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stadiums and many other businesses. Our broad product portfolio means we are not limited by a particular customer type.”
TurboChef’ s innovation also extends beyond ovens through its CookTek brand, which specializes in induction cooking technology. The portfolio ranges from four- and six-hob induction cooking ranges to warming systems for pizza delivery and cookand-hold solutions for soups and other foods.
“ CookTek operates as a different brand, with different technology, but the purpose is the same,” Leslie says.“ We are looking for innovative ways to make foodservice easier, more efficient and more consistent.”
Building a culture of continuous improvement
Product innovation is only one part of the TurboChef’ approach. Over the past two years, the company has placed a significant emphasis on operational excellence, with process documentation and standardization becoming major priorities.
The team has systematically documented its processes and established greater visibility across the organization. Weekly standup meetings and a mission control board provide real-time visibility into operational metrics, quality performance and engineering change notices. This allows teams to identify issues quickly, take corrective action and track progress.
That discipline is particularly important in a manufacturing environment where TurboChef builds approximately 100 ovens each day.
“ Consistency, repeatability and rigorous quality checks are fundamental to what we do,” Cox says.“ We are never going to sit back and say,‘ This is good enough.’ There is always something we can improve. Just because something has been done well for a long time does not mean it cannot be done better.”
That mindset extends throughout the organization.“ We check our egos at the door. Everyone has to be willing
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