The Company
Rocco Building Supplies is a two-step wholesale building materials distributor located in Harrisonburg, VA. Rocco services lumberyards and retail home centers throughout Virginia and Maryland, including limited territories in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. The company has consistently increased its sales volume since the early 1970’s. To accommodate this growth, the company’s warehouse facilities were enlarged with additions in 1976 and 1986.

The Situation
Rocco’s distribution process uses operators to drive forklift trucks large distances. Lead-time and cycle times were high creating additional costs and customer delays. Current capacity limited growth potential.

The Response
Virginia’s Philpott Manufacturing Extension Partnership (VPMEP) in partnership with the Shenandoah Valley Workforce Investment Board recommended that a Value Stream Mapping Project be implemented to establish an enriched plan that eliminates wastes and improves customer service. VPMEP utilized an experienced value stream mapping team of project managers and key Rocco personnel to map the current processes to determine areas of improvement for future implementation. Areas of improvement identified were: reduction of inventory, classification of the inventory into categories, re-layout of the facility, workplace reorganization, procedures, work assignments and training.

The Results
Significant savings in lead-time, cycle time and travel distance were achieved.
The main benefits of the results to Rocco are:
• travel distance for forklifts declined by 25% thus reducing the necessary maintenance for the machines,
• improved capacity for receiving and distribution of 15% resulting in receiving being able to operate the entire day,
• reduced inventory $100,000, while improving order fill rates,
• and reduced inventory adjustments $40,000 per year through implementation of a weekly cycle count process.

Management’s Comment
Jeff Carriker, Director of Operations says, "Rocco Building Supplies, LLC has benefited greatly from our relationship with VPMEP. This particular Value Stream Mapping project, led by VPMEP staff, coached the Rocco team members through a review of the distribution function, which netted a savings of over $40,000 annually and improved levels of customer service. Prior to this project, a group of Rocco staff members attended the VPMEP Lean Manufacturing series of classes and has implemented the 'Lean is Market Driven' approach to improving operations. Rocco will continue to take advantage of VPMEP programs, as they are made available."

View their site!