Author: Command Alkon
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We’re Getting Belts! Command Alkon’s Journey Towards Continuous Improvement
In today’s ever-evolving business landscape, companies are constantly seeking ways to improve their processes, increase efficiency, and deliver better outcomes. Command Alkon is no exception. With a firm commitment to Continuous Improvement, we have embarked on implementing LEAN Six Sigma methodologies. As part of this transformative journey, we are embracing the concept of belts. But…
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Why Am I So Reluctant to Change? The Psychology Behind Why Change Can Be Uncomfortable
Change is an inevitable part of life, and the workplace is no exception. Despite the potential benefits that change can bring, many individuals often find themselves resistant to it. One of the primary reasons why is the fear of the unknown. Humans are creatures of habit, and we tend to find comfort in familiar routines…
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“Personal Accountability,” from Command Alkon CEO, Martin Willoughby
As a culture, we talk a lot about the importance of teamwork and collaboration. Those are certainly important concepts and critical to any organization’s success, but every team is made up of individual contributors. Therefore, both individual contribution and teamwork are critical to success. Legendary basketball coach Phil Jackson summarized this balance well when he…
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“Leading Through Change,” from Command Alkon CEO Martin Willoughby
In 1804, Napoléon Bonaparte was crowned emperor by the people of France. Five years before, he had seized control of the French government and named himself First Consul. Until his ultimate defeat in 1815, he led the French military through almost two decades of war where he seized control over much of Europe. As a part…
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“How to Be A Great Player/Coach,” from Command Alkon CEO Martin Willoughby
Perhaps the best player-coach of all time was Bill Russell. Russell won nine NBA championships for the Boston Celtics as a player before winning two more as a player-coach. He is one of five enshrined in the NBA Hall of Fame as both a player and as a coach. When head coach Red Auerbach stepped…
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Predictable Inventory Controls Start Here
No matter where you’re located, in this business, running out of materials is simply not an option. Intended as a cautionary “keep the bins full” philosophy, generations of suppliers have leaned into ordering more heavy materials than they need so that they’re prepared for any unexpected waste. After all, when your reputation relies on dependability,…
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What is the Cost of Less Than Optimum Concrete Batching System/Plant Performance?
Of the dozens of factors that affect the profitability of a ready-mix producer, the cost of lost time and material are among the hardest to quantify. Production reports out of the plant automation systems (or dispatch systems) show the average material tolerance from the concrete batching operations. Any over or underweight batches (and their associated costs or savings) are…
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Navigating the Digital Path
You have decided to upgrade and migrate away from your legacy system. What’s the digital path to do so? This digital transformation may seem daunting, but it is easier than you think. A well-managed plan in collaboration with product experts from Command Alkon Incorporated (CAI) paves the way to successful implementation. CAI assists their customers…
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AI-Enhanced Concrete Batching
Al enhanced concrete batching Someone once told me that if I forecasted the weather for tomorrow to be the same as today, I’d be at least as accurate as the meteorologist on TV. True or not, we know accurately predicting the future is difficult. People store memories of challenges and experiences then based on recollection…
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Scheduling Concrete Order Best Practices & The Power of The Minute
In the mid 2000s, we were a company who was not particularly focused on harnessing new technologies. We wanted to direct our capital to purchase additional trucks and plants. Our family-owned ready-mix business had grown to over 75 trucks across four plants, surpassing 500,000+ cy per year. The local building boom, consisting of big box warehouses…