May 16, 2014 Case Studies, Value Stream Mapping A case study in value stream transformation at an automotive interior components supplier. Background The client is one of the world’s largest suppliers of automotive interior components who supply all of the major automotive OEMs. Their core product categories include door and trim systems, instrument panels, consoles, cockpits, flooring, acoustic systems, headliner and overhead systems as well as complementary exterior components. To meet all of the OEMs’ diverse needs an expansive plastic injection moulding press is used, with a clamping pressure range from 150 to 3,000 tonnes, which enables products as diverse as a coin box to a dashboard top to be produced. Parts are moulded in three main materials PP, ABS and GRP which often incorporate in-tool adhesion of cloth trim elements and rubber encapsulation. Secondary processes include laser cutting, bonding, heat staking, general assembly and painting. The Challenge A vehicle OEM was increasing volumes on the majority of its product lines whilst simultaneously conducting production readiness trials on tooling for the launch of several new models with each new model being offered with a wide range of interior trim variants. All of this additional work was to be entrusted to the same supplier who already had significant daily production commitments. Industry Forum were asked to support the client in ensuring that all of their existing processes and systems were working to optimum efficiency and that they had sufficient capacity to meet both the current and future projected demand levels from the OEM whilst achieving the expected levels of quality, cost and delivery performance. The Objectives Industry Forum holistically evaluated the client and identified opportunities for improvement. Having identified and prioritised the opportunities, Industry Forum then developed and executed an improvement plan in partnership with the supplier. The Industry Forum Solution Phase 1 Having held discussions with both the client and their customer, Industry Forum agreed a plan with all parties to satisfy the challenge whilst minimising demand on the client’s already heavily utilised workforce. The first stage was a value stream diagnostic which was conducted in three parts: A partnership assessment to achieve a full understanding of the quality of relationships and interfaces between the client and their customer. This dealt with empirical data and perceptions from both parties and covered production, finance, logistics, engineering and sales functions. Data analysis of the current product and service provided to the customer in terms of Quality, Cost and Delivery (QCD) both internally and externally. In addition to establishing the accuracy, availability and relevance of the available data. An opportunity mapping exercise (a hybrid of value stream and transactional mapping) was used to highlight the wastes, duplications, omissions and appropriateness of the suppliers existing processes. The initial map was created by Industry Forum who collected information through available data sources and this was supplemented by shadowing, direct observation and interviews. The first draft was reviewed for consistency and accuracy by process owners within the business. Following this activity a broad cross-section of the work force were invited to review the map and add their issues, comments and opportunities. This created the largest possible pool of opportunities as well as improving buy-in to the eventual actions proposed. Phase 2 The second phase involved Industry Forum independently assessing the supplier against the customer’s supplier award criteria. Where it was identified that the supplier had not yet reached the client’s required standards, a list of instances was drawn up and they were cross-referenced against the full list of opportunities identified in Phase 1. Wherever there was a match between the requirements of the award, benefit to the suppliers’ business and benefit to the customer, resolution of the particular issue was given high priority. Phase 3 Once a significant number of high priority opportunities had been identified, Industry Forum supported the client to group similar items into distinct work streams. Eventually a total of 24 work streams were identified, of which 6 were further prioritised by Industry Forum staff in conjunction with the client’s senior leadership team. These were: Zone leader training O.E.E. recording and calculation accuracy Set-up improvement Production planning Problem solving Autonomous maintenance For each of these prioritised work streams a charter was created and appropriate supplier personnel given ownership of the task, milestones and targets. Industry Forum provided practical coaching and support to the work stream owners to assist them in achieving the targets in a timely manner. In addition to supporting the implementation of work stream solutions, Industry Forum provided coaching for all those actively involved in the improvement process. Industry Forum independently tracked the progress of the client towards their goals and provided the senior leadership teams for both parties with feedback on the progress made along the glide path to success. Instances of the progress made include: 20% reduction in warehouse WIP levels 45% reduction in metal to metal set up times on critical machines 20% reduction in stock picking time 18% reduction in Mould Shop down time due to no material being available Zone leaders successfully trained to audit compliance to standard operations documentation All of these achievements were made against a backdrop of customer demand increasing by circa 45%. Reference file: Download Case Study (pdf)
