Pittsburgh Glass Works hires lean manufacturing expert to head quality efforts

RP news wires
Tags: lean manufacturing

Pittsburgh Glass Works (PGW) LLC, a world-leading supplier of automotive glass and services, announced September 7 that the company is taking proactive steps to enhance quality systems in order to meet customer needs and continue to be a leader in the industry.

"As we continue to successfully deploy growth strategies and expand our customer base, both in the automotive replacement glass and OEM sectors, it is critical for us to continue to enhance our quality performance with our customers," said Joseph D. Stas, executive vice president and chief operating officer, PGW. "Operational excellence is more crucial today than ever due to increasing customer demands, as well as fierce competitive challenges. We are taking new steps to enhance our focus and to continue PGW's growth as a premier global automotive glass organization."

To lead this enhanced focus on quality, PGW announced that Richard Corliss has joined the company as director of quality. In this role, Corliss will assume overall responsibility of PGW's global quality organization. His primary focus will be collaborating with PGW's manufacturing and commercial teams to proactively enhance the company's quality systems from end to end to meet PGW's ever-increasing and diverse customer needs.

Corliss has 35 years of management, quality and operations leadership experience. In his most current position with Tinnerman Palnut Engineered Products, he was director, engineering and quality, and worked with plant managers and local quality managers to root cause and countermeasure internal product and processing challenges, as well as optimize quality opportunities as identified through internal reviews and cooperative discussion with customers.

Corliss also had corporate accountability for ensuring new product launches were managed successfully.

Prior to his position with Tinnerman, Corliss spent 30 years with Alcoa. His last assignment was as manager, quality & technology, for Alcoa Wheel and Forged Products. His many quality positions with Alcoa gave him significant lean manufacturing, international accountability and process improvement experience. This expertise, along with his management skills and problem-solving background, provide a solid foundation for driving ongoing enhancement of PGW's quality systems.

Corliss will report to Stas at PGW's global headquarters in Pittsburgh.

About Pittsburgh Glass Works
Pittsburgh Glass Works (PGW) supplies automotive OEM windshields, rear and side windows, sunroofs and assemblies for auto and truck manufacturers, and it supplies and distributes replacement automotive glass products for use in the aftermarket. It also provides insurance claims services through its LYNX Services subsidiary, glass management software and internet marketing services through its GTS subsidiary, and e-business solutions through its GLAXIS offering.

Automotive glass products are manufactured and fabricated in six North American plants located in: Berea, Ky.; Creighton, Meadville and Tipton, Pa.; Crestline Ohio; Evansville, Ind.; and a joint venture facility in Tepeji del Rio, Mexico. In addition seven satellite parts assembly plants are located throughout North America and Europe, and two LYNX Services claims management call centers in Ft. Myers, Fla., and Paducah, Ky.