Owens Corning has been named the 2024 Manufacturing Leadership Award winner in the category of Operational Excellence. Selected by the Manufacturing Leadership Council, a division of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), Owens Corning was one of 27 finalists for the award chosen from a pool of applicants from across the country.

This recognition was given for the company’s roofing project, New Digitally Enabled Remote Support Strategy Drives Record Manufacturing Results.

“We are honored to receive a prestigious Manufacturing Leadership Award that recognizes world-class companies for their outstanding efforts,” said Gunner Smith, Owens Corning Roofing president. “This project showcases our commitment to continuous innovation and collaboration on behalf of our customers and teams, as we continue to advance our manufacturing processes. This is a well-deserved national recognition. Congratulations to all involved.”

The Operational Excellence category of the Manufacturing Leadership Awards recognizes companies that implement continuous improvement projects utilizing the latest technologies and processes to reduce costs, streamline processes, reduce waste, improve quality, and enhance overall equipment effectiveness.

Owens Corning earned the Operational Excellence award for its work to accelerate diagnostics and problem solving in its shingle plants, leading to increased shingle volume. This includes introducing a suite of digital tools in the areas of asset health, process health, and digitally enabled front-line workers. More information on Owens Corning’s winning project below:

New Digitally Enabled Remote Support Strategy Drives Record Manufacturing Results

In 2022, Owens Corning Roofing invested in improving the overall performance of manufacturing sites within one of its regions, as they were challenged by a combination of strong demand and competition for labor. Improving performance relied on both deploying a set of digital technologies and creating a regional support model called the Remote Monitoring Diagnostics Center. The center allows site teams to collaborate with regional talent to review insights and observations from digital technologies and develop daily and long-term strategies to improve operations.

According to Owens Corning, the result has been measurable business results so significant that "the model has been proliferated to cover all Owens Corning’s roofing manufacturing sites in North America." In addition to achieving financial and operational results, the business has been able to create "new, diverse, and fulfilling roles" to attract and retain new talent and provide opportunities to existing emerging talent.