the first attempt, saving itself and its customers time and money.
The company’s balanced business model has been the key to its exceptional financial success in 2010, while also helping the company achieve its goals to deliver high-quality products and meet the ever-changing demand of its customers.
How to reach: Vitamix Corp., (440) 235-4840 or www.vitamix.com
