4 Advanced Lean

Status £22 million site turnover that supplies directly to automotive customers. Suffers constant changes due to poor production planning and weak flexibility. Employing over 750 employees within 3 shifts, 5 days working pattern. Customer schedule variation issues generating high levels of WIP and Finished Goods.

Objective Introduce a formal new product launch process utilising lean principles.

Scope Establish new processes prior to launch and develop refined man/ machine layout to optimise flexibility and material flow.

Activity An upstream JIT analysis to develop a robust shop floor layout.

Outcome 50% direct labour content reduction.

100% increase in labour productivity.

56% reduction in distance travelled.

36% improvement in FTT.

48% reduction in DTD.

Results Cross-functional Team involved in ALM realised they had a voice with the

Management, increasing moral.

Significant improvements in the layout of the shop floor achieved and

implemented saving resource and cost.

The process geared to a flexible customer demand rather than make to stock.

Precedence set for future new business development using ALM in terms of quoting and costs.