Harbour Consulting Delivers Lean Expertise to the U.S. Air Force

TROY, Mich., May 18, 2004 -- Harbour Consulting (formerly Harbour and Associates), a leader in lean practices for manufacturing industries, announced today that they are part of a team of companies selected by the United States Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) to transform their maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations into a lean enterprise and make Air Force Logistics Centers self-sufficient in lean practices.

Harbour Consulting is supporting multiple Air Force maintenance facilities in the United States. The project objective is to transfer expertise in lean thinking to reduce remanufacturing time for F-15 aircraft. Remanufacturing time includes the disassembly, test and reassembly of the entire aircraft and is a critical and regular occurrence in maintaining the thoroughbred fighter plane. In conjunction with its partners, Harbour will work to implement lean thinking and practices using five two-man teams assigned to four Air Force bases across the country. Once the process has been proven out on the F-15, the Air Force will then be able to transfer the practices to other lines of aircraft.

"It means a lot to me personally and to all of us at Harbour to have this opportunity," said Ron Harbour, company president. "By taking the lean principles we're known for in the automotive industry and applying them to Air Force maintenance practices, we're able to support the country and help government organizations eliminate waste and become more efficient."

The team of companies is being led by the Altarum Institute of Ann Arbor, Mich. In addition to Harbour, companies involved include the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center of Plymouth, Mich., and IBM Business Consulting Services of Fairfax, Va. The project began in February 2004 and includes two option years; the total project length will be one to three years depending on USAF requirements. Upon completion of the contract, significant portions of the AFMC will be self-sufficient in continuing lean improvements in its full range of MRO and supporting administrative operations.

Harbour Consulting is a manufacturing and management consulting firm focused on improving the overall competitiveness of manufacturing companies. The Harbour team is dedicated to helping companies develop and sustain a competitive advantage by implementing proven quality and productivity techniques in order to improve competitiveness and lower total cost. The company continues to study and service automotive manufacturing organizations throughout the world, and has expanded its scope to assist financial firms in manufacturing due diligence and such industries as pharmaceuticals, electrical components and furniture. In addition, Harbour Consulting publishes The Harbour Report, the annual study of automotive manufacturing performance in North America and Europe.

More information about Harbour Consulting can be found at the company's website, www.harbourinc.com .