Tiny Homes of Maine General Manager Corinne Watson and Design and Production Manager Tom Small recently hosted 16 members of Team Hancock at the Dyer Brook manufacturing facility for a day of sales training and an in-depth tour. Having members of the Hancock Lumber sales team onsite for the day led to insightful discussions, shared learning opportunities, and a deeper level of connection amongst the teams.
“I see Tiny Homes as a great opportunity not only for Hancock Lumber, but for the retirement community as well. Opportunities in downsizing and mother-in-law additions have helped address the housing crisis issues within that demographic. Even those who have purchased older, smaller properties and want to rebuild/renovate but find that availability of builders is at a premium, these could be a great solution. These tiny homes are well built, well thought through, and something for all involved to put their stamp on and be proud of.”
—Mark Smith, Damariscotta General Manager
During the tour, Tom and Corinne shared a lot of information about their processes and how they got to this point in their careers. It was an excellent opportunity to showcase the journey of the company and the hard work that has gone into making their operations efficient and effective. Everyone who joined the tour from the lumberyards showed up curious and eager to learn, asking lots of great questions throughout the day.
“When we scale this up and put our full weight behind it, it is going to be exciting! Imagine the first seller that invoices their first tiny home—an entire home sold by way of a single SKU!? Seeing the process in-person reiterates that these homes are high-quality, using products that are built to last.”
—Micah Voter, Bridgton General Manager
One of the highlights of the day was the interest shown by some Hancock Lumber employees in using GembaDocs (standardized work instructions) at their locations. It’s exciting to see LEAN thinking might be contagious and there is an opportunity for shared learning! The potential for implementing these practices across different sites could lead to significant efficiency and productivity gains.
“The innovative and efficient features of the GembaDocs and bin system are incredible. These features have significantly enhanced the Tiny Homes operations and production efficiencies—they were awesome to see in action!”
—Nick Christ, Brunswick General Manager
Overall, the visit was a fantastic experience and great day to spend time together learning! A special thank you to Tom, Corinne, and the entire Tiny Homes of Maine team who made this day possible. Also, a big thank you to everyone who joined from Team Hancock for their participation and enthusiasm.
