Solid Height - Spring Manufacturers Institute

agencies, and shareholders is driving manufacturers
to produce higher quality products as they continue
to strive for additional cost reductions.
The data that was gathered for this study highlight
three major attributes that set best-in-class
companies apart from the rest: First, leaders are
significantly more likely to have a global quality
program in place relative to average performing
companies. Second, best-in-class companies are
four times more likely than average performers
and five times more likely than laggards to empower
34 SPRINGS July 2006
their decision makers with Web-based, integrated
technologies. Third, although IT is challenged to
integrate disparate applications, leading companies
are benefiting from integrated quality systems
and about one-third are considering either business
intelligence solutions or corporate-wide quality
databases. The complete report can be accessed at
www.aberdeen.com.
North American Events
Oct. 18-20, 2006: Spring World 2006, Rosemont,
IL, CASMI, (847) 433-1335,
www.springworld.org.
Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 2006: Shot
Peening & Blast Cleaning
Workshop and Tradeshow,
Indianapolis, IN, (800) 832-5653,
www.electronics-inc.com.
May 5-10, 2007: Interwire
2007, Cleveland, OH, WAI, (203)
453-2777, www.wirenet.org.
It is with deep regret that
Springs announces the passing of
Jim Schneider and Sam Carrozza.
James R. Schneider was coowner
of O’Hare Spring Co. Inc. in
Des Plaines, IL. He died suddenly
at age 53 on March 10, 2006. Upon
his father’s retirement, he became
co-owner of the company with his
brother, Bill. He served as director
of the Spring Manufacturers Institute
and president of the Chicago
Association of Spring Manufacturers
in 1984. He was the husband
of Kathryn; father of Heather and
Kimberly; brother of William (Joy);
and uncle of 11.
Sam J. Carrozza died in April
2006. A WWII Army Air Force veteran,
he was co-founder and CEO
of Sterling Spring
Corp. in Chicago.
He was husband of
Alvira (nee Lidert);
father of Dr. Lewis
P. (Linda) Carrozza,
Tom Carrozza
and Elyse (Bob) Dickinson; grandfather
of five; brother of Josephine
Maracic, the late Caroline Crecos
and the late Lucille Christian; and
fond uncle of many nieces and
nephews. v