PRESIDENT’S CORNER

Hello Team Dee Zee.

As I write this the weather has turned cool and I love this weather! The cool breeze and comfortable temperatures could stay year-round in Iowa, and I would be pleased. The cooler weather makes everyone a bit more relaxed and makes working conditions more comfortable. Football has begun and I am sure there are some “Happy Hawkeyes” and some “Sad Cyclones” after the big rivalry game.

For September, October, and November we will have Football Fridays! Instead of wearing your Dee Zee Logo Shirt, feel free to wear a work appropriate shirt to show your support for your favorite high school, college, or NFL football team! If your department or area would like to organize team events on these Fridays, such as potlucks or ordering lunch, or a grill out, please get with your leaders to organize and work out the details.

September 11th, 2001, was a tragic day and many of us have vivid memories of what took place, what we were doing that day, and how it affected us. I was dropping my 4-year-old boys off at daycare, when the sitter had me come into her living room to see the news and the burning towers. When I got to work, it was a very somber day, everyone was quiet and focusing on the news. My husband was traveling by air and was in Chicago O’Hare when air travel halted across the USA. That evening I sat at home watching the TV and news with sadness, fear, and thanking God that my family was ok. Whenever I hear Lee Greenwood’s song, “God Bless the USA” and Alan Jackson’s song “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning” always take me back to that day. I honestly hope that looking back, that day impacted you and your life with a desire to be a better human, more kind, and with the motivation to make the world a better place.

2023 is coming in as a solid year for Dee Zee. We are currently at 87.9% of our annual budget. There has been a lot of news about a strike coming for the UAW (United Auto Workers) on September 14, 2023. A bit in the news about ongoing offers back and forth from the OEM’s (Stellantis, GM, and Ford) and the UAW. If the strike happens, I hope it will be a short one. If it is two or three weeks, it will give us an opportunity to get caught up on orders, ramp up our 6S efforts, get any and all rework processed, and have finished good inventory when the strike is over. If it goes longer than that, we will need to evaluate inventories, totes, and WIP.

The long-awaited new building on the Pleasant Hill Campus for the ELCV/BV1 Structures program is finally close to completion. Kudos to the team in PH for their patience and flexibility as the timeline on this building stretched due to supply chain challenges. Kudos to the team on getting the occupancy permit a few weeks ago and their diligence in getting the few remaining items finalized. Now if the GM forecasted volumes would come to fruition so production can be maximized!

THANK YOU to the team members who have been working diligently to get the facilities organized and totes cleaned up and those who have helped with all of the equipment moves. At this time there is still some equipment needing to be operational, laser three at Via, the flat bed lasers at Main, the Injection mold machine in Bay 4, and the plasma at main. It is essential that we keep our equipment maintained and utilize it in all three shifts when possible. Dee Zee now has approximately 27 CNC mills and over fifteen lasers across all our facilities and we need to focus on 100% utilization and up time.

The number of cross bar programs that Dee Zee provides to OEMs has increased rapidly over the past few years. Bay 4 on Broadway is running three shifts due to the increase in cross bars. Die Cast running board programs have remained popular and the volumes relatively consistent. Continued focus on efficiencies and elimination of waste in the rough coat area is extremely important and has an extremely high-cost savings potential. I encourage YOU, as Team Dee Zee Members, if you are aware or know of ways to improve operations and processes, speak up! Tell your leader, tell the managers, and let’s se if it is feasible. Let’s make our workplace the best world class manufacturing company in existence!

THANK YOU FOR BEING ON TEAM DEE ZEE! It takes all of us to be successful.

Make it a GREAT Day!

