Reducing Waste
Avon Rubber
Manufacturers of Rubber, which is supplied throughout Europe as Raw material. MAS to deliver tools & techniques to Shop floor staff to aid the kick starting of CI initiative,
Trio Skips and Hooks Ltd.
Trio Design and Engineering employs 110 people at its headquarters in Gloucester. Opportunities were identified to improve process flow, workplace layout and general organisation, as well as materials management.
Devizes Fine Kitchens
Design and Manufacturers of high specification, bespoke solid wood kitchens. MAS asked to help to reduce lead-time and improve on-time delivery, and increase capacity.
Trumac Group Ltd.
Designers and manufacturers of high specification refrigerated units that are subsequently retro fitted to vehicles. MAS asked to help reduce lead-time and improve on-time delivery. Also, increase capacity without increase in labour by reducing non value added activities.
Romarsh Ltd.
Designers and manufacturers of industrial electrical transformers and inductors. MAS asked to reduce manufacturing lead-time and improve on-time delivery.
Stephens Plastics
Manufacturers of pond liners for wholesale market. MAS needed to help reduce lead-time and improve on-time delivery. Increase productivity and improve staff involvement, awareness of non value added activities and problem solving skills.
Thorn Secure Science International
Designers, Manufacturers and licensed suppliers of Security/Recognition systems and patented watermarked magnetic tape. South West MAS requested to investigate established watermarked magnetic tape process to: Reduce end of line rejection rate currently >10% Increase productivity, reduce lead-time and improve Housekeeping
DEZAC Group Ltd.
DEZAC manufacture health and beauty products through retail outlets such as Boots, Argos and TV shopping channels to name but a few. Main Processes: Plastic moulding of components, Assembly, Warehousing and distribution South West MAS support requested for a programme of change to introduce: Better utilisation of space, Increased output, Improving material flow and development of team leaders.
Clifton Canvas Developments Ltd.
Clifton Canvas Developments employs 28 staff at its only design and manufacturing facility in Bristol. They manufacture technically sewn products for the front line military and emergency services. South West MAS asked to improve the effectiveness and productivity of manufacturing operations through the application of lean manufacturing techniques.
Knorr Bremse
Part of a global group and formerly Bendix, the company manufactures commercial vehicle braking systems. SWMAS were asked to improve the productivity of the wedge brake cell.
Bezier Ltd.
Design and manufacturing company providing complex point of sale solutions. The company wanted improvements in the following areas: A high volume of changeovers Confusing efficiency monitoring systems Non value added activities in the assembly area
Elite Vending
Elite Vending re-manufacture second hand vending machines. The business has been trading since early 2004 and has developed a manufacturing process based on simple flow principles. SWMAS was able to help redefine the manufacturing operation and make substantial productivity improvements.
Teledyne Geophysical Instruments
At the Gloucester site the Teledyne team specialise in the repair and upgrading of seismic arrays. After meeting with the team at Teledyne Instruments it was agreed that an opportunity for improvement for the business would be in the area of process flow and workplace organisation
City Engineering Bristol Ltd.
A Bristol stainless steel and aluminium company is on track to save £50,000 in just a few months thanks to the South West Manufacturing Advisory Service's Advanced Engineering Skills Programme.
Micro Precision
Micro Precision are a small precision medical devices, design and manufacturing company in Frome. South West MAS Worked with a team from the shop floor to increase the flow of material within the machine shop and improve the workshop organisation through the implementation of 5S techniques.
Aggreko
Aggreko provides rental power generators, temperature control equipment and compressed air systems to companies around the world.
Francis & Lewis International
Francis and Lewis International (FLI) fabricate telecoms, radar and meteorology towers in a variety of innovative and attractive designs for the major mobile phone companies, Networkrail and other customers. Key Achievements: * The value stream mapping exercise helped the local area management to review their operations with fresh insight from the lean perspective. In the first area alone the exercise saved 15% of the cost. * The OEE measurement exercise showed that the lost time due to stoppages twice what the management had originally thought, and prompted a saving of 40 hours per week. * Customer service levels have improved markedly since the programme began. * The 5 S/Workplace organisation initiative helped change behaviours within the workforce, improved discipline to the new reduced stock levels implemented during the Lean initiative and has helped improve visibility of work-in-progress in all areas.
Helander Precision Engineering Ltd
Helander Precision Engineering Ltd produce high quality, precision engineered parts from specialist alloys for a variety of customers in relatively small batches. Key Achievements: * Based on the initial action plan the next time the componet was run it showed a saving of 35%. * The time generated by reducing set up time can be directly translated into increased sales for the business, and increases the labour and overhead recovery against the installed capacity. * The company managers have decided to roll-out the methodology internally using their newly trained team, a team who now have an excellent example of the SMED tools and techniques in practice.
Severn Glocon Group
Severn Glocon have been designing & manufacturing Control Valves & Actuators for approximately 40 years. Key Achievements: * Stock reduction * Productivity * Floor space utilisation = sales turnover in area / area in square metres
SPP Pumps Ltd
SPP specialises in the design, manufacture and supply of split case, end suction and vertical turbine pumps for applications such as water supply, sewage and storm water handling HVAC, irrigation drainage and well pumping across the globe. Key Achievements: * Initial results confirm that the productivity has almost doubled in the area and significant inroads into an order backlog have improved cash flow and customer satisfaction. * Middle & top management effectiveness and efficiency has been improved by the visual planning and performance boards which reduce the time taken to understand the current position within assembly and machining areas and to allow rapid prioritisation of corrective actions. * Shopfloor & planning staff are delighted with the new systems as it makes their job so much easier and has given them the opportunity to learn new skills and make a personal contribution to the design of their working environment.
