CPS Success Stories

Read some examples of how CEF influenced positive, real-world change through Creative Problem Solving:

Martin-Marietta saves $104 million for taxpayers. Using CPS, the firm created a plant-wide Value Analysis program resulting in $104 million dollars in cost savings over a four-year period.

Monsanto uses CPS to structure $1 billion Nutrasweet program. Starting with a team of 150 people from different disciplines, and in the midst of a major corporate restructuring, Monsanto used CPS to redefine how food is sweetened and beat its competition to market, resulting in a potential payout of $1 billion.

Mead Fine Paper establishes new standard for paper brightness. Using CPS, a team from Mead was challenged with the task of increasing paper brightness from a 94 grade (reflecting 94% of the light shone on it) to 96 grade. Using CPS, the team achieved an unheard of 99% achieving a new world standard.

Kodak saves $3 million. A team of CEF colleagues as charged with helping a Kodak division improve productivity. They created a training and development program to transform the group into a high-functioning team, train them to use CPS and take responsibility for the quality of their relationships in the group. Management credited the program with helping the group save $3 million annually.

Electrohome makes steel breathe. Using a multi-functional team and the CPS process, electronics manufacturer Electrohome transformed a manufacturing process from one in which 18 people produced 2000 units on a shift with a 12-15% rejection rate, to one in which 2 people could produce the same number of units with less than a 0.1% rejection rate.

Xerox improves product quality and cost-effectiveness. CEF is credited with a key role in Xerox’s revitalization program and the establishment of its internal creative culture.

Frito-Lay saves $600 million. Over a seven-year period, from 1982-1989, the company flattened costs using the Osborn Parnes Creative Problem Solving process, which was taught to multi-functional teams working internally as well with vendors.