Case Studies - Toyota Lean Clusters Programme

Enbarr Recruitment and Training is a privately owned, people focused, business support specialist based in North Wales. With over 25 years local recruitment experience gained in a range of industry sectors, their techniques are proven to work effectively for single and multi-site contracts across all levels within partner organisations.

Website
www.enbarrenterprises.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Improving staff induction processes
• Standardising internal procedures and policies
• Improving internal communications at all levels

Key Changes

• Created a matrix of mandatory training processes to manage and record training needs.
• Created a standardised process for updating their candidate databases.
• Created daily schedule that is accessible to relevant staff, to cover any staff absences

Results

• Written instructions for updated processes have been stored centrally so that they are accessible to all current staff and new starters. 
• Missing information was found and saved in the correct databases.
• Candidate onboarding processes have been streamlined, resulting in faster turnaround for clients and candidates.
• Improved communication within the organisation, allowing time and consideration for cover in case of staff absence.
• Changes in work culture have been understood, accepted, and adhered to by all staff.

KnitMesh Technologies is a leading manufacturer of Knitted Wire Mesh products designed and developed for a range of sectors such as hydrogen generation, electrolysis, automotive, aerospace, telecoms, and the military.

Website
www.knitmeshtechnologies.com

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Aim to reduce shift operators from 2.5 to 2 to increase staff efficiency.
• Record the average times taken to complete individual stages of the manufacturing process. 
• Provide operators with daily targets.
• Streamline processes and reduce time wasted.
• Gain support of cultural change from the operators.

Key Changes

• Created a detailed Kaizen sheet to visualize where time can be saved.
• Involved operators in all new lean manufacturing processes so that they could be familiar with the changes.
• Changed and improved the layout of the floorspace with operators to streamline processes further and reduce wasted time.
• Created shadow boards for tools and jigs.
• Implemented progress monitoring on new procedures including continuous flow.

Results

• Knitmesh have been able to identify areas where operators can reduce waiting time and therefore increase efficiency. 
• The reorganisation of the shopfloor layout has reduced conveyance time for materials.
• The time saved during the manufacturing process and conveyance has resulted in a requirement of operators down from 2.5 to 2.12.
• Knitmesh note that their biggest breakthrough has been achieved through cultural change as operators have engaged with all new processes and have felt encouraged to bring forward their own lean ideas. 

Raytheon UK is a technology company focused on Defence, Aerospace and Cyber & Intelligence with sites across the UK; in England, Scotland and Wales. In the UK, our workforce is committed to four primary sectors – Airborne ISR, Sensors, Weapons and Cyber and Intel.

Website: www.rtx.com/uk

A fully-owned subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies (previously Raytheon Company) in the U.S., we’ve been in the UK, for more than 100 years. Raytheon UK’s contribution to the UK economy in 2019 stood at £762 million*, supporting 8,300 jobs in the UK supply chain. 

*This number is representative of Raytheon UK Operations and impact of Raytheon Company spend in the UK prior to the merger with UTC in 2019.

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Process mapping improvement.
• Quality improvement.
• Reducing time-wasting meetings from
  their workload.

Key Changes

• Introduction of Kaizen thinking and identified many kaizen opportunities.
• Identified 41 actions to drive improvement into process.
• Created improved meeting plan to reduce time wasted on unnecessary meetings.
• Have decided to only load models for local working areas rather than the whole plane.
• Improved processes for both drawing release and change process.
• Drawing rework reduction – Streamlined process map to reduce number of decision steps.

Results

• New process mapping system in place and have created a teamwork framework to aid in that mapping.
• Over 40k hours of additional change capture by the change control process.
• Reduction of drawing re-work through monitoring and PPS actions from 7 loops to 3. This is equivalent to £175,000 cost avoidance.

REHAU Industries is one of the five companies within the REHAU group. REHAU’s Blaenau Ffestiniog plant specialises in the manufacture of products and systems made from polymer materials, in particular the extrusion of PVC window and door profiles.