Kelli Gallagher

SALES

AFTERMARKET

We attended The Great Smokey Mountain Jeep Invasion and Overland Expo last week. A lot of people attend these shows, which creates a great opportunity to showcase our products! Many of our customers hold events in their regional area that we attend, to support and to sell more products. Be sure to follow us on Facebook/Instagram to see what we are doing and to spread the information to your contacts! We are currently in a couple line reviews with our customers. This is a process where we quote the toolboxes and transfer tanks that they sell in their stores or through their distribution channels. This can be challenging in a lot of ways. The first challenge is remaining competitive in the marketplace as there is plenty of competition going after this business. Capacity is another obstacle we must be really cognizant of because some of our customers move a lot ofproducts throughout the year. It takes a team to quote, produce, and deliver a quality product on time. Ask yourself on a regular basis these questions; 1. Is what I am doing right now moving the needle and bringing Dee Zee to the next level? 2. Is this task something that should be continued or dropped? 3. What can I do differently today to make Dee Zee a greater place to work? These questions can help set your day up for success and will prove beneficial to both you and Dee Zee! Thank you for being a part of Team Dee Zee!     

Troy Wirtz

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Dee Zee is holding an employee appreciation lunch on Saturday, October 21st, 2023. See the full details online: www.deezee.com/employee-event

OEM SALES / RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Third quarter OEM sales started out slow with July being affected by the holiday and also a few plant shutdowns for GM and Ford. August sales were strong and we ended up just slightly below budget for the month. September we are closely watching the UAW strike and how this will affect any of our current customers and shipments. We have plans in place to shift production schedules depending on what plants if any are affected. Crossbar programs continue to see increasing demand across both Toyota / Subaru / Honda and we are working through those challenges to meet our customer demands. The F150 BEV running board volume is expected to increase dramatically in the fall as they have recently completed updates to their plant to support higher volumes. We are also excited to see some new programs launch this fall with the latest Nissan Frontier hoopstep SE edition program, 2024 Honda Ridgeline running board programs, and also the all new 2024 Toyota Tacoma roof rack, molle panels, and bed dividers. The OEM sales group is also seeing alot of new RFQ’s for 2025/2026 model year vehicle accessories and we will be working to secure that business in the coming months.

Supplier scores are a method by which our OEM customers grade Dee Zee’s performance as a supplier. Dee Zee receives monthly and/or quarterly scores depending on the customer. These are then reviewed monthly and compared to company metrics for performance. Everyone at Dee Zee can impact these scores as they take into account Dee Zee product quality, on-time delivery performance, product development, customer service, EDI, and other factors. The Dee Zee team has done an excellent job in recent months in hitting almost all of our internal metrics for supplier scores. There are always challenges each month with supplier issues, equipment issues, unexpected customer demands, and capacity issues but as a team we always find a way to meet the challenges and communicate any issues to our customers.

We recently hired a new design engineer in R&D (James Maltry). If you haven’t already done so, please make sure you welcome James to the Dee Zee team

The SEMA show is fast approaching at the end of October. R&D is working on the two vehicles we will have on display at the show and these will be available for Dee Zee employees to view sometime either before or after the show. Almost all of our aftermarket and OEM customers attend this show and the sales team will be meeting with customers to discuss our current and future business opportunities.

Shawn Schulz

BUILDING UPDATES

BROADWAY

Bay 1
Operation ‘Parking Lot Clean-up!’

Earlier this spring, we were presented with a challenge to get the parking lot cleared of all the scrap plastic totes, obsolete steel racks, and obsolete foam dunnage. Target completion dates were discussed, some very aggressive and some more realistic. Also discussed were how many truckloads would it take…20, 30, maybe more? Mike Cleaver and his team assessed the situation and thought a mid-August timeline was realistic. Once the plan was put in place with Hunter at MDK, Mike began scheduling multiple truckloads per week, and sometimes multiple truckloads per day. His team consisted of Mufnir (Muki) Palic, Vejsil Palic, Sam Lopez, Tom Perkins, Vinh Deo, David Soto, and Matt Ramsey. Our second shift drivers, Meho Salkanovic and Camilo Hernandez, also helped load a few of the later loads. Mike and the team did a great job scheduling the loads, prepping the loads, and then getting them loaded safely on the trucks. They did it in rain or shine, hot, hotter, but mostly unbearably hot days, and never once complained. Many of the plastic totes had to be cut down with a Sawzall so they could be safely stacked and loaded. From my viewpoint, the best thing about this whole project was the pride Mike and his entire team took in accomplishing this monumental task. I encourage everyone to stop over and see how nice it looks. The final tally was 51 truckloads of plastic, steel, and foam. Great job team – thank you!

