Clients

Case Study 1

Company Overview:  A division of a Japanese multinational electronics manufacturing company producing high quality laptops, mainly for the commercial market.

Case Study Overview:  The overall objective was to improve performance in the production and stores area and to create a culture of continuous improvement.

Work Undertaken:  A series of workshops was used to introduce 5S and carry our basic improvements. The next stage was to assist the company to introduce and develop 5S in specific areas by identifying, training and facilitating a company based team of 5S champions.

Specific training was provided for the champions in line with identified company requirements and the needs of the individuals. This was then complemented by appropriate improvement projects and activities in line with an action plan developed through discussions with key managers and the champion's team. Relevant performance measures, for the team and for each identified area, were developed and agreed.

Also, specific areas were process mapped and improvements introduced.

Key Outcomes and Benefits:

• Reduction in manning from 31 (including temps) to 23 (including temps) within the laptop reconfiguration area, together with an increase in throughput.
• Significant, measurable improvement in 5S audit scores within each department.
• Significant improvement in layout and output within the laptop reconfiguration area - three production lines reduced to two production cells with an increase in throughput and output and a 50% improvement in space utilisation.
• Development of a more proactive approach to quality through preventative activities such as: first offs, line checks and much more detailed and significant evaluation and measurement of defects and returns.

Comments:  Other important benefits included the development of a culture which supports and drives ongoing improvement, development of specific KPIs to measure improvement and the sustainability of the project through training individuals to carry out the review and formulate action plans.

^ Back to top

Case Study 2

Company Overview:  The improvement activity was carried out in the Scottish Business Unit of the UK market leader in after sales service for Communications, Media and Information Technology.

Case Study Overview:  The objective was to train a core team of people in Lean Manufacturing methodologies and identify and introduce process improvements.

Work Undertaken:  Eight people were trained to carry out process mapping exercises and through a number of supported projects, process mapping was used to identify improvement opportunities which were subsequently introduced.

Key Outcomes and Benefits:

Significant process improvements were identified in the Goods In, Cold Test, Rework process:

• Reduced total process time from 680 minutes to 18 minutes.
• Reduced the number of process steps from 34 to 12.
• Reduced distance the product moved during the process from 108 metres to 23 metres.

Significant process improvements were identified in the Cold Test, Fastrak process:

• Reduced total process time from 340 minutes to 78 minutes.
• Reduced the number of process steps from 57 to 49.
• Reduced distance the product moved during the process from 133 metres to 102 metres.

Significant process improvements were identified in the Cold Test, Debug, Rework process:

• Reduced total process time from 369 minutes to 26 minutes.
• Reduced the number of process steps from 56 to 31.
• Reduced distance the product moved during the process from 120.8 metres to 15.7 metres.

Comments:  Through effective support and facilitation to implement the opportunities identified by the mapping exercises, significant benefits were achieved. Also the company had eight key individuals trained in process mapping and other key elements of Lean Manufacturing.

^ Back to top

Case Study 3

Company Overview:  Manufacturer of tree protectors - employing approximately 180 people.

Case Study Overview:  To review and improve the sales order fulfilment process. The company was struggling to meet its guaranteed turnaround time of 10 days delivery for in stock items.

Work Undertaken:  A consultancy exercise consisting of the following key steps:

1. Process mapping of the order fulfilment process.

2. Review of maps to understand the issues.

3. Feedback to management team.

4. Future state mapping of order fulfilment process.

5. Gap analysis in respect of people and process requirements.

6. Development of job descriptions.

7. Presentation to the management team.

Key Outcomes and Benefits:

A significant reduction in the number of steps required to process and order from sales receipt to transport, as follows:

• In stock no issues reduced from 34 activities to 9 (UK).
• In stock no issues reduced from 41 activities to 9 (export).
• Stock to be rescheduled reduced from 55 activities to 21.
• Delivery process reduced from 42 to 32 activities (UK).
• Delivery process reduced from 49 to 32 activities (export).

A significant reduction in order throughput time, typically:

• In stock no issues reduced from 1732 minutes to 16 minutes - UK (note 60 minutes waiting time was added as an allowance).
• In stock no issues reduced from 330 minutes (30 minutes waiting time) to 16 - export (note 60 minutes waiting time added).
• Stock to be rescheduled time reduced from 4550 minutes to 1851 minutes (for consistency both figures include 1440 minutes for production which might not always be feasible).
• Delivery process reduced from 2287 minutes to 325 minutes (UK).
• Delivery process reduced from 2909 minutes to 325 minutes (export).

Comments:  A reduction in sales order processing time from 1732 minutes to 16 minutes enabled the 10 day turnaround time to be met comfortably. The new process also resulted in a 25% reduction in staff requirements for this process. This enabled a new position of Sales Manager to be established at no additional cost to the business.