May 16, 2014 Case Studies, Process Improvement Activity MasterClass Quality downtime and line balance improvements at a major salads supplier. Background A salad products supplier to the UK retail market, this client supplies direct to major supermarkets. Within this market, lead times are short with a need to react rapidly to end customer demands much of which may be weather driven. The Challenge Daily product demand has to be based on start of day short term forecasting with final order confirmations well within the preparation process lead time. The perishable nature of the products precludes smoothing customer demand by holding any significant volume of ready to ship stock. The client recognized that the efficiencies of their equipment, as measured by Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) provided an area of opportunity to support improved productivity. This would enable increased responsiveness and reduce the risk of processing product that was not demanded. The Objectives The improvement objective defined by the client management team was to improve the OEE by an average 10% points on each line through: Identifying and eliminating the primary causes of equipment downtime Identifying and eliminate causes of quality loss Improving the line balance in the packing area The client wanted to use an initial activity to drive improvement on a focus line whilst developing the internal capability to deliver further improvements without external support. This pilot also needed to establish the development of a continuous improvement culture within the business. The Industry Forum Solution Industry Forum worked initially with the client management team to identify the focus area within the business that would deliver maximum business benefit whilst supporting the capability development and culture change needs. The proven MasterClass structure would best support the customer needs. At the Pre-Diagnostic event the Industry Forum engineer set up the detail of the activity programme, ensuring that client expectations were clearly defined and support requirements understood. A cross-functional team of six was chosen from across the business including line management, operatives from the focus area and support functions. A ‘Learn by Doing’ training programme was designed to guide the team to discover the opportunities in their processes and be able to identify and implement their own solutions. The programme timing was developed to ensure that resource requirements could be managed within the daily business constraints. The Diagnostic phase the team were trained to collect, collate and analyse data to provide meaningful information about their process. The analysis revealed that the largest contributor to downtime was caused by ‘short stops’ linked to operators not being able to keep pace with machine processes. This analysis contradicted preconceptions that the major down time causes were connected to break down. The main quality issues were found to be linked to the packaging equipment where heat sealing processes were leading to reject bags. During the workshop phase the team learned and implemented root cause problem solving techniques to eliminate the bagging rejects. They then used waste elimination and line balancing tools to identify an improved operating task sequence and area layout. Following initial trials to validate their improvements the team then developed the standardised work required to sustain the revised process and trained the remainder of the line team prior to a managed implementation. During each of the three follow up visits the team were supported through the implementation phase, to manage any barriers identified and ensure that the improvements were sustainable. The team developed their own role out plan for the next priority production line, using the capability gained to lead their own activities and to further cascade the know-how for continuous improvement. The pilot activity delivered an OEE increased by 19% points and a People Productivity (part per operator hour) increase of 20%. Reference file: Download Case Study (pdf)
May 16, 2014 Case Studies, Lean Manufacturing A case study in the introduction of lean training for employees. Background Formed in 1955, and privately owned since 2000, ELE Advanced Technologies (ELE) located in Lancashire, specialises in non-conventional machining for aerospace and land based industrial gas turbines. They also produce precision components for the automotive industry. Key customers include Rolls-Royce, Siemens and Alstom. UK operations currently employ 100 people on a 3.6 hectare site and their plant in Slovakia employs 50 people. The Challenge ELE wanted to engage their employees in the improvement process and to increase sustainability while at the same time giving their entire workforce an overview of the concepts and benefits of continuous improvement. Particular focus was required on one piece flow, smaller batch sizes, 5S and workplace organisation. The Objectives The aim of the Lean Awareness training was to