DP World Teams Win Global Kaizen Awards for Operational Excellence and Innovation
Projects in Pennsylvania, Texas, and Brazil deliver major gains in efficiency, sustainability, and safety
CHARLOTTE, N.C., AUGUST 14, 2025 /3BL/ - DP World announces that three of its Americas teams have been recognized with Global Kaizen Awards for their outstanding achievements in continuous improvement, raising the bar for operational excellence, customer value, and safety.
The Global Kaizen Awards celebrate DP World teams worldwide that exemplify Kaizen — making small, smart changes that lead to meaningful impact. This year’s winners from the Americas include:
- Middletown, Pennsylvania, U.S. – 2024 Global Kaizen Award Winner (Contract Logistics): Greenficiency
- El Paso, Texas, U.S. – 2024 Global Kaizen Award Winner (Contract Logistics): Warehouse Optimization
- Santos, Brazil – Q1 2025 Global Kaizen Award Winner (Ports & Terminals): Gate Express for Empty Chassis
Middletown, Pennsylvania – Greenficiency
Category: 2024 Global Kaizen Winner (Contract Logistics)
Focus: Sustainable strategy to reduce plastic/cardboard waste and boost efficiency through innovative technology
The Middletown team tackled underutilization of its Packsize X4 machine and outdated packaging processes, leading to excess waste and lower efficiency. By redesigning workflows, consolidating pick and pack operations, and fully enabling right-size box production, the team delivered:
- 34% reduction in cycle time
- 54% increase in units per hour (UPH)
- 26% improvement in machine utilization
- 30% increase in volume handled
- 33% increase in box utilization
- Elimination of 2.1 tons of plastic waste
- 74% reduction in cardboard usage
El Paso, Texas – Warehouse Optimization
Category: 2024 Global Kaizen Winner (Contract Logistics)
Focus: Improving put-away and pick performance through 5S and layout optimization
The El Paso II Auto team identified that three key parts caused 88% of relocation-related inefficiencies. Using slotting analysis, lean principles, 5S, and Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA), they repositioned frequently used materials into a “golden zone” and optimized warehouse layout. The results:
- 36% increase in bulk capacity
- 10% improvement in space utilization
- 19% reduction in cycle time
- 66% reduction in replenishment time
Santos, Brazil – Gate Express for Empty Chassis
Category: Q1 2025 Global Kaizen Winner (Ports & Terminals)
Focus: Increasing gate productivity through a dedicated empty chassis process
The Santos team streamlined the Gate IN process by creating fast lanes for empty chassis, bypassing the OCR portal, eliminating unnecessary inspections, and deploying handheld devices with targeted staff training. Outcomes included:
- Transaction times under 1 minute for empty vehicles
- Transaction times under 2 minutes 30 seconds for trucks with containers
- Increased monthly truck processing capacity
- Annual cost savings
- Enhanced operational safety, resource efficiency, driver satisfaction, and environmental performance
A Culture of Continuous Improvement
These award-winning projects show the power of empowering teams to innovate. From sustainability gains in Middletown, to space and productivity optimization in El Paso, to port process enhancements in Santos — each project demonstrates how Kaizen delivers measurable value to DP World’s customers, people, and our planet.
For more on DP World’s global approach to innovation and operational excellence, visit www.dpworld.com.
