By reclaiming nearly 42,000 aircraft parts during fiscal 2004 and 2005, a team here saved the government $1.25 billion, while providing direct and often sole-source parts support to American and allied warfighters.

As a result, the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center earned the 2005 Department of Defense Maintenance Symposium Recognition of Air Force Units for Lean Continuous Process Improvement.

"AMARC highlighted the changes and improvement in the reclamation process for this nomination," center commander Col. Tony Panek said. "I'm very proud of the men and women of AMARC.”

The colonel said, “They played an active role in the LEAN teams. They came up with ideas and recommendations to achieve these types of improvements and savings."

The center reduced in-processing time to an average of less than 24 hours, from the time a customer requests a part, or parts, until shipment.

Through continuous process improvement, the center team shipped more than 35 percent of all priority 1 to 3 parts in less than 48 hours. Before, fewer than 10 percent shipped in 48 hours and the average was 10.2 days.

The center reduced parts reclamation time for priority 4 to 8 parts to 5 days -- a 75 percent reduction in customer lead time. The center also reduced parts reclamation time for priority 9 to 15 from 22 days to 5.8 days, a 74 percent reduction.

The AMARC team returned 10,600 priority 1 to 15 parts -- valued at more than $267 million -- and 4,800 "save list" parts -- identified by item managers as critical, and valued at $177 million -- to air logistic centers, item managers, the supply chain and other defense customers.

The team also reduced safety mishaps -- first aid, lost days and definitive care -- from 11 fiscal 2004 to 1.

"We are now raising the bar a few notches. I'm looking forward to our future successes," Colonel Panek said.

Colonel Panek and center director Sam Malone said improvement in numerous work centers, production support and administrative functions, are evidence of how the AMARC team has embraced process improvement.

"Our willingness to challenge the status quo and make positive change for the Air Force will keep AMARC as a critical supplier of products and services to the warfighter," Mr. Malone said.

Colonel Panek said, "Earning an award is great. But this award highlights AMARC doing its mission and doing it well -- in this case getting parts to the warfighter in a timely manner.”