give all employees an appreciation of the impact that lean tools and techniques have on profit and cash flow in the business. The Industry Forum Solution The Industry Forum training programme was facilitated through the use of the ‘Plug Production System’, a simulation activity designed for small teams that combines the practical application of lean tools and techniques with the theory behind it. Through ‘manufacturing trials’ within the game, teams identified wastes such as poor flow, workplace organisation, material presentation and layout. The session also highlighted the connection between the teams’ performance and that of the external supplier, illustrating the need for the whole value stream to be able to achieve the target output rate and operate at ‘Takt time’. The Customer’s View “We had a need for Lean training on waste reduction and the 7 types of waste and we approached various lean training providers for ideas on how to give a taster on lean thinking to the entire workforce. Over the course of two weeks, Industry Forum led the entire workforce through half day training sessions from which they gleaned an understanding of the 7 wastes, especially overproduction, excessive inventory, line balancing and defect reduction. To spice things up a little, a leaderboard of profits or losses incurred was collated, with the winning team receiving recognition! I have no hesitation in using Industry Forum again and cannot fault the service we have received.” Peter Calderbank, Operations Director, ELE Advanced Technologies Reference file: Download Case Study (pdf)
May 16, 2014 Case Studies, Lean Manufacturing Improving assembly processes through the application of lean manufacturing. Background Leyland Trucks manufactures the full range of DAF Trucks, from 7.5 to 44 tonnes, at its facility in Leyland. All vehicles are produced on one line at a rate of 20,000 per year. The facility operates in line with the Paccar Production System (PPS) and Leyland Trucks is one of the best performing assembly plants within the Paccar family. In addition, Leyland Trucks has a Queen’s Award for Enterprise, has won the IMechE MX award in two consecutive years, and has recently been awarded the Bronze Shingo Award. Leyland Trucks can demonstrate strong continuous improvement, grounded in Six Sigma, and the company is striving for new ways to improve its business. The Challenge Leyland Trucks wanted to target productivity and quality improvements of a minimum of 10% by implementing advanced lean manufacturing mentoring. The Objectives With the largenumber of vehicle specifications and options, maximising efficient production is a significant challenge, from both an assembly and material flow perspective. Leyland Trucks wanted to create a template for theenhanced, sustainable deployment of advanced lean techniques within the Paccar Production System. Specific assistance was sought in the facilitation and mentoring of staff in key aspects such that they could roll out the techniques across the facility. The intention was to enable a dedicated team to support this project, with specific mentoring support in work standardisation, 5S, visual team processes and lean material flow. The Industry Forum Solution The programme received funding assistance and advice from the Northwest Automotive Alliance (NAA) Business Excellence (BE) programme and was delivered by SMMT Industry Forum Ltd. The activity focused on the identification and elimination of waste from manufacturing operations in a specific cost centre with a team of 11 operators. The project was resourced by Leyland Trucks to include five permanent team members from different areas of the business to provide a broad range of knowledge and abilities. The time period for the improvement activity was set at 40 days to provide sufficient time to complete all the phases and to maximise operator involvement. Key objectives of the activity were: Improve visual management Create standardised work Have an impact on key metrics – Defects per Unit, Inventory Accuracy and Truck Hours Implement a 5S standard Sustain the changes The Customer’s View The activity successfully implemented changes within the cost centre, achieving improvements in all of the key objective areas. An important outcome of the activity was the implementation of a cost centre team board to present and record information relevant to the team. This became a focal point for the team and has been extended to other cost centres in the business. The outcomes of the project included improvements in the following areas: defects per unit for air conditioning assignment; process time for radiator assembly; inventory accuracy – by part location and by quantity. In particular, a focused improvement on the assembly process for clutch pipe assignment and the reduction of waste brought about a 25.9% decrease in the number of reported defects. John Keegan, PPS Co-ordinator, Leyland Trucks Ltd “The support from the Northwest Automotive Alliance (NAA) Business Excellence programme has enabled Industry Forum to work with and our team to implement practical, common sense solutions, which have resulted in significant outcomes in a number of areas such as a reduction in defects and improvements in productivity.” This case study has been produced with the kind permission of Leyland Trucks Ltd & The Northwest Automotive Alliance All information in this document is copyright of Industry Forum © 2013 Reference file: Download Case Study (pdf)
