630.789.8262
HPC Network is a structured group of non-competing organizations with a commitment to attain world-class business performance through workforce engagement and aggressive, continuous improvement of business processes.
Downloads:
White Paper: Business Consortiums Intro
"Special Interest Groups (SIGs within CLEC) are a great way for consortium members to share real-life experiences. Seeing how other companies are utilizing Standardized Work has enhanced our learning and growth in that specific area of Lean."
– Leslie Clark
VP Operations,
Elkay Manufacturing Co.
"The Cumberland Group and CLEC have really helped S & C connect to the broader Lean community in numerous ways that have supported our operation's improvements and helped some of our plant leaders to see the broader picture of Lean in other organizations."
– Jim Boss
VP Continuous Improvement,
S & C Electric Corp.
HIGH PERFORMANCE CONSORTIUMS (HPC) NETWORK
HPC Network companies have joined forces in consortium groups to share their expertise, challenge each other to stretch for quantum-leap improvements to lead their industries, and leverage each others' resources in collaborative efforts to accelerate their rates of business performance improvement. Active engagement of each company's entire workforce is a common objective.
HPC consortiums have been profiled in Leveraged Learning Networks by the MIT Sloan Management Review.
Visit the web site at: www.HPCnetwork.com
HPC Chicago
HPC Chicago, a subsidiary of The Cumberland Group, is the U.S. Midwestern arm of the High Performance Consortiums Network and provides facilitation and administrative services to HPC member companies in the Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin region. Additionally, HPC Chicago has partnered with the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) 
to provide HPC facilitation to consortiums formed out of the AME member companies community.
Our currently active consortium is:
Chicagoland Lean Enterprise Consortium (CLEC)
CLEC is a business consortium of companies based in the Chicago area and focused on application of lean operating methods to continuously improve their business performance. It is facilitated by Cumberland HPC Chicago.
The CLEC companies are mid-sized manufacturers of commercial and industrial equipment.
Current CLEC members include:
- Bimba Manufacturing (air cylinders for industrial, automation, and medical equipment)
- Bison Gear and Engineering (gear motors for commercial equipment)
- Elkay Manufacturing (kitchen cabinets, sinks, faucets; water fountains)
- HydraForce, Inc. (hydraulic valves, manifolds, and computer controls for automation, construction, and agricultural equipment)
- Plano Molding Co. (plastic containers and shelving for big-box retailers)
- S & C Electric (switch-gear for electric distribution utilities)
- Whiting Corp. (bridge crane systems and transport industry equipment)
Membership status: Open to addition of several new members.
Contact us to learn more at: or 630.789.8262
Future Consortiums
HPC Chicago is in discussions with a number of companies interested in forming consortiums. As they sort out their common interests, non-competitive status, and geographic proximity (for meetings and work sessions), they will form new consortiums.
Consortiums under consideration include:
- Commercial products and equipment manufacturing
- Healthcare provider facilities
- Construction industry
For status and information, contact us at: 630.789.8262 or