Digital dashboards that help you identify deviations and make the right decisions.
Capture your deviations and turn them into improvements
Continuous improvement, Kaizen boards, PDCA and other tools.
All your team’s tasks, neatly organized in one weekly view.
Improve key performance indicators within your specific focus areas with our SQCDP board.
Use the PDCA cycle as a tool to improve both quality and processes
Digital tools for 5S work, recurring audits, and a well-organized workplace.
Visualize KPIs and communicate effectively throughout the entire organization.
Basic project management and activity boards.
Kanban is a powerful method for visualizing, managing, and optimizing workflows.
Digital dashboards for takt time flow with takt time counter and stop time log.
Digital visitor registration provides full control over all planned and executed visits to your business.
A text message became the starting point for a digital revolution at Gränges Americas Inc. When CEO Patrick Lawlor, during a study visit to Sweden, sent a few photos to his IT manager across the Atlantic, no one could have guessed that it would transform the company’s entire way of working. From manual whiteboards and paper notes to dynamic digital management. The journey with Boards on Fire marked the beginning of a new era.
The aluminum manufacturer Gränges was founded in 1896 in Grängesberg, Sweden, and has since built a strong tradition of innovation, quality, and sustainability. Through this, the company has not only influenced the Swedish aluminum industry but also established a significant global presence.
From its roots in Sweden, Gränges has expanded into three dynamic regions: Gränges Asia, Gränges Europe, with production facilities in Finspång and Konin, and Gränges Americas in North America. The U.S. operations have become an important part of the company’s international strategy, exemplifying how Gränges combines its technological heritage with modern innovation to meet the needs of global industrial customers.
As the operations grew, the manual processes became insufficient. At Gränges Americas Inc, the management soon recognized the need for an improved workflow to create a more efficient, transparent, and focused workday. This was where Boards on Fire’s digital solution for daily management eventually came into play.
The step toward a more efficient workday
For many years, Gränges Americas Inc managed its daily operations manually. But as the business grew, it soon became clear that the existing work processes were no longer sufficient. Important information and key performance indicators were recorded by hand on paper or printed sheets, which were then taped to whiteboards out on the factory floor. These served as the basis for morning meetings, where teams reviewed the previous day’s results, discussed the day’s plans, and identified areas for improvement.
To compile and share information, new summaries were sent further up the organization, a process that was time-consuming, inefficient, and often led to duplicated work. This reduced the time available for strategic tasks, delayed decision-making, and increased the risk of valuable insights being lost.
The spark that ignited the shift toward a digital workflow began with a simple message. In the spring of 2025, Patrick Lawlor, CEO of Gränges Americas Inc., was visiting Sweden with the management team, while Bill Markut, IT Director, was attending a conference in South Carolina. Suddenly, Bill’s phone buzzed, Patrick had sent photos of the digital boards being used at a factory they were visiting. Shortly afterward, Patrick asked how long it would take to implement something similar in their U.S. plants.
Bill conducted thorough research and soon reached out to Boards on Fire. The journey toward digital daily management had begun.
– When I researched companies offering digital solutions for daily management, I quickly realized that no other company could provide what Boards on Fire does. On top of that, the contacts at Boards on Fire were very responsive, which was especially valuable given the time difference between the U.S. and Sweden, says Bill
After testing Boards on Fire in parts of the organization for a few months and evaluating its benefits and potential, they decided to fully commit and implement Boards on Fire across the entire business. Today, the system is used in all facilities, Newport, Franklin Corporate Office, Huntingdon, and Salisbury, where it has become a central part of daily management.
When Boards on Fire was introduced, the technical implementation went smoothly. However, it took some time for the teams to find the right way to use the boards. The challenge wasn’t the technology itself, but how the information should be structured and presented. Employees needed to learn to distinguish which data was most relevant to display and how to visualize it in a way that would lead to actionable results. The goal was to make information clear, actionable, and meaningful, not just to show numbers on a screen.
– I encouraged my colleagues to visualize data that reflects both current actions and real-time information. The aim was for a production manager to quickly get an overview of how the team is performing, for example, in terms of deviations or ongoing tasks. Since the employees on the shop floor are closest to the processes, it made sense for them to discuss and shape how this should look, rather than me deciding it, says Bill.
This approach was greatly appreciated by the employees and resulted in a deeper understanding of the various processes and their significance.
Since the introduction of Boards on Fire, the business has evolved on multiple levels. The flow of information between factories, departments, and management has become more efficient and transparent. Unlike before, employees now gain continuous insight into what has happened during recent shifts. They can track trends and quickly identify areas that require special attention, thanks to the system’s ability to collect, visualize, and escalate data in real time supported by engaged and responsive staff. This, in turn, has helped strengthen the connection between productivity, output, and quality.
Beyond improved information flow, the system has also fostered a positive competitive spirit, allowing teams to compare results from shift to shift and draw inspiration from each other’s performance. At the same time, employee morale has increased, boosting productivity. Employees see how the workplace is modernizing and how technology, in this case Boards on Fire, is being used to make their work easier. The effect has been greater engagement and pride in being part of an organization that invests in innovation, which has also enhanced the company’s reputation as an employer.
The employees at Gränges Americas Inc. have been very positive about the transition from manual management to digital daily management, even though there was initially some concern about what it would entail.
– Everyone reacts differently to change, and many of our employees had worked manually for over 30 years and felt comfortable with their old routines. But they soon realized that the system doesn’t replace their work, it makes it easier and more efficient in daily operations. Everyone loves Boards on Fire, says Bill
A clear example of the employees’ positive experience comes from a production manager at the Salisbury plant:
–Boards on Fire has been an incredibly valuable tool for conveying important information between teams. It has also made tasks and projects clearer thanks to increased transparency. Having everything organized in front of you, all in one place, has really made it easier to prioritize and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
The only “critical” feedback Bill has received is that departments not yet using Boards on Fire want to start immediately, after seeing the real difference it has made for the teams already using the system, which is just one of several Boards on Fire-related projects scheduled to roll out soon.
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