May 15, 2014 Case Studies, Manufacturing Leadership Development A case study in leadership development Background Our client is one of the world’s largest suppliers of technologically advanced aerospace and defence products. They design, manufacture and service systems and components as well as providing integrated solutions for commercial, regional, business and military aircraft, helicopters and other platforms. They are also a major supplier to international space programmes. The site where our programme took place supplies electric and hydraulic powered actuators and advanced carbon-fibre products for commercial aerospace and defence applications. Products range from single actuators to complete flight control systems for the fixed wing, rotorcraft and missile segments. The Challenge The client was going through a period of organisational change and growth and the senior leadership team identified it was vital to develop the leadership capability of the first line leaders across the business to retain competitive advantage in the market place. As a result of business growth a recruitment drive was needed to fill the vacancies created and this identified a gap in the internal management expertise and experience so the additional challenge of building capability and capacity from within for a robust succession plan was identified. “I have had a very positive experience from the course. The personal benefits have been very rewarding and given me new direction in both my professional and personal life. I believe I can now pass on my learning and develop my team both rewarding them and the business. The course was very professional and comprehensive in its content and delivery.” The Objectives The initial objectives identified by the client were used to collaborate with Industry Forum in the design and development of a bespoke leadership development programme to meet the business challenges. The programme was linked to a formal nationally recognised leadership and management qualification and included assignment and project work. The remit for the project work was that each cohort of participants were split into teams and allocated projects to improve the business performance in terms of the Quality, Cost or Delivery targets. The critical outcomes were that all first line managers improved their leadership and managements skills and hence felt more confident and were more effective in their roles. The key measure for this programme over the long term continues to be the number of internal promotions compared to the number of vacant positions that have to be filled via external recruitment. “Industry Forum tailored the training to suit our needs and delivered it efficiently without it feeling a classroom-based exercise. I particularly enjoyed the interaction between colleagues that I don’t normally meet in formal situations”. The Industry Forum Solution To meet the client’s needs identified during the initial analysis and assessment phase, Industry Forum used an organisational development approach to design a bespoke modular training programme. Working closely with the customer and defining what was in and out of scope led to the comprehensive programme outlined below: This programme was delivered quarterly to groups of 8-10 managers from all areas across the business including, operations, engineering, design, purchasing and sales. Industry Forum used its established “learn by doing” approach by running practical workshop sessions with the teams and following up with individual coaching sessions to ensure new skills were embedded into the manager’s daily standard work tasks. Reference file: Download Case Study (pdf)
May 15, 2014 Case Studies, Total Productive Maintenance A case study in reducing costs through the application of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). Background Philips (Uden) produces and delivers ceramic light components to internal Philips customers. The products go into two main Philips products, SON and MASTERColour lamps. These products are widely used in street lighting in greenhouses, for lighting of buildings and for lighting shops, showrooms, hotels and public spaces. Both discharge lamps have a high light output but are also energy efficient. The SON lamp uses half of the energy of high-pressure mercury lamps typically used in street lighting and the MASTERColour is an energy efficient replacement for halogen lamps. Philips (Uden) currently use injection molding, a technique which is already widely used in plastics, to create the intricate shaped ceramic components. Energy efficiency has become an important issue and global demand has risen for these products. This in turn has lead to rising demand for the ceramic components. The Challenge Philips (Uden) has been using Lean Improvement techniques to improve the productivity, delivery and quality of the factory for several years but they recognised the need to reduce costs even further to ensure that they remained competitive against emerging market competition. The Objectives The introduction of TPM was seen as a long term solution for the company which would allow the losses within the business to be identified and eliminated. This would allow them to achieve a production cost of €0.40 for a typical 70W ceramic component, a reduction of over 