SC News
Optima combines risk management and operations
Reducing costs and achieving measurable results are two critical ways that consulting firm Optima Associates Inc. of De Pere serves its clients. "We helped one client eliminate 10 tons of hazardous waste and another client cut its lead time from 28 to 14 days," said President Steve Hirt.
Optima's approach stems from a key idea of combining consulting services for operations with risk management. Hirt and Optima Executive Vice President Pete Lemke first hit on this idea of combining operations and risk management consulting services under one roof in 2002 while working for another consulting company.
According to Lemke, once the two of them realized there was a synergy between operations and risk management consulting, they felt it would be a disservice not to offer this approach to clients.
Hirt was the first to leave their former employer, and he started Optima as a consulting specializing in lean manufacturing—his specialty—in 2002. Then Lemke joined Optima in 2005 and added his expertise in risk management consulting.
Lemke said the firm is unique in its ability to look at continuous improvement from the supplier through transportation to the manufacturer, and then through transportation to the customer.
He added that the company is also unique in the way it blends its lean manufacturing approach—which includes Kaizen, set-up time reduction and design for manufacturing and assembly elements—with risk management, which includes OSHA, EPA and DOT compliance.
While declining to give sales figures, Hirt said Optima has grown by 50% each year and has made a profit each year. The company currently has 17 employees and provides consulting services to a wide range of manufacturers as well as to colleges and universities.
Hirt said one of the keys to the firm's success is its ability to develop customer relationships. "Clients contact us for one service but soon realize we can do a whole lot more. We often start with a new client on a smaller project and then watch this expand into more projects and a very strong relationship over time."