BAY 2
Our manufacturing facility has been making great efforts to enhance our production performance, quality, and safety by conducting our 6s audits and collaborating with Lean to ensure the audits are accurate and timely and then addressing the issues we find and fixing them. Maintaining the floor marking system has been one of the challenging 6s projects in my facility. We have been dealing with high customer demand, which has strained our production capability and resources. My team has managed to handle the demand by hiring some temporary workers and keeping the overtime low. My team has done a great job of avoiding overtime, which has been a relief during the hot summer days. My team is very grateful for the Gatorade and popsicles that were offered to help us cope with the high temperatures we faced. We are excited for the winter season, as the weather will be more pleasant inside the facility. Demand seems to stay high, so we are hopeful for a strong finish to the year.

Andrew Esqueda

BAY 4
I remember when… Bay 4 was home to only GM D2UC, KIA, Mazda, and Honda roof rails. Today Bay 4 houses the fabrication of roof rails, running boards, and BV1 components, as well as the assembly of 53 finished good part numbers. Soon we will have both our newest injection mold press and automated crossbar fabrication cells up and running. And in the Spring of 2024, we will be launching the next generation of the D2UC roof rail, D2-2. With growth comes challenges, but it also brings opportunity. We are working on getting back to the basics and strengthening our team in Bay 4. One of the greatest strengths of Dee Zee is the opportunity for growth and mobility within the company. If you are someone ready to take the next step at Dee Zee, we have positions offering more responsibility on both 2nd and 3rd shifts. Reach out!

VIA

Material Planning and Logistics:

With Fall right on our heels, we look forward to the change of seasons, from warm (hot) days to breezy-cooler temperatures, from summer breaks to the start of school and fall activities. These changes force us to adjust our routine, and our schedules.

Dee Zee is continuing to see increasing demand for current programs, such as Cross Bars, sidesteps and rough coat running boards, both at the OEM factories and Dealer channel network. Our Aftermarket product produce in house, steel and aluminum Tanks & Toolboxes are still in high demand as well.   

With that said, we must continue to work with our customers (internal & external), to make sure the forecast we are receiving is as accurate as possible. Then working alongside purchasing, scheduling and production, to understand if there are caps in supply or constraints. With the increasing demand, alongside some upcoming program launches over the next serval months, this will require us to adjust our routine, and our schedules, so that we can provide quality truck accessories to our customers.

MAIN PLANT

At Main Plant, we’ve made several changes and additions since my last update. We’ve finished our cafeteria expansion/remodel, relocated the employee lockers next to the cafeteria, and improved the employee walkway and railings around these areas for employee safety. We also have begun repurposing the 2nd floor above the restrooms in the south bay as a second break room for employees.

The move of sub-assembly from PHill is complete, and two Lasers have also been moved to the main plant. They are up and running, and we are working our way through PPAP. The tank area is staying busy working on improving our robots to help increase the output of the area.

ROUGH COAT: As Fall is arriving, and the hot Iowa weather leaves us, Rough Coat was so very thankful for the Gatorade dispenser and the Electrolyte Freeze pops to stay hydrated.  The cooling vests underneath the Tyvek suit helped also. We have now implemented the Fusion Gun in the PPG booths, reducing our amount of spray to waste.  Next, we will move the Fusion gun to the U.L. booths.  The Industrial Engineers are working on a new cart to present the product to the painters, to also assist in reducing our spray to waste.

POWDER COAT: Powder coat stayed busy during the third quarter of 2023, and we are looking forward to changing some of the layout on the north line in the next couple of months. These changes include better lighting for the inspection area, eliminating the toolbox rollers, and moving the hang portion of the line south to open the unload side for better inspection of the product before being sent to Broadway. These changes will make the area more work friendly and safer for each employee.

Brian Beck, Plant Manager

STAMPING

Stamping has been busy over the past quarter focusing on cleaning and organizing the building. We have been cleaning up the racks and the corners that can classically collect low-use items. This is in anticipation of our upcoming 6S Blitz, which is scheduled for Q4 ‘23. With the Blitz we will be building shadow boards, marking out stations for all tools and equipment, and continuing our general cleaning of the building. Currently, we are working to train and certify team members to run the scissor lift and the floor prep equipment. Here soon, we intend to be painting all the yellow walkways, giving the building a fresh and organized feel.  

