Eric Zink

Professional Background and Education:

With over 30 years of experience, Eric focuses on executing business and operating systems transformations. Using his deep expertise in process and operational improvement techniques, Eric has led several large-scale transformations across broad industries. Eric has an innate ability to translate customer experience from the voice of the customer into customer value creation delivery. Eric effectively operationalizes systems-level improvements for his clients and business partners and achieves their goal of maximizing customer satisfaction. Eric is the principal of Think Zink Consulting, LLC. He received his Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from Eastern Michigan University and earned his Bachelor's in Manufacturing from Cleary University. He also holds a degree in Chemistry from Washtenaw Community College. He earned his Six Sigma Black Belt certification from Ford Motor Company in 2006. Notable clients include Ford Motor Company, Visteon Corporation, Eaton Corporation, Kraft Foods, Caterpillar, Meritor, Truck-Hero, New Gold, Canadian Natural Resources, Vroom, Dextech Fastening Systems, Accuride, and Gunite Foundry.

Select Client Experiences:

New Product Development and Launch:
Meritor—TransPower Electrification BlueSky Division Engineering Lean Coach. Help manage engineering deliverables within the NPI GP3 framework for the PACCAR HD electric Class 8 truck program using capacity planning and performance management lean methods to increase utilization from 70% to 80%.

Supply Chain and Inventory Management:
Vroom—Automotive Electronic Retailer/Dealer Lean Manufacturing Transformation. Development of Continuous Improvement Department to mentor internal teams of employees through certification while achieving $5M in cost savings projects through supply chain sourcing and development partnerships.

Multi-level Project Experience:
Ruiz Foods—Food Manufacturer ERP and Electronic Quality Management Systems Implementation. Managed Quality PMO team to source, develop, and deploy integrated quality management software for all key quality programs while integrating with a new ERP implementation across three plant and corporate office locations.

Foundry Experience:
Accuride, Corp. — Automotive and Heavy Truck Supplier Management Representative for IATF16949 Certification. Interim Quality Management role reversed IATF 16949 revocation and GM shipping certification for Gunite Corporation Foundry.

Automotive Experience:
Caterpillar — Heavy Industrial Manufacturer. Development of NPI Process Supply Chain AVID (Added Value in Design) Event. Identified over $300M in supply chain savings for wheel loader program using Quality Function Deployment tool analysis and value engineering techniques used in automotive industry OEM businesses.

Functional Experience:

• Strategy Development & Deployment
• Lean: Toyota Production System
• Variation Reduction
• Hoshin Planning
• Six Sigma
• Program and Performance Management
• Risk Management
• Supply Chain

Select Industry Experience:

• Retail/Textiles
• Health Care
• Insurance & Financial
• Gas & Oil / Nuclear & Electric Utilities
• Plastics/Injection Molding
• Assembly/Paint
• Information Management
• Building Services / Maintenance
• Construction Management / Contracting / Mining
• Environmental Services