My summer externship is actually in the ” Land of IR” (Ingersoll Rand) where there is actually a yellow road (not brick, concrete) that keeps you out of the way of things like forklifts … that was one of the first things I learned on my first day there. 

The fellowship is centered around LEAN MANUFACTURING: 

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newSTR_44.htm 

The concept that efficiency should be at every step of the manufacturing process; reducing waste, and increasing productivity.  Often resistance to change is the “Wicked Witch” of the manufacturing world… however;there is hope… the LEAN concept (AKA “The Wizard”) provides a plan for defeating that “Wicked Witch.”

 
Enter the Wizard’s assistant…AKA : Jerry Lakey … the man with the plan. Jerry works daily with the maintenance/planning team at IR to put the concepts of LEAN MANUFACTURING into place. This in turn has proven profitable for the company and for Davie County.(see article)   http://www.daviecountyblog.com/ingersoll-rand-brings-over-200-manufacturing-jobs-to-mocksville/