In addition to 6S, the team has also been focused on our OEE. Throughout the departments we have selected the lowest OEE’s and are working projects to help drive these metrics. In partnership with our Engineering department, we are reviewing how the metrics are being driven by our daily activities, and what we can do to run our days more efficiently. Within the past quarter we have completed time studies within Ecoat, Press, and Powder Coat lines; helping us to base rate the current process’ and ultimately drive ourselves to a better future state.

Overall, within the past quarter we continue to see growth and development in our drive of the building, and the metrics that surround them. The team continues to be strong at driving the DeeZee vision, and we look forward to all the development the coming quarter will bring.   

TOOL & DIE

It is almost moving time in Pleasant Hill. The existing building, 1460, received the last two of the planned welding cells and they are powered on and going through the PPAP process. This brings the total equipment count to six weld cells, three manual clinch nut cells, one automated clinch and rivnut cell, and the conversion coating line. An additional automated clinch nut cell is currently being built and will be installed and powered on by the end of 2023. The new building, 1470, is moving right along with eight new Mazak mills in the process of being powered on and approved for production. Other equipment, desks, chairs, and people are also preparing for the move with the plan of having everyone settled in by end of October. The additional equipment and changes in demand have led to us pausing the hiring for 3rd shift until end of this year but look for some additional 1st shift Machine Operator openings in October!

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

HUMAN RESOURCES

This summer we launched our first Diversity Logo Contest. Both of our winners received Dee Zee swag, four hours of PTO and a framed image of their logo. Their logos will be used in upcoming newsletters and other places from time to time. Get to know more about our logo designers and the inspiration behind their designs!

Quality Engineer Ken Minter supports quality functions at Dee Zee’s Pleasant Hill locations. He admires that Dee Zee is a brand with a variety of OEM products that partners with top manufacturers, trusted to provide a quality solution. Ken’s logo was designed by hand and inspired by the opportunities he has accomplishing goals with team members who are representing different continents around the world. He explained that there is a wide range of experience and know-how, represented by new team members and team members who paved the way with the skills they learned.

Some of Ken’s passions include trying to create something out of something viewed as not useable, writing poems, limericks and developing ways to combine artwork out of reclaimed or unusable wood. One quote Ken lives by or is inspired by is a speech delivered by Theodore Roosevelt known as “The Man in the Arena.”

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Abby Hasley, Quality Satisfaction Engineer, and Chief Internal Auditor manages Dee Zee’s warranty management program, internal audit program, IMDS processes and everything in between. Her diverse role in quality gives her the opportunity to interact with people in almost every department in some sort of capacity and build working relationships while also continuing to meet new people, which is her favorite part about working at Dee Zee. She enjoys playing piano and being creative, which led to the design of her logo. “My degree and role at Dee Zee are heavily “left brain” based so my day-to-day activities are in that realm (math, analytics, logistics). Sometimes I need a break from the left side and need to explore the creative right side of my brain, so I used this opportunity to bring out my creative side to display the diverse work force and team we have at Dee Zee,” she explains.

 

Abby’s passion ties in with her day-to-day responsibilities. She is passionate about identifying problems, solving them, and improving the process along the way. One quote that she lives by or is inspired by is from Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People. “Flaming enthusiasm backed up by horse sense and persistence is the quality that most frequently makes for success.”

We want to thank both Abby Hasley and Ken Minter for participating in the 2023 Diversity Logo Contest and to everyone who took the time to vote for their favorite logo.

Congratulations to Abby Hasley and Ken Minter! Both are participants AND winners in the Diversity Logo Contest! Your votes were appreciated to help us determine a winner and because of this, both logos will be used. 

