AFMC in hot pursuit of manufacturing award Published July 22, 2005 WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- Air Force Materiel Command units captured four of the five finalist nominations for the Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing–Public Sector category.The four Air Force finalists are:-- Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center’s KC-135 (Stratotanker) Programmed Depot Maintenance office at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.-- Warner Robins Air Logistics Center’s C-5 (Galaxy) Programmed Depot Maintenance office at Robins AFB, Ga.-- The F-16 (Fighting Falcon) Common Configuration Implementation Program office and F-16 Pylon Shop, both at Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill AFB, Utah.The Shingo Prize has been awarded annually for the past 16 years in business and research categories, but this is the first year for the public sector category. The category includes manufacturing, industrial, or “maintenance, repair and overhaul” type activities by public sector entities.The prize focuses on “lean” -- efficient, no extras -- manufacturing and business practices and has been likened to a “Nobel prize for manufacturing,” officials said.The winner will be named and honored at a public conference and award ceremony in October in Portsmouth, Va.