|
|
THE COMPANY A tissue manufacturing and finishing operation employing approximately 60 people producing a variety of bathroom and kitchen tissue products for sale through supermarket chains and independent retail outlets. THE CHALLENGE A history of low investment, redundancy and general cost cutting by the previous owners left a legacy of low morale, an operation starved of investment producing variable quality goods. Sales were being lost through late delivery. High levels of in-process and finished product waste were seriously eroding margins. THE STRATEGY Or first concerns were to "stop the bleeding" and to gain a thorough understanding of the true extent of the problems to be tackled. Step one was an "active" diagnostic, during which "band aid" solutions were identified and applied as necessary. The primary purpose of the diagnostic however, was to gain the data that enabled us to begin mapping the process. From there we were able to rationalise the layout, develop systems of work and to introduce standards and measurement upon which the design of new operational and tactical managing processes were based. Corrective action was complicated by the 168 hour per week operation and a very complex five shift manning pattern. THE BENEFITS An audit of progress carried out by the Mill Manager and the Consumer group Products Manufacturing Manager after 4 months revealed:
QUOTES FROM THE MANAGEMENT "We don’t get hit by the unexpected anymore and we are much more able to deal with external factors…Operating without systems of work and standards is like building a house without foundations" Manufacturing Manager "The work we have done has revealed that some of the people we perceived as under performers have actually turned out to be key assets…" Process Engineer |
Send mail to Vickie.Turp@Back-On-Track.co.uk with
questions or comments about this web site.
|