60% within a 4 year period. The Industry Forum Solution In 2010 Industry Forum and Philips (Uden) conducted initial management training and a pilot TPM project, focused primarily around Autonomous and Planned Maintenance on the Front and Mid End process. Following on from this a decision was taken by the Senior Leadership to use the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance (JIPM) Total Productive Maintenance Award as a structure to drive sustainable business improvement within the organisation. During early 2011, further TPM Pillar training was conducted with members of the leadership team, followed by a roadmap activity to help establish a TPM Pillar structure and align it to the Vision and Strategy of the Philips (Uden) factory. This improvement structure is known as ‘One Uden World Class Manufacture’. It includes the standard 8 TPM pillars that are assessed by JIPM together with 2 additional Philips Specific Pillars: Lean and Supply Chain. Activities to support the introduction and sustainability of TPM within Philps (Uden) were conducted throughout the following 3 years. Periodic assessments against the JIPM Award criteria have shown that the Philips (Uden) team is on track to be to apply for the first level TPM Award in 2014. Philips (Uden) already have examples of zero breakdown equipment and zero accidents, operators have ownership for their areas and OEE, delivery and quality has improved across all areas of the factory. Need some figures. The Customer’s View “With the implementation of TPM we have focus for our improvement process. The improvements are on all areas of the factory, and the co-operation between departments is significantly improved! IF has given us direction where to go to. In the beginning the support was explaining the concept and benefits of TPM, and later in the process IF regularly audited our progress and kept us on track.” Marijke Swaving, Manager Operational Excellence and Cost Eng. , Philips Lighting B.V. Reference file: Download Case Study (pdf)
May 15, 2014 Case Studies, Value Stream Mapping A Value Stream Mapping and O.E.E. improvement activity, supporting Albon’s investment in machinery and tooling, resulting in a 70% increase in line output Background Albon Plc. is a large, independent design and manufacturing company specialising in the machining and assembly of engine components for automotive and diesel manufacturers world-wide. Current activities consist of high volume connecting rod manufacture and bearing cap assemblies which are produced in UK, US and Serbian manufacturing plants. Albon’s UK facilities consist of 3 factories near to Southend, Essex. The Challenge Albon was facing increasing production demand from various customers. One in particular, a major global manufacturer of diesel engines, was predicting 70% growth in sales of one of its engine variants, which meant that Albon would be required to increase the output on one of its connecting rods lines to meet this demand. Albon’s challenge was to physically demonstrate its ability to “Run at rate”, within a 3 month period, without entailing excessive cost. The Objectives Albon’s objective for the project was to physically demonstrate the lines ability to increase output from the current level of 1052 rods per day to a maximum of 1788 per day (+70%) without recruiting additional manpower and without weekend working. Albon also wanted a sustainable, standardised process for replicating this on other lines, for the same and other customers. The Industry Forum Solution A multi-skilled team from Albon worked with an Industry Forum Senior Engineer to create a value stream map capturing all of the issues in the current production line. Albon identified that a new multi-spindle machine would be required, in addition to replacing a vertical machining centre and providing new fixturing, and a robotic finishing cell. The first step was to introduce the concept of Takt time and calculate it for the current and future demand. Three months Downtime and Quality data were analysed, and the OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) was calculated for each process. This information was used to create an effective cycle time (cycle time/OEE) v. Takt time chart to identify the priorities for improvement. This was key to the identification of priorities for improvement activities. The team took part in a “plug game” simulation and experienced the effect of introducing the lean principles to a production process. Using this knowledge and understanding, a future state map was created, together with an action plan to achieve it. Actions to stabilise the current state, by implementing 5S on 2 of the priority processes, resulted in the target OEE being achieved (and sustained through Standardised Work). Target OEE levels were set for each process and the effective cycle time v. Takt time chart was continually updated as improvements were verified and used as the driver for further improvements through a series of Rapid Improvement Workshops. Some of the improvements involved eliminating the 7 wastes and implementing revised Standard Work. Others involved technical solutions, with the help of the maintenance department, to reduce machine cycle times, or identifying where additional machines would be required. A visual management board was created and regular production team meetings were introduced to review actual