Website
www.rehau.com/group-en

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Rehau chose to focus on waste in change-over times in three main sections:
  • Mixing 
  • Extrusion
  • Laminating
• To create Single Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED) systems to inefficiencies in their manufacturing processes. 
• To create a sequence for production that allowed for multiple products to be manufactured at the same time.
• Organise tools and locate resources so that they are available at the point of requirement. 

Key Changes

• Worked with the planning department to plan a minimum amount of profile change. For example, by grouping all the similar shaped window profiles they were able to minimise changeover times on machinery and even out production planning. 
• Created SMED systems for the extrusion process, reducing time wasted on conveyance of pellets.
• Created additional SMED systems by moving equipment and tools to point of requirement, reducing conveyance time for materials and eliminating waiting time of staff.

Results

As a result, of the planning restructure REHAU have:

• Created an additional 66.3 hours of capacity per month in their process, which has enabled capacity for: 
  • A further 42,000 meters of production per month (483,000 meters per year)
  • Significant monthly financial savings for both machine work and on personnel. 
  • Increased yearly income. 

We are part of the Heidelberg Cement Group, which has leading global positions in aggregates, cement, and concrete. Hanson UK is split into four business lines – aggregates, concrete, asphalt and contracting and cement – which together operate around 300 manufacturing sites and employ over 3,500 people.

Website: www.hanson.co.uk/en/Hanson-Cement-Padeswood

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Standardising plant maintenance.
• Developing cultural change/ acceptance of lean processes.
• Changing cultural behavior to view work as a production line rather than work on daily crisis management.

Key Changes

• Have reduced backlog of problem notifications from 1750 to 460.
• Re-assessed Weekly planning meeting.
• Created a clear agenda with clear expectations, which has led to clear communication between departments.
• Created a new work plan which is easy to update. Easy to add last minute plan changes and reason for the change.
• All work requests now follow a template based on Toyota’s Breakdown sheet.
• This has been adopted by crafts.
• Planned work is now clearly prioritised to streamline work in order to respond to changes efficiently.
• Visibly returned W/O status to help close the loop.

Results

• Increase of planned work completion from 65% to 91%.
• Stress relief and increased head space for further improvements.
• Saved 2 hours out of working day by switching to the new plan.
• A fair platform for all workers to influence plans.
• Improved data gathering has helped build the information history.
• Clear structure to weekly planning meeting, allowing better communication for discussing priorities (backed by data).
• Taken on two dedicated graduates (Improvement Engineers) to lead problem solving.

Tata Steel’s Shotton Works in Deeside, Flintshire has just celebrated its 125th anniversary and manufactures approximately 500,000 tonnes of metallic-coated and pre-finished steel each year for building envelope, domestic and consumer applications. Tata Steel at Shotton consists of two main businesses, Colors and Building Systems employing around 800 people. Colors process steel coils into Galvanise and Colour coated coils. Building Systems, the lead construction business within Tata Steel UK, manufactures building products and systems, processing around 80,000km of material a year—enough to go around the world twice.

Website www.tatasteeleurope.com

Lean Start Project Objectives
Tata Steel, Shotton aimed to undertake two projects on their Lean Start journey: 

• 1.    Strategic Planning: 
• This project aimed to understand the flow of information, communicating company wide information to operators on shopfloor in effective manner.
• 2.    Coil movement: 
• This project aimed to remove waste from the coil conveyance process by value-stream mapping the process. By analysing the current state, Tata Steel Shotton sought to find flaws and design a new process from beginning to end. 
• are available at the point of requirement. 

Key Changes

• Tata Shotton now hold regular shopfloor meetings with both senior leadership and operator teams to share their lean vision.
• By recording the movement of coils, they have been able to identify areas of non-value-added movement to try and reduce movement and time-wasted.
• Identified layout improvements for the Coil Fields, which improves Health and safety standards as well as process flow.
• Requested support from the IT team to create dashboards which will improve stock visibility and create automated processes for warehouse areas.

