Month: May 2024

Saranya Tangvitoontham has had a 16-year career of firsts at Kohler Co. She was the first female General Supervisor at Wisconsin Vitreous Operations, first female Plant Manager at Wisconsin Cast Iron Operations and first female Associate Director of Quality and Continuous Improvement in Global Vitreous. She’s been promoted nine times in different operations roles across three continents and is currently serving as Director of the Kohler Operating System and Transformation Management Office.

The Manufacturing Institute has named Saranya a 2024 Women MAKE Awards Honoree. She is being recognized as part of prestigious peer-selected group of 100 women leaders and 30 rising female stars based on their contributions to their companies, communities and developing the next generation of talent. Winners were announced this month by the Manufacturing Institute, and Saranya will officially accept the honor at the 2024 Women MAKE Awards Gala in Washington D.C., on Thursday, April 18. See all honorees here.

“I am incredibly humbled by this honor, and I am proud to represent Kohler Company in accepting this award among the other honorees,” said Saranya, “This is a great step forward for women excelling in Manufacturing; and if this award inspires more women to enter and succeed in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Production careers at Kohler, that will be a true fulfillment.”

In 2023 alone, Saranya and the Global CI team implemented a lean program, training more than 1,500 associates from leadership to machine operators. Her team set critical standards for Kohler’s plants around the globe to achieve their priorities through a factory master plan. Saranya also led a refocus and rebranding of the Kohler Operation System, educating each plant on its importance and implementation. Through Saranya’s transformation role, her contributions to the Kitchen and Bath operations have helped streamline the entire organization with a focus on company performance and associates’ growth.

Saranya recognizes the importance of mentorship and STEM education and she’s committed to sharing these career opportunities with young people from all backgrounds. She participated in a STEM Outreach Program at Kohler for middle school students. Additionally, she has been mentoring young talent for over 10 years. She is also the founder and past President of the Asian Resources of Kohler business resource group.

When it comes to her path to success, Saranya finds inspiration in the quote by Tim Notke — “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”

“I have never claimed to be the smartest in the room, but I have always been one of the hardest working. When challenges come your way, stay persistent, stay focused and never give up,” said Saranya. “Temporary failure is the best learning opportunity, and it could be a steppingstone to success. Feel the fear and do it anyway!”

Outside of work, Saranya continues her focus on excellence as a youth coach, mentor to the program coordinator and member of the board of review for the American Heritage Girls organization award recipients. A favorite activity with the girls has allowed Saranya to share her passion for ballroom dancing as she helped a room full of 5- to 18-year-olds earn their Dance Badge. A ballroom dancing competitor since college, Saranya continues to compete at the professional/amateur level and has placed first statewide and third nationally in International Ballroom at the United States Dance Championship. Saranya and her husband are active in their church and supporters of its mission work in Gabon, as well as several local charities.

Eastman

Long-distance speedskating requires determination, rigorous training and a long-term plan to reach the finish line. Tiemen Noordam is using skills from his role at Eastman to prepare him for a 200-kilometer speedskating tour.

Noordam is a supply planning excellence manager at Eastman’s Rotterdam site in the Netherlands. He helps business teams optimize short- and long-term supply planning so the company has the right amount of product inventory. His work maximizes efficiency for Eastman and satisfaction for its customers.

“I like working toward goals with small groups to make strategic changes fast,” Noordam said. “I see everything as a puzzle. Everything is connected. If there is an error in one place, I try to locate where it comes from. And, of course, you have to focus on your goals. It’s the same with preparing for this race. We have to focus and train in the months leading up to it so that we’re ready to compete.”

Noordam and a few friends committed to a yearly physical challenge a few years ago. Last year, they ran a marathon. Now they’re training for Elfstedentocht, a speedskating tour on natural ice set for late January in Austria. His strategic planning mindset is already at work in their training regimen.

Noordam works with Eastman supply managers to standardize supply planning capabilities across all businesses within the company, leveraging standard planning tools and processes. The approach ensures customers get the products they need when they need them without building excess inventory or unnecessary or inefficient production for Eastman.

“This type of work is easy when all the excitement is there in the beginning, but it becomes a lot harder when closing out the more complex topics,” said Rian van den Bos, Noordam’s manager at Eastman. “Tiemen has demonstrated an ability to work with that complexity. He does not give up easily and knows how to resolve issues using a practical approach. I’m convinced he will apply those skills to the ice-skating race as well.”

