April 2026 Newsletter - Knapp and Air Logic

Andrea O'Dell
2 days ago
3 min read

On Location at KAL

Glossary of Key Terms, Acronyms, and more… Get to know the language of KALOE

KALOE – Knapp/Air Logic Operational Excellence
SQDI – Safety, Quality, Delivery, Inventory
KPI – Key Performance Indicator
PSP – Problem Solving Process
6S – Safety, Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain

From the President’s desk… This is the President’s Corner

John will return next month with The President’s Corner.

I want to take just a moment to thank John Korako for organizing our 20-year club dinner. It is always great to catch up with the retirees, enjoy a meal I didn’t have to make, and have a chance to win a nice prize to bring home.

Two of the owners, Jay Haertel and John Boticki, joined us, along with several retirees: Gary Wierek (47 years), Jackie Jones (40 years), Nancy Miller (20 years), Jeff Thurmann (26 years), Patti Strini (21 years), Peggy Williams (25 years), and Karen Schreier (27 years).

We also have the 20+ year crew still here at KALOE: Melissa Groelle (22 years), me, Andrea O’Dell (26 years), Doc (James) Muszynski (33 years), Paul Larson (34 years), and our newest member, Brett Christopherson (20 years).

6S Journey – Let’s Go Team KALOE!

We had a slow month with only one 6S event in the Needle Valve Department of Air Logic, but Beda was a joy to work with! She really excelled at Safety, Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and now in Sustain! Great job Beda, the Needle Valve Department never looked so great!

Sustain – continue the journey

Even with only one new 6S event this slow month, sustainment is evident across KALOE through consistent application of 6S principles, well-maintained workspaces, and adherence to standards.

J-Fill won three months in a row: January, February, and March. Their trophy cup overflowed with “good” chocolate. With this triple-month win, they will receive a special lunch! Great job, J-Fill!

We continue to sustain the Air Logic general assembly. The presses that have been completed for molding, Eductor, and Manifold one-piece flows in EA are also showing progress. Our shipping department is making an impression, too. Great job, KALOE!

Outside Eye on KALOE

Recently, we hosted two major events with guests from outside our company.

The first event was a Continuous Improvement Roundtable, during which several outside companies visited to see our progress on our own Lean Journey. We received great feedback, such as: “It’s very clean!” “Safety always first, the rest will follow.” “It’s been 3 years since we visited last, wow, you have done a lot! Very nice!” and more.

During our latest company audit with Diversey, they highlighted our one-piece flows in Equipment Assembly. Your hard work and positive attitude toward our Lean Journey are getting noticed!

THANK YOU ALL FOR MOVING KNAPP/AIR LOGIC FORWARD! You make a difference here every day!

Final Thoughts...

After finishing three hours of online training, our MRT (Medical Response Team) and a few others attended in-person training at the Caledonia Fire Department.

Thank you, team, for making KALOE’s safety your top priority!

Call to Action

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