Summary: After trained examiners and accomplished business professionals performed a thorough assessment of its facility, the Boston Scientific manufacturing site in Coyol, Costa Rica has been awarded the internationally-recognized Shingo Prize from the Shingo Institute, a program in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business.

LOGAN, Utah – The Shingo Institute, a program in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, has awarded Boston Scientific’s manufacturing site in Coyol, Costa Rica with the Shingo Prize.

“Receipt of the Shingo Prize is a worldwide recognized symbol of an organization’s successful establishment of a culture anchored on principles of enterprise excellence—principles such as respect for every individual, leading with humility, quality at the source, the quest for perfection, creating value for the customer, etc.,” said Ken Snyder, executive director at the Shingo Institute. “Ultimately, these recipients are in a class of the best organizations in the world, regardless of industry or country.”

Boston Scientific is a leading developer and manufacturer of medical devices on the global stage centered around a mission “to transform lives through innovative medical solutions that improve the health of patients around the world.” Boston Scientific began operations in Costa Rica in 2004 and employs more than 4,000 associates in the country. Boston Scientific provides more than 13,000 life-changing products that help treat 30 million patients around the world each year.

“This prize is a reflection of our strong culture of operational excellence. It is also the result of a high-performing, passionate, and engaged team with a winning spirit. The Coyol team is committed to achieving excellence in everything we do,” said Luis Serrano, vice president of operations of the Coyol site.

“It’s a great experience that we can live every day,” said Randall Arroyo, one of the site’s product builders, or guías. “It has made us grow in our daily life because knowledge opens doors and we can go beyond what we could before.”

The Boston Scientific facility in Coyol has made several achievements along their journey to operational excellence. In 2015, the facility received the Shingo Bronze Medallion and, the following year, became the first carbon-neutral medical company in Costa Rica and was officially recognized by the Costa Rican government as an inclusive company. In 2017 the company was not only ISO 50001 certified but also received Blue Flag certification for sustainability and received the National Excellence Award. The site is currently the world’s largest manufacturer of biopsy forceps and imaging catheters.

By “challenging” or applying for Shingo recognition, organizations invite a group of accomplished professionals and trained examiners to thoroughly review their culture and operations. The examiners evaluate the challengers based on a rigorous set of standards and the Shingo Institute awards the organizations according to their assessment results.

Team members from the Boston Scientific Coyol facility will receive the Shingo Prize during the Awards Gala at the 31st Shingo Conference held the week of April 28–May 3, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. The conference is a five-day event featuring a selection of workshops, plant tours, keynote speakers, and breakout sessions designed to provide ongoing knowledge, insights, and experience for organizations in their pursuit of operational excellence.

About the Shingo Institute

The Shingo Institute is home of the Shingo Prize, an award that recognizes organizations that demonstrate an exceptional culture that fosters continuous improvement. A program in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, the Shingo Institute is named after Japanese industrial engineer and Toyota adviser, Shigeo Shingo. Dr. Shingo distinguished himself as one of the world’s thought leaders in concepts, management systems, and improvement techniques that have become known as the Toyota Production System.

Drawing from Dr. Shingo’s teachings and years of experience working with organizations worldwide, the Shingo Institute developed the Shingo Model™ which is the basis for its several educational offerings, including workshops, study tours, and conferences. Workshops are available in multiple languages through the Institute’s Licensed Affiliates. For more information on workshops, affiliates, or to register to attend the International Shingo Conference, please visit www.shingo.org/v1.1.