Leading Edge Group announces $350,000 Contracts Awarded for Fourth Quarter, Marking Five Years in Canadian Territory, at Irish Trade Mission Function
TORONTO – 9th November 2012, Leading Edge Group, the foremost international provider of continuous improvement business processes today announced several major contract awards for the fourth quarter worth over $350,000 combined in their Canadian territories at an official Irish Trade Mission to Canada event organized by Enterprise Ireland, led by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, Richard Bruton T.D. Irish-based company, Leading Edge Group expanded into Canada five years ago and has experienced a successful and rapid roll-out of ‘Lean’ facilitation and continuous improvement consultancy and training into various market sectors here.
Leading Edge Group’s CEO Joe Aherne said “We are delighted and honored to be part of the Irish Trade Mission to Canada this year as it marks five years of Leading Edge Group in the territory. We have established ourselves at the forefront of the market here, through the provision of continuous improvement particularly in the healthcare sector”.
Congratulating Leading Edge Group, Minister Bruton said:
“Leading Edge Group is a great example of an innovative, export-focused Irish company with a world-class product offering. The significant contracts which it has won display clearly the potential that exists for innovative Irish companies like this in international markets. I am determined to ensure that, with improved supports from my Department and Enterprise Ireland through the Action Plan for Jobs, we can see more companies like this grow their exports and help create the growth and jobs we need”.
Details of five of the major contracts are as follows;
• Leading Edge Group is a strategic partner of Canada’s largest fast food retailer - Tim Hortons Incorporated, in the development of internal capacity through the provision of Lean techniques. The relationship has expanded this year as the Group is now providing consulting to develop a framework for continuous improvement across the organization.
• The Canadian Association of Pathologists now certifies Leading Edge Group’s Lean programs for its members and fellows of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Canada. The program is now an accredited self-assessment program as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and approved by the Canadian Association of Pathologists.
• The philosophy of Lean originated at Toyota, and Leading Edge Group is proud to announce that it will now be delivering Lean support to Toyota dealerships in Quebec and Ontario.
• Leading Edge Group continues to expand its support services for Northern Health Authority in British Columbia. They recently commenced a consulting project aimed at standardizing and improving processes across eight hospital pharmacies in the region.
• Leading Edge Group is now developing Lean capacity within the Ministry of Health in Alberta through the delivery of Lean training to employees.
VP of North American Operations, John Whelton continued: “These new initiatives demonstrate our ever increasing scope of services across a variety of sectors and have helped copper-fasten our position as a market leader in delivering Lean support and process efficiencies to our multiple client base. We are proud to expand our relationship with a Canadian household name such as Tim Hortons and our initiatives with the Canadian Association of Pathologists, Northern Health Authority and the Ministry of Health in Alberta are truly exciting in increasing our level of support and services along the wider healthcare continuum. Finally, we are delighted to bring Lean support to Toyota dealerships in Canada. Given the origins of Lean, it is fantastic to bridge the link between the factory floor and retail outlets and we look forward to providing ongoing support within these dealerships and others in Canada.”
About Leading Edge Group:
Leading Edge Group is an international company that specializes in the area of change and continuous improvement by providing consultancy, corporate training and education to companies across multiple sectors. Established in Cork, Ireland in 1995 and with offices in Canada and the UK, Leading Edge Group is a global leader in the provision of Lean and Six Sigma facilitation and change management delivering strategic and operational improvements for organizations by enhancing customer service, increasing quality and efficiencies and optimizing resources. Leading Edge Group works in partnership with a number of academic and professional bodies to provide internationally accredited Lean certification programs. For more information go to www.leadingedgegroup.com
About Lean:
Lean is a methodology and set of tools and practices that enables an organization to better focus on what their customers want and need (value). Lean identifies wastes - activities that do not enhance the customer experience, and provides a means to remove or reduce them. This increases operational effectiveness and efficiency and results in significant cost savings or avoidance for the organization, as well as greater job satisfaction for everyone working there. Becoming a Lean organization enables a culture of ongoing continuous improvement, while the application of Lean provides a means to achieve and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage.
Media Information:
Roisin FitzGerald, Leading Edge Group
Tel: +353 21 4855863
E: rfitzgerald@leadingedgegroup.com