Results

• Regular shopfloor meetings have improved communication, general engagement and, has established a culture of collaboration. 
• Tata Shotton have now been able to identify a need for further shopfloor Practical Problem Solving (PPS) projects.
• The coil movement process has been reduced from 37 to 23 movements, reducing time wasted.
• The coil movements have been designated as a key workstream for their overall inventory-reduction project which is set to save several million pounds by the beginning of the financial year 2024.
• After a successful Lean Start experience, Tata Steel, Shotton will be engaging with the Welsh Government and Toyota Lean Management Centre’s Toyota Lean Clusters, Lean Plus programme.

Fitzgerald Rail & Construction Equipment Services Ltd, based in Cwmbran, South Wales, is an established provider of specialist services within both the rail and construction industries. Established in 2007, Fitzgerald Rail & Construction Services have built up an outstanding and enviable reputation for delivering quality work and professional service. Our business is built on a foundation of strong service and customer focused solutions.

Website: www.fitzgeraldplant.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Internal Defect Reduction through analysis.
• Date/time losses and associated costs.
• Training and upskilling staff.
• Introduce S.O.P.

Key Changes

• Daily data collection and weekly analysis of data. Spreadsheets implemented and adopted by each department.
• Have implemented loss time tracking systems to capture waste.
• Andon system put in place.
• Identifying and eliminating inefficient practices.

• Engagement between shop floor operators and senior management
  improved.

• Start 5s process of workplace.

• Cultural behavioural changes throughout company.

Results

• Better understanding of defect trends, root causes of issues identified and recorded immediately.
• Clear understanding of business wastes and how to reduce them.
• Decisions driven by data and facts throughout operations.
• Improved built-in quality.
• Higher production rate through workshop.
• Improved resource control.
• More accurate timescales for future work.
• Visual improvement in workshop as a result of waste reduction.
• Significant improvement in operations.
• Implemented two day induction programmes and CPD for all staff.
• Uniformity of work processes.
• Improved workplace morale and customer valuation.
• Want to progress to Lean Plus.

Hear from Fitzgerald Plant Services

Fitzgerald Rail & Construction Equipment Services Ltd, based in Cwmbran, South Wales, is an established provider of specialist services within both the rail and construction industries. Fitzgerald are specialists in repairs, maintenance, upgrades to RIS-1530-PLT, engineering services, manufacturing, part sales and heavy haulage transport; they endeavour to provide a fully comprehensive service 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.

Website
www.fitzgeraldplant.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• To develop a system which identifies the root cause of customer breakdowns. 
• Use Practical Problem Solving (PPS) study to create process flow to eliminate the issue.
• Find the cause of hydraulic leaks and correct the issue.
• Create a new process of inspection for engineers to ensure the quality of products. 

Key Changes

• Tata Shotton were able to identify the main fault of customer breakdown and why this fault was a recurring issue using cause and affect analysis.
• They found that although their current inspection standard stated that the undercarriage should be inspected, the standard was not being followed closely. 
• A countermeasure was added to the standard to highlight the need for undercarriage inspection and included the use of a visual aid to ensure no leaks are present post the initial inspection.

Results

• The new countermeasure for leaks has been implemented and all engineers have been informed of the new process. 
• By creating a standardised process for this issue, they have reduced the number of leaks by 77%
• Since completing their second lean start, Fitzgerald Plant Services Ltd. have signed up to the Welsh Government and Toyota Lean Management Centre’s Toyota Lean Clusters, Lean Plus programme. 

Hear from Fitzgerald Plant Services

GTS produce laminates, film insulation and adhesives that are necessary for a range of different industries. GTS’s materials are suitable for a wide range of products. Looking at the final applications as well as our customers’ processing capabilities we have identified four target markets: Automotive, Power Distribution, Connecting and General Electronics. 

They have an annual output of around 4 million sqm of laminated composites and adhesive coated tapes, 90% of products are exported, mainly to Europe, the Far East and the USA. They operate in a global distribution network, including sales subsidiaries in Germany and France.

Website: www.gtsflexible.com

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Practical problem solving.
• Improving process efficiency of slitting machines.
• Categorising historical defect data to identify and prevent current issues.

Key Changes

• Looking at internal vs external work.
• Prioritising areas for improvement (A & B).
• Have a process map of systems.
• Have implemented real time data display system.
• Have installed Andon.