performance against targets. Visual management was employed to maintain the standard in each work station. Albon needed a standard process for replicating improvements on other lines and so the Albon Lean Production System (ALPS) was developed. This was made a formal part of the company’s APQP process. A 10 step ALPS implementation checklist was created and the documented evidence of the improvement process was incorporated into the final element of the PPAP submission to the engine manufacturer. The improvements continued in line with the plan and on 10th July a full line “run at rate” demonstrated an output of 1790 rods per day. The final customer was delighted that, not only had the objectives for this line been met, but the same standardised and sustainable approach was being applied to other lines which manufactured rods for its engines, driven by the Albon change agent. The value stream transformation resulted in the average OEE for 5 of the key machines on the line being increased from a baseline of 73.8% (January through March) to 89.7% (average for July). The Customer’s View ‘The project has not only allowed Albon to prove that we are more than capable of meeting the projected demand of one of our customers, it has given us a standard structure to use on any new projects. Our other customers like what they are seeing and are asking for the approach to be applied to their product lines. We have replicated the process 4 times already.’ “The service and support that the Industry Forum senior engineer provided to Albon Engineering has been a great help to our production lines. We now have a much better understanding of Value Stream Mapping, Takt time, OEE, Standardised Work, 5S and “run at rate” trials. We also have set up visual management boards to display this work, and use it to help control our production lines. Our customers are delighted. Albon will continue using this work throughout our business.” Guy Hamilton, Albon Lean Production System manager, Albon Engineering and Manufacturing plc Reference file: Download Case Study (pdf) This case study has been produced with the kind permission of Albon Engineering and Manufacturing plc.
May 15, 2014 Case Studies, Total Productive Maintenance Global TPM Transformation Deployment in the Industrial Components sector Background This global manufacturer processes minerals to produce great volumes of product used all over the world supplying high specification material to the automotive, marine, energy and renewables sectors. A vital factor to stay ahead of competition is to maximise the return on capital associated with over twenty factories spread across all regions of the globe. Key to their success is the reliability and maintainability of the equipment as well as the commitment and motivation of its workforce. The Challenge The processing equipment operates in a high temperature and highly abrasive environment, so reliability and resilience is a key differentiator. There were additional challenges due to a range of technologies across the globe and also huge cultural differences, rates of acceptance and uptake by the workforce. The Objective The clear need was to develop a programme that maximised the performance and life of the equipment. It was recognised that this would need an approach that involved not only the equipment designers and maintainers but the whole organisation within plants and also to have consistent application across the regions. To meet this end a Total Productive Maintenance approach was deployed in line with the JIPM model for a proven effective implementation. The Industry Forum Solution Phase 1 In 2010 an approach was designed to develop pilot improvement areas in a well-considered and selection of pilot factories in just one of the regions. The model followed the JIPM approach with an initial assessment and awareness of TPM for the leadership teams, followed by the development of a master plan. This focussed on the first four pillars of Focussed Improvement, Autonomous Maintenance, Planned Maintenance and Training and Education. Pilot areas of equipment were selected on a chosen criteria based on chronic need, the opportunity to engage and learn, and also whether or not they could be completed in an appropriate time frame. Phase 2 Following the evaluation of the Phase 1 findings and the initial success of this phase the approach was expanded to engage all regions in similar programmes following the same approach. As the network grew there were additional work streams to develop Pillar specific expertise and knowledge sharing. At the same time the original pilot plants continued their deployment to include more areas, engage more people and learned how to implement the advance pillars. Phase 3 As the factories and regions developed traction the programme moved into a third phase where certain global strategic imperatives were pursued to move faster and deeper on areas of global concern. This included a series of technical and process areas that were of concern. Here a selected plant would develop the solution using Focussed Improvement, then deploy across other plants and regions. Also in this phase other global pillars were launched on additional global projects, these included Finance, Supply Chain and the building of new and refurbished factories around the world. The programme continues to develop and gain increased momentum, engaging more people and depth of application. Leadership now identify with TPM as “the way we run our business”. After three years of deployment the return on investment is over 4:1, and the initial first leading factories are getting ready for the first TPM award from JIPM. All information in this document is copyright of Industry Forum © 2013 Reference file: Download Case Study (pdf)
