Tag Archives: material handling

Western Pacific Storage Solutions Taps 18-year Supply Chain Veteran to Lead Engineering Team

Western Pacific Storage Solutions, nation-wide manufacturer of industrial shelving and work platforms (mezzanines), announces Chuck Johnson as director of engineering.

Los Angeles, CA – USA | December 16, 2021 — Western Pacific Storage Solutions (WPSS.com) announced today that it has hired veteran supply chain engineer Chuck Johnson to lead its Engineering department. As director of engineering, Johnson brings a deep, eighteen-year background in supply chain engineering project management and product development and will oversee the Western Pacific engineering team, widely respected throughout the industry. Past director of engineering, Noel Toquero, is excited to become Senior Estimating and R&D Engineer.

Reflecting on his new role, Johnson said, “I’m a heavy process guy in the way I think and the way I work, but the customer doesn’t pay for process, they pay for the output of the process. To me it’s all about improving our existing lines and expanding our available lines – helping to streamline and yet expand at the same time. There’s an incredible amount of talent and knowledge at WPSS with a solid team of engineers, and building on this strength, we’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”

Among Johnson’s responsibilities at Western Pacific will be oversight of the day-to-day engineering work, including estimating, CAD and Project Management. At the same time, he will bring focus to improving existing products and optimizing the path for Western Pacific to “deliver products to market that will bring value to our customers”, Johnson said.

Tom Rogers, Western Pacific’s CEO said, with Western Pacific’s commitment to lean engineering processes, and Chuck’s dedication to process, (he holds Lean Six Sigma, Manager of Quality Organizational Excellence, and Agile Project Management certificates), we feel that Chuck will truly be an asset to our organization and our customers.

Johnson developed his engineering / project management, product development and team building skills at leading California-based supply chain companies, one where he was recruited to improve New Product Development across the company’s substantial range of product categories, as well as a manufacturer of custom racing pistons where he was promoted from engineering manager to lead the quality, R&D and application engineering teams.

Chuck Johnson holds a BS, Industrial Technology degree from California State University Los Angeles and an AA in technical drafting from Palomar Community College. A lifelong automotive enthusiast, Johnson piloted a race car to set three land-speed records (193 MPH) – two of which still stand – and formed/led the team that built and campaigned the car. In his spare time, his automotive engineering skills also led him to a multi-year stint as contributing editor with MotoIQ, an automotive performance website that provides technical content.

About WPSS:

Over the past thirty years, Western Pacific Storage Solutions – https://www.wpss.com/ has been serving the smartest links in the supply chain, emerging as one of the leaders in the Material Handling Industry. The company has experienced steady growth as a trusted supplier of industrial shelving, multi-level systems and work platforms (mezzanines) to some of the world’s largest corporations, serving global supply chain and material handling customers. The company’s national operations in California, Texas, and Kentucky, include manufacturing plants, and three well-stocked distribution centers.

Press & Media Contact:
Gina DiMassa
Brand Orbit
+1 626-791-7954
ginadc@brandorbit.com
www.wpss.com

The Progress Group Names Steve Hopper as Associate Partner

The supply-chain consulting firm that makes change happen expands its robust team of supply-chain experts, adding an industry veteran with more than two decades of experience.

ATLANTA, Georgia (7 March 2011) — The Progress Group has announced the appointment of Stephen T. Hopper, PE, as Associate Partner. A specialist in supply-chain execution, Steve has helped dozens of Fortune 1000 clients drive down their operating costs and boost the performance of their people, inventory, facilities, equipment, material handling systems, and information technology. Hopper’s strength is streamlining warehousing and distribution operations to improve efficiency, customer service, and cost-effectiveness. His core capabilities include:

  • Conception, modeling, analysis, design, and reengineering of warehousing and distribution operations and business processes
  • Strategic distribution network planning
  • Distribution center planning, design, and process improvement
  • Economic evaluation and justification of alternative solutions
  • Design, estimation, specification, selection, and implementation of material handling systems and supply-chain information systems such as WMS and LMS
  • Improvement of labor productivity, resource utilization, and customer service levels
  • Reduction of inventory

“I’m thrilled to join forces with The Progress Group,” says Hopper. “My new associates are among the most knowledgeable, experienced, and highly respected supply-chain professionals on the planet, and the firm’s reputation of client satisfaction is unmatched in the industry. It’s a real honor to be a member of this great team.”

Steve comes to The Progress Group from Inviscid Consulting, which he founded in 2004. Steve also held key roles with Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA), RedPrairie, Retek Logistics (now part of Oracle Corporation), and Deloitte’s Garr Consulting logistics practice. He earned a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering (BIE) degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE).

About The Progress Group

The Progress Group, LLC, is an independent management-consulting firm that makes change happen in supply-chain operations. Founded in 1991, the firm specializes in solving problems in and improving the performance of warehousing, distribution, manufacturing, and logistics operations in a variety of industries. For more information, visit www.theprogressgroup.com.

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