Executive Summary
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- Mauser has identified quality improvement as a 2026 priority within the Billion Dollar Plan, emphasizing that strong execution, process discipline, and speed are essential to delivering consistent results and protecting the business.
- Building on the 2025 launch of the Seven Pillar Quality Strategy, NASP is focused on standardizing processes, eliminating root causes of defects, and reducing operational inefficiencies to enable teams to perform work right the first time.
- The strategy centers on making work easier and more predictable for employees by implementing structured methodologies (PDCA and DMAIC), strengthening process visibility through mapping, reducing variability and rework, and investing in our workforce through Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma training.
- Acting with urgency to resolve issues is critical, as delays drive higher costs, disrupt operations, and limit the ability to reinvest in employees, equipment, and future capabilities.
As part of our 2026 priority to continue investing in our Billion Dollar Plan, Mauser is accelerating efforts to strengthen quality across the business. This focus on quality is not separate from execution—it depends on it. When we invest in better processes and tools and execute with discipline and urgency, we are investing directly in our people and protecting the business at the same time.
In 2025, NASP launched the Seven Pillar Quality Strategy to build stronger, more repeatable processes and eliminate the root causes of recurring defects. This strategy was intentionally designed to reduce frustration, eliminate waste, and create stability—so teams can focus on doing the work right the first time.
Delays in correcting known issues or stabilizing processes don’t just impact quality; they compound cost, disrupt schedules, and limit our ability to reinvest in people, equipment, and future capability. Acting quickly and decisively is how we protect margins, maintain customer trust, and sustain long-term growth.
Why Driving Quality Improvements Matters
- Making your job easier through clearer processes and fewer recurring issues
- Reducing frustration by fixing problems at their root
- Creating growth opportunities through expanded training and Six Sigma certification
- Building long‑term business stability—which supports every employee and every facility
By continuing to invest in people, processes, and quality through our Billion Dollar Plan, Mauser is strengthening daily work experiences and building a more consistent, reliable, and sustainable operation for all employees.
Execute with ownership and urgency—because timely action strengthens quality, performance, and our work environment.
Improving quality through disciplined execution delivers clear benefits to employees:
- Fewer production issues and less rework
- Clearer, more stable processes
- Stronger customer confidence
- A safer, more predictable work environment
Read on to learn where we’re focusing and how these improvements will benefit you and your work.
Process Approach – Making Work Easier Through Clear, Repeatable Systems
To help facilities run more smoothly, NASP teams are using two proven methods:
- PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act): Best for small, ongoing improvements (Lean and Kaizen).
- DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control): Used when tackling bigger, more complex challenges.
Using both methods gives facilities the flexibility to make meaningful improvements while keeping core processes stable and understandable.
Engineering and quality teams are partnering directly with facilities to build Level I–III process maps and Value Stream Maps. These tools help visualize how workflows by:
- Identifying where breakdowns or waste occur
- Pinpointing the true root causes of defects
This results in less guesswork, more clarity, and fewer repeated issues for employees on the floor.
Process Improvement – Investing in Employees Through Meaningful Training
Quality improvement only works when employees have the tools and skills to lead it. That’s why Mauser is investing heavily in Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma training, giving employees the opportunity to build new capabilities, lead change, and grow their careers.
In 2025, 39 employees earned Six Sigma Green Belt training, with sessions offered both in Chicago and virtually; ensuring more employees across our network could participate.
To achieve Green Belt certification, each participant completes a project that delivers real, measurable improvements in their facility. Some standout 2025 projects include:
- Welding and scrap reduction on .50 caliber ammo boxes (Homerville, GA)
- Onsite regrinding and material process improvements (Chicago, IL)
- Colorant reduction and printing improvements (Dayton, OH)
- Changeover time reduction (Cidra, Puerto Rico)
These projects directly impact employees by reducing waste, simplifying tasks, minimizing defects, and improving daily workflow.
More Six Sigma training courses are planned for 2026 as part of our continued investment in employee development.