May 15, 2014 Case Studies, Total Productive Maintenance Reducing costs through the application of Total Productive Maintenance Background This electrical component provider produces and delivers key electrical components to a wide number of customers. The products go into two main categories and the manufacturing and supply chain process is developed to ensure this. These products are widely used in street lighting, in greenhouses and the lighting of buildings such as shops, showrooms, hotels and public spaces. Both categories of product have a high output but are also energy efficient. The first category product uses half of the energy of other similar designed components typically used and the second category product is an energy efficient replacement for modern automotive electrical components. The provider currently uses injection moulding, a technique which is already widely used in plastics, to create the intricate shaped ceramic components. Energy efficiency has become an important issue and global demand has risen for these products. This in turn has led to rising demand for the electrical components. The Challenge The factory has been using Lean improvement techniques to improve the productivity, delivery and quality of the factory for several years but they recognised the need to reduce costs even further to ensure that they remained competitive against emerging market competition. The Objectives The introduction of TPM was seen as a long term solution for the company which would allow the losses within the business to be identified and eliminated. This would allow them to achieve a production cost for a typical electrical component, a reduction of over 60% within a 4 year period. The Industry Forum Solution In 2010 Industry Forum and the factory conducted initial management training and a pilot TPM project, focussed primarily around Autonomous and Planned Maintenance on the front and mid end process. Following on from this a decision was taken by the Senior Leadership Team to use the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance (JIPM) Total Productive Maintenance Award as a structure to drive sustainable business improvement within the organisation. During early 2011, further TPM Pillar training was conducted with members of the leadership team, followed by a road map activity to help establish a TPM Pillar structure and align it to the vision and Ssrategy of the factory. This improvement structure includes the standard 8 TPM pillars that are assessed by JIPM together with 2 additional specific pillars: Lean and Supply Chain. Activities to support the introduction and sustainability of TPM within the factory were conducted throughout the following 3 years. Periodic assessments against the JIPM Award criteria have shown that the team is on track to be to apply for the first level TPM Award in 2014. The team already have examples of zero breakdown equipment and zero accidents, operators have ownership for their areas and OEE, delivery and quality has improved across all areas of the factory. All information in this document is copyright of Industry Forum © 2013 Reference file: Download Case Study (pdf)
May 15, 2014 Case Studies, Total Productive Maintenance Using TPM to enable an environment for change to happen Background This well recognised foods producer started their TPM journey in 2010. They had done some good work but their factory was spread over a large area in individual business units. Change Agent roles were in place but reporting to a central steering group meant that business unit leaders were not seeing it as core to their role. There was a noticeable lack of the activities linking back to the site’s strategy. The Challenge There was a belief in the TPM programme to carry out the activity and an acknowledgement that the benefits would be reflected in the company culture. However, there was no link with the strategy and delivery of the business plan which meant that deployment was, at best, random and unconnected. In 2012 there were major new workload and new equipment initiatives which led to the Management Team’s focus being taken away with the Change Agents struggling to keep realistic momentum. The Industry Forum Solution The factory has been restructured and a driven business unit TPM Team has been established so that each business unit manager needs to decide what activities need to be delivered to meet their business unit objectives. It is not insisted that TPM is the way by which it is done, however now the links have become clear they must consider how else will they meet their targets. This now gives a matrix structure – site steering group, business unit steering group and then pillar teams with site steering group pillar lead and then the pillar representative in each unit. Activities are now linked to the strategy in a top down structure, giving a much clearer focus and enabling an environment for Change Agents to make change happen. All information in this document is copyright of Industry Forum ©
