Jim Arneson is a project manager with significant experience in the manufacturing, retail, and distribution industries. His project work includes new facility and process design, engineered labor standards development and implementation, productivity assessments, manufacturing line-balancing, and material movement optimization. Jim has experience applying MOST® predetermined work measurement to develop and validate engineered labor standards in a variety of Workforce Management software, Lean and Six Sigma methodologies for process improvement, and formal education and practical experience leveraging project management techniques. 

Notable experience and accomplishments:

• Lead Supply Chain Engineer for design of a greenfield automotive warehouse including throughput and space design requirements such as docks, repack and kitting, pallet and high-density storage and general assembly replenishment such as lineside part routing, kit development and design, standard work and ELS, and replenishment route design. The end-to-end strategy met budgetary, labor, and schedule requirements leading to ~80 hourly Supply Chain positions to satisfy ~13K annual demand.
• Lead Industrial Engineer for process design of a brownfield automotive product line including tooling parts, and process allocation, design and maintenance of PFEP and Process databases, and SME process training. The project was delivered on time in a tight 8-month window resulting in ~150 direct labor workstations and capacity to build ~20K units per year at the new facility. 
• Lead Industrial Engineer to Rerate and incorporate model year changeovers at automotive manufacturing plant. 
• Led internal and client project team to develop, vet, and implement line-balancing methodology for a regional dinnerware packaging warehouse. Team piloted and validated high value and high priority products. Annual freed labor estimated at ~$500K per year. 
• Lead Industrial Engineer responsible for efficiency assessment of a 2000+ location discount retailer. Identified, quantified, and vetted over 100 in-store efficiency ideas ranging from process improvements to significant technological upgrades resulting in $47M in potential freed labor, including ~$8M in ‘quick-wins’ and $20M added to client’s 5-year operations roadmap.
• Coordinated discount retailer client, IT support, and vendors to conduct ring scanner pilot for performing Markdowns, Receiving, and Marked out-of-stock activities. Developed study, coordinated analysts, analyzed raw observation data, and distilled results into an unbiased, metrics-based grading rubric. Client selected recommended vendor to expand pilot to entire region. 

Prior to consulting Jim held several Industrial Engineering positions in the manufacturing space, including Lean Quality Engineer for a major A/C compressor manufacturer where he delivered process and quality improvement results for both the Manufacturing and Engineering teams. Jim was then a Manufacturing Engineer at a major actuator manufacturer where he supported and facilitated various Lean Kaizen events, procured material, and ultimately helped the plant consistently meet quality and delivery metrics.

Jim holds a Master of Science in Engineering Management from Ohio University and a Bachelor of Science, Industrial Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. Jim also holds a Six Sigma Green Belt from the University of Pittsburgh and a Lean Six Sigma Certificate.