^ Back to top

Case Study 4

Company Overview:  The Welsh division of a leading bakery retailer in the UK. The organisation has over 1000 shops with central bakeries around the country supplying the shops within the local area.

Case Study Overview:  The overall aim was to improve the skills, expertise and confidence of a team of shop managers and to develop a programme that could be used for all shop managers within the division.

Work Undertaken:  A series of workshops was developed and delivered by Blue Sky. Each delegate worked on a project linked to specific improvement opportunities within their shops. Each project team was supported to complete their projects and to develop and deliver a presentation of the outcomes to the Senior Management Team.

In total, eleven managers attended five workshops which focused on development needs and improving the management style of individual managers.

Key Outcomes and Benefits:  The outcomes of the projects produced some real, measurable benefits, including:

• Increase in customer spend of 9p per visit per customer over a 10 week period.
• Collection of specific data which enabled further opportunities for improvement to be identified.
• A 25.5% increase in sandwich sales over a 9 week period.
• Over £8,000 of extra annual sales in one shop.
• Specific opportunities to reduce 'stales' were identified and implemented.

Comments:  The workshops were designed to challenge and raise the bar for shop managers on a team and individual basis. Specific outcomes included:

• A significant improvement in the confidence and competence of each shop manager.
• A better understanding of other shop managers' strengths and weaknesses and support for each other, effective teamwork.
• Real measurable business improvements which paid for the programme ten times.
• A much more positive 'can do' approach from each shop manager.
• The profile of shop managers was significantly raised following their feedback to the Senior Management Team.

^ Back to top

Case Study 5

Company Overview:  A major employer in the manufacturing sector employing over 800 people in a single location in South Wales.

Case Study Overview:  The scope of the project was to introduce and apply Lean Techniques to the Engraving and Master Tools Production process. At the time, the manufacturing of master tools was a significant problem within the organisation.

Work Undertaken:  The approach taken was a mixture of consultancy, coaching and development of team based activities. The key was to:

• Find out the 'real' issues.
• Develop a way forward.
• Take action.
• Measure progress.
• Ensure sustainability.

Some of the techniques / actions undertaken include:

• Value stream mapping.
• 5S.
• Teamwork.
• Cellular approach.
• Kanban / Drumbeat / Takt time.
• Visible systems.
• Poka-yoke.
• Involvement / sustainability.

Key Outcomes and Benefits:

• A significant reduction in the lead time to manufacture master tools cells was realised along with complete traceability.
• Over a period of 4 months 'On Time in Full' (OTIF) increased from 77% to 100%. The volume of products increased from 23 per month to 44 per month, with no increase in labour and an improvement in quality performance.

Comments:  Through team involvement and project work the improvements were sustainable and are still being maintained. A number of barriers were broken down and the culture has become much more open and improvement focused. Due to the success of the project the Blue Sky consultancy approach was extended to a further project within the Toolroom of the same organisation.

^ Back to top

Case Study 6

Company Overview:  A major employer in the manufacturing sector employing over 800 people in a single location in South Wales.

Case Study Overview:  The scope of the project was to support the extension of Lean working practices from the Master Tools Cell to the main Toolroom. One of the key objectives was to bring back work that had been outsourced into the Toolroom.

Work Undertaken:  Introduce considerable savings through the development of Lean Manufacturing principles through the introduction of preventative / autonomous maintenance, Kanban, Manufacturing Cells and 5S within the Toolroom.

Some of the techniques / actions undertaken included:

• Value stream mapping.
• 5S.
• Teamwork.
• Cellular approach.
• Kanban.
• Visible systems.
• Total Productive Maintenance.
• Performance measurement.
• Involvement / sustainability.

Key Outcomes and Benefits:

• Reduced lead times, between 33% and 50% reduction in lead time for specific first and second blow die production.
• Weekly maintenance schedules developed and carried out by Toolmakers.
• Significant reduction in product transport within the Toolroom due to rearranging machines into a cellular layout (50% plus reduction).
• Improved scheduling, visible to everyone.
• Significant improvements in workplace organisation, housekeeping and safety through 5S approach.
• Over £160,000 of outsourced work was brought back to the Toolroom with no increase in manpower, together with an increase in volumes of non-outsourced work within the Toolroom.
• Raw material purchase and use was reviewed and over £10,000 worth of material was taken out of the process.

Comments:  A number of issues were addresses which resulted in significant improvements. One key issue was getting the Toolmakers on board and this was achieved through the careful and planned use of CI teams and through encouraging and supporting the Team Leaders.

^ Back to top

For further information on any of the above case studies, please contact Alun - details below.