DES MOINES CORPORATE GAMES

Team Dee Zee,

What a fun summer it was competing in the Des Moines Corporate Games! We may have not placed high on the leaderboard, but teamwork thrived, and A LOT of fun was had! 😎

The Des Moines Corporate Games creates a space for friendly competition and team building within our many departments and buildings at Dee Zee. It is a great opportunity to get to know co-workers outside of work or meet new people that may work at a different building. It is so rewarding to look back on all the photos and big smiles from the events Dee Zee showed representation at this summer! The best part of the summer was seeing the competitive side come out of those you would least expect it! 😉

Summertime is so busy for us all, but it means so much that MANY of you participated and braved the extreme heat to attend these events. Dee Zee competed in Bowling, Bags, Burst Your Thirst, Golf, Meals from the Heartland, Trivia, Dodgeball, Track and Field, Blood Donation Challenge, Cross Country Race, Cycling Ride Tour, 5K Road Race, Tug of War, and Sand Volleyball. As well as volunteered for Basketball Score Keeping and Track & Field Check in. Special thank you to those that captured the great photos to share! Attached are some more fun photos and action shots!

Looking forward to even more participation and competition next year. Great job everyone and thank you again for making it such a fun summer and representing team Dee Zee 🥇

2023 Govenor’s Charity Steer Show

This year Dee Zee Inc participated in the Governor’s Charity Steer Show at the 2023 Iowa State Fair.  The annual event benefits the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa.  We chose Blake Boldon, Senior Associate Athletic Director and Director of the Franklin P. Johnson Drake Relays to be our Celebrity showman. Drake has been a supporter of Dee Zee with the Charity Steer Show in the past.  Blake was excited for the opportunity.  We selected an exhibitor who was interested in participating with his 4-H Market Steer Project.  Tyson Mohr from Ladora Iowa and his Steer “Batman” were among 24 entries in this year’s event.

Tyson will be a Junior at Williamsburg High School this year. He is the son of Alan & Sara Mohr and has been showing Cattle for 11 years.  Participating in the Charity Steer Show has been a goal of Tyson’s for a long time.

This year “Batman” was selected as the Grand Champion Steer of the Show. We were surprised and excited that our entry was chosen for the top honor. This marks the 3rd time in 26 years that Dee Zee has sponsored the Grand Champion Steer. Dee Zee’s entries were chosen in 2001, 2007 & 2023. Congratulations to Tyson Mohr & Family, and Blake Boldon.

The Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show has been held since 1983 and has raised over $5.5 million since the show’s inception. This year the show raised $501,000, the third year in a row that the fundraising record has been broken. Funds are raised through online donations, sponsorships, and an auction of steers following the show.

All money raised benefits the three independent Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa, located in Des Moines, Iowa City, and Sioux City. These three houses have served over 55,000 families from all 50 states and 62 foreign countries. Families from all 99 counties in Iowa have benefited from the Ronald McDonald Houses of Iowa too.

DEPARTMENT UPDATES

I.T.

The Growing Threat of Database Leaks

Database leaks have become a recurring nightmare for individuals and organizations alike. These incidents involve unauthorized access to sensitive information stored in databases, leading to data breaches that can have far-reaching consequences. Recent years have witnessed a surge in database leaks, with countless personal and financial records exposed to cybercriminals.

Users often reuse the same username/email and password combinations across multiple online services. When one database is breached, cybercriminals gain access to these credentials. Attackers compile these stolen credentials into lists for reuse. Attackers use these lists to launch automated “credential stuffing” attacks, trying the same credentials on various websites and services.

Once in, attackers may escalate privileges. For example, compromising your email can lead to control over other accounts. Attackers can misuse your accounts, sending malicious emails, accessing sensitive data, or committing fraud in your name.

Tips for Maintaining Password Sanity:

  1. Use a Password Manager: Employ a trusted password manager to generate and store complex, unique passwords for all your accounts. This ensures convenience without compromising security.
  2. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Whenever possible, enable MFA to add an extra layer of security. Even if your password is compromised, MFA can prevent unauthorized access.
  3. Regularly Update Passwords: Change your passwords periodically, especially after learning of any data breaches involving accounts you use (https://haveibeenpwned.com/)
  4. Educate Yourself: Stay informed about the latest cybersecurity threats and best practices to keep your digital life safe.