Ice skating is one of the most common winter activities in the Netherlands, so Noordam and his friends knew how to skate. But they needed training to complete Elfstedentocht without injury. As a strategic thinker at work and on the ice, Noordam knew they would need to build their stamina to prepare for the tour.

The team signed up for a 16-week training course to expand their basic skills and build their endurance. In addition to weekly training, the team members skate weekly on their own and cross-train through activities like cycling.

Noordam and his team are racing to raise funds for KiKa, a Dutch nonprofit organization committed to ending childhood cancers. So far, the team has raised 4,180 euros, exceeding their original goal of 1,000 euros.

“When we signed up for the tour, we noticed you could use your participation as a way to raise money for a nonprofit organization,” he said. “We later learned one of our neighbors has a 5-year-old daughter who needed surgery because of bone cancer, so skating for KiKa felt the right thing to do.”

AMSTERDAM, HONG KONG, and OAKLAND, Calif., May 1, 2024 /3BL/ – Cascale, the global non-profit alliance for driving impact in consumer goods (formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition), is proud to announce Colin Browne as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective May 1, 2024.

With a wealth of global experience in supply chains and both brand and factory management, Browne will lead Cascale into a new era of proactive and impactful sustainability practices. His proven expertise in forging strategic partnerships and mobilizing a global network uniquely positions him to amplify Cascale’s mission, transforming the consumer goods sector into a beacon of restorative and equitable business practices that benefit people and the planet. Under his leadership, Cascale will leverage its unifying position to explore and develop true accountability measures alongside deeper commitments.

”It’s an honor to join Cascale at this pivotal juncture in its evolution. My career has been dedicated to not just participating in, but actively driving impact at, every facet of the consumer goods supply chain—from the boardroom to the factory floor. I am committed to harnessing this experience as we amplify Cascale’s data-driven programs, Higg Index tools, and core values of collaboration and equal partnership to achieve new heights for the greatest possible impact.” –Colin Browne, CEO, Cascale

Browne previously served as Interim CEO and Chief Operating Officer of Under Armour, a Cascale member. His business-oriented approach centers on sustainability, and with Cascale’s recent expansion into adjacent product categories he is well-positioned to scale the type of supplier-focused initiatives that he has championed throughout his career.

“Colin is the right leader for our transformative journey. His deep commitment to our strategic objectives, from combating climate change to fostering decent work and building a nature-positive future, combined with his extensive experience at top global companies, uniquely positions him to propel Cascale forward. With Colin at the helm, I am confident that we will achieve new levels of impact in the consumer goods industry.” –Tamar Hoek, Cascale Board Chair, and Senior Policy Director Sustainable Fashion, Solidaridad Network.

During his tenure at Under Armour, Browne oversaw sustainability efforts and, in addition, led significant transformations across supply chain, go-to-market and technology. In 2023, the company shared achievements related to its environmental footprint, product circularity, and renewable energy goals – some accomplished with Cascale’s Higg Index suite of tools.

Prior to joining Under Armour, Browne was managing director of Asia Sourcing for VF Corporation, a Cascale member that includes The North Face, Timberland, Vans, and Smartwool brands. In addition to his experience leading brands, Browne also spent four years running manufacturing plants in Thailand and began his career at Bally Shoe factories in the UK. He has lived and worked in the UK, South Korea, mainland China, the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong SAR, and the USA; his international experience and localized approach underscore his commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) both in and outside of the workplace. Browne also served as the Chairman of the American Apparel and Footwear Association and was on the board of the World Federation of Sporting Goods Industries. As a member of the Worldly Board, the leader in environmental and social impact data for the apparel and footwear industry and the exclusive platform for Cascale’s Higg Index tools, Browne will ensure a unified approach to advancing sustainability initiatives across both organizations.

During his first 100 days with Cascale, Browne will connect with the organization’s 300+ members across the value chain, emphasizing manufacturer engagement and relationship building. He will also engage Cascale’s broader ecosystem of stakeholders including NGOs, governments, and academia. Browne is personally committed to Cascale’s vision to lead the consumer goods industry to combat climate change, foster decent work for all, and build a nature-positive future.

Browne will attend the upcoming Cascale Manufacturer Forum in Shanghai on June 28, emphasizing his immediate focus on further understanding the needs of manufacturers and Cascale’s role in supporting them to meet sustainability goals.

About Cascale

Cascale [www.cascale.org] is the global nonprofit alliance empowering collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Spanning over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, and NGO/nonprofit affiliates around the globe, we are united by a singular vision: To catalyze impact at scale and give back more than we take to the planet and its people. Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index and a unified strategy for industry transformation.

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