Managing Quality

Kimberly-Clark Pursues Sustainable Wood Fiber Alternative

Kimberly-Clark, maker of well-known brands like Kleenex, Scott, and Huggies, has committed $100 million to build a plant in Yuma, Arizona to scale up production and testing of hesperaloe as an alternative fiber for wood pulp in its hygiene products.

This plant is part of a groundbreaking, long-term sustainability effort for its products such as toilet paper and paper towels.

Video Spotlight:

Kimberly-Clark to build new U.S. facility in Yuma (Aug 24, 2026, News 11 Yuma)

This […]

By Lisa M. Spencer|2026-09-29T06:52:36+00:00September 30, 2026|Tags: manufacturing, product design, quality, reshoring, sourcing, strategy, sustainability|

Turfgrass for the World Cup

FIFA’s World Cup 2026 featured 48 teams playing in sixteen different stadiums, hosted by three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

One requirement of FIFA for the World Cup games is that stadiums and fields meet certain specifications, including that the field uses turfgrass. Each field must perform identically in terms of how the ball bounces and ensure safe footing.

Of the sixteen stadiums, eight normally used artificial turf, and five were domed with retractable roofs, adding complexity to meeting field […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2026-08-10T04:33:40+00:00August 9, 2026|Tags: product design, project management, quality, quality characteristics|

Chili’s Benchmarking Its Top-Performing Restaurants

Chili’s, a casual-dining restaurant chain headquartered in the United States, has achieved an incredible turnaround.

Chili’s has 1600 locations worldwide. Same-store sales have increased for the last 20 straight quarters, and the company is now the second-largest casual dining chain in the United States.

In 2025, restaurants’ Average Unit Volume (AUV) was $4.6 Million, up from $3.7 Million in 2024, and from $3.1 Million in 2022.

Much of the successful turnaround can be traced to Kevin Hochman becoming CEO of Chili’s in June […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2026-06-17T20:39:55+00:00June 17, 2026|Tags: benchmarking, continuous improvement, process improvement, quality, strategy|

Older Manufacturing Facilities Face Challenges with AI Implementation

One of the biggest challenges with manufacturers implementing artificial intelligence is preparing physical facilities for the transition.

Asad Afzal is an AI expert and global director of transformation at A-Safe. According to Afzal, “most facilities weren’t built for the level of automation AI now supports.” Many manufacturers are finding that the ability to implement AI is complicated by operational systems that evolved over time, leading to fragmented systems that often span multiple generations of equipment.

Afzal further shared, “If the physical environment […]

By James Kirby Easterling|2026-04-26T06:27:26+00:00April 26, 2026|Tags: adaptive technology, artificial intelligence, automation|