1 Lean Thinking

Status Major automotive manufacturer across major business units. Operating at a loss employing over 300 employees within 3 shifts, 7 days working pattern. Dedicated unionised employees looking to maintain business within their country with some restrictive practices. High levels of WIP with long changeover times.

Objective Reintroduce a Continuous Improvement culture. To reduce WIP, improve uptime and OEE and reduce direct labour.

Scope Complete a Lean JIT workshop to determine areas of concern opportunity and action within a dedicated cell environment.

Activity Develop an understanding of the lean tools within the shop floor and related management team. Train and apply lean activities with a hands- on practitioners approach for the shop floor personnel and management. Allow the teams to determine their own actions based on the resultant lean tool feedback accepting that labour efficiencies may be poor.

Outcome A significant reductions in overall costs identified.

47% uptime improvement.

79% Labour productivity increase.

61% material holding potential reduction.

33% labour reduction achievable.

Significant change towards Continuous Improvement with team working to bring change about.

Results 5% bottom line profitability generated with further 18% opportunity.

Reduction in DTD material holding resulting in significant space saving creating centralised manufacturing with added cost benefits.

Supply chain geared to customer demand rather than make to stock.