By adopting good cybersecurity habits, such as using unique passwords for each account, you can significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to these breaches. Remember, protecting your digital fortress is a continuous effort, and your vigilance today can safeguard your online presence tomorrow.

LEAN UPDATE

Lean/CI:

One of the key concepts that the Lean Team emphasizes in training is that 6S is the foundation of Lean and improvement projects. From experience, the Lean Team has noticed that before we can have successful, sustained improvement projects, each plant needs to be at a standard level of 6S. Our definition of standard level is the following:

Standard Level​ of 6S
•   All necessary tools to perform job tasks are within arm’s reach and can be easily identified​.
•   Areas have visual indicators of which materials go where (i.e. Raw, Finished Goods, etc.)​
•   Areas have necessary tool signage/housing (i.e. Shadow Boards, labeled cabinets, etc.)​
•   Areas are free of material that have the potential to cause a slip, trip or fall​
•   Systematic checks to ensure sustainment on all shifts (i.e. Checklists for shift hand-offs, active visual management board utilization)

To get all plants to this standard level of 6S, the Lean Team has proposed to the Steering Committee a series of 6S Blitz events. Each Blitz will be focused on training the production department on the new LEADZ Training as well as utilizing the 6S process to improve visual management indicators in the production area. This initiative has an aggressive timeline that is already in the works for the remainder of 2023 and the goal to conclude by Q2 of 2024.

 

A quick snapshot of these weeks can be seen from our latest 2-day 6S Blitz in the Press Area (MFG401) at VIA. A few of the team’s successes include adding a new die rack storage system to help increase walkway capacity, shadow board utilization for the QC station/cleaning tools and painted columns to indicate fire extinguisher locations! Great work MFG401 6S Blitz Team! Stay tuned to the newsletter as the Lean Team continues to finish out our Blitz schedule at VIA and moves forward to Stamping in Q4 of 2023!

ENGINEERING

Industrial Engineering:

Well, it is that time of year again.  The process of changing Seasons. I think most would agree that the heat this past month has been a challenge for everyone. The Seasons are predictable and the change to move onto the next one is mostly welcomed.

Change is all around us. Changes in our personal lives, changes with our kids, changes in road construction, and changes within our work and professional development. We need to welcome change, in hopes that the change is for the best. 

On that note, change is always taking place within the Industrial Engineering department as well. Over the past few years, we have introduced a few new systems that everyone needs to be aware of.

  1. The CO system (Change Order)
  2. New BOM process (Bill of Material)

I will talk a little about the Change Order system in this Q3 newsletter and cover the Bill of Material in Q4.

Changes are always taking place within the walls of Dee Zee. Most of the changes are centered around the products we produce. There are Design changes, Processing changes, Material changes, Location changes, and the list goes on.

For most changes that occur, we need to follow the Change Order Process. This process is basically documenting the change that is to take place and for what reason. This Change Order Request can be made through our Dee Zee BaseApp system. It can be found under the “Engineering” tab at the top of the screen.

Although Industrial Engineering is the gatekeeper for this system, it is crucial that many other departments within this organization and our OEM customers are aware of any changes as well and that they are thoroughly documented. Be sure to understand that prior to moving forward with any changes, the proper approval through the CO process must be given before proceeding.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us.

Steve Ugolini

Process Engineering

The Process Engineering team has been busy this year, and that only continues as we head into the fall. Anticipated increases in volume on several programs, as well as new program launches, has the team working on several capacity increase projects, as well as focusing to improve current plant layouts.

To name a few areas of focus for the group:

  • Pleasant Hill Campus – Anticipated BV1 volume increases have led to additional equipment being installed in the old T&D Building, as well as within the new building. This has required significant planning on the equipment needed, as well as where exactly to position them.
  • Broadway – Volume increases and new program launches in Bay 1 and Bay 4 have resulted in significant amounts of planning to optimize the layouts within those bays.
  • Main Plant – Volume is expected to increase through powdercoat and rough coat as the year continues, which has brought about additional capacity conversations in these areas.

As a reminder, nobody knows the areas, processes, or products better than those who are dealing with them every day. If you have ideas on ways that we can improve our efficiency, make someone’s job easier, improve our quality, etc., don’t be afraid to let us know!