The heart of DuPont’s continued growth lies in its three strategic pathways: integrated science, knowledge intensity and productivity through Six Sigma.DuPont is yet another clear example of Six Sigma complementing a strategic directive.DuPont has been around for a long time and according to this chart (found in the 2004 Annual Report), plans to stay around — living and breathing Six Sigma well into the 21st century.
Savings and Benefits
“Six Sigma continues to play a major role in achieving all of our business objectives, both productivity and growth. We are now finishing our sixth year of Six Sigma at DuPont. At the outset, we focused on cost improvement, mainly at our manufacturing sites. We now have Black Belts leading projects in every function and region, and over 25 percent of our projects are aimed at growing revenue. Six Sigma has become the way we work at DuPont and is a key approach to improving execution as we enter 2005.” 2004 Annual Report
“We are also continuing our progress in productivity. Last year, DuPont Six Sigma added more than $700 million in projects with hard, validated benefits for the company. This was a huge accomplishment made possible by the nearly 17,000 employees who have taken Six Sigma training. We currently have more than 2,500 top-line growth projects. Most of our projects to date have been focused on a specific business or function. We are now evolving to more enterprise-wide projects and more “end-to-end” projects that build our process capability.” 2003 Annual Report
“Further, the company is using its experience with Six Sigma to help customers improve their own operations.” 2002 Annual Report
“We also continue to reap the benefits of Six Sigma. We did not invent Six Sigma, but few companies have embraced it as effectively as DuPont. By the end of 2001, one in every six employees had participated in a Six Sigma project. This disciplined, data-based, problem solving methodology is becoming ingrained in the DuPont culture.” 2001 Annual Report
Articles and Links
Don Linsenmann, DuPont Six Sigma Highlighted in iSixSigma, DuPont News, April 28, 2006
Sustainable Growth, A review of DuPont’s three part strategy to achieve sustainable growth
Meet the Executives, Don R. Linsenmann, Vice President – Corporate Champion, Six Sigma
Six Sigma: A Path to Profits, Pharmaceutical Formulation & Quality, Jan. 2004
DuPont: Innovating With Six Sigma – Chief Learning Officer, Jan. 2004
Six Sigma In Sight – HR Magazine, Mar. 2004
Catching Up With DuPont’s Expanding Six Sigma Program – APQC
Six Sigma: Positioning for Competitive Advantage – DuPont Legal Model