Results

• GTS has developed KPIs to better measure performance against daily capacity.
• Cultural changes: GTS has a more efficient meeting schedule i.e daily review before problem solving meeting. This schedule had previously been in reverse. This allows staff to raise problems at the daily review, spending more time for actual problem solving later.
• GTS is progressing with their Andon.
• GTS is keen to take part in the Lean Plus Programme.

Invacare GB specialise in the manufacturing of wheelchairs, powerchairs and pressure care cushions, a foam cushion that is designed to improve patient care for patients with limited mobility. These cushions and supports are designed to reduce the effects of for example pressure ulcers and abrasions caused by friction.

Website
www.invacare.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Invacare’s main objective was to increase plant output while reducing labour hours and overtime within the manufacturing department.
• Reduce change-over times that exceed the standard, for example, reducing the time taken to produce a foam cushion from 122 seconds to 90 seconds. 
• Standardise processes and ensure that all staff have knowledge of the changes. 

Key Changes

• Invacare used Practical Problem Solving (PPS) to identify and breakdown the problem. Following this, they were able to identify discrepancies between shifts; one shift was performing more mould changeovers than the other. They found that the primary problem was that the operators had deviated from the original program.
• As a countermeasure, Invacare have organised an external contractor for robot programming support.
• A capacity board has been introduced to help understand the efficiency of work and workers.
• Reviewed and retrained the standard operating process for tool changeover.

Results

• The standard time for tool changeover was reduced and target was achieved. 
• Parts produced per minute target was achieved even before the full project was completed.
• As a result of time analysis, Invacare can see that another 2-3 minutes can be saved in tool changeovers.

Rototherm Group sustainably design and manufacture precision instrumentation solutions for flow, level, temperature, and pressure, which enable their customers to improve their processes accurately and reliably. They operate within highly certified and demanding industries including energy, defence, beverage, water, and pharmaceuticals.

Website
www.Rototherm.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Establish a robust structure for production to deliver high customer service levels within a high-growth environment.
• Advance problem-solving capabilities to next level
• Create standard procedures for production of newly acquired technology.
• Establish protocol for recording KPIs so that targets can be decided and achieved. 
• Improve the level of fact and data driven decision making to improve workflow. 
• Scale up production 5X to meet demand. 

Key Changes

• Rototherm have been established a baseline for production time and unit numbers to best understand how they can improve production efficiency.
• By tracking the number of units produced against demand using their new ‘day by the hour’ board, all staff have a visual representation of their hourly rhythm and are better able to keep on top of orders.
• Formalised standard procedures.
• All team members have checked and signed off on all new procedures to ensure universal understanding and acknowledgment of the new standards. 
• Developed a special tool that slowed timings but improved quality, which led to less defects in products.
• Improved the morning meeting structure to improve clarity around individual roles and responsibilities, so that all team members are engaged with the meeting process. 
• Meeting agendas are now driven by data so that important topics are covered. 

Results

• Found a 300% increase in outputs because of time savings in production and organisational structure.
• 50% decrease in defects.
• Standardisation with layered confirmation process.
• More effective leadership and team member support.
• Team members are calm and comfortable in their roles as there is now a better structure to each day.
• To further their lean journey, Rototherm have now signed up to Welsh Government and Toyota Lean Management Centre’s Toyota Lean Clusters, Lean Plus programme.

Hear from Rototherm

Seda UK have been based in Blackwood, South Wales since 1986. 
At the Blackwood facility, their manufacturing capabilities are focussed on producing packaging for the catering and food sector, primarily paper cups. These include the patented double wall cup with superior heat insulation properties. In 2022, SEDA were awarded the EcoVadis Gold Medal for sustainability.

Website
www.sedagroup.com

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Improve KPIs to meet their Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) targets.
• Identify where losses were occurring in production i.e., which cup size produces the most loss.
• Create new standard procedures and employ counter measures for identified issues to increase production to meet demand.
• Increasing skills resource deficit.

Key Changes

• Analysed machine output issues.
• A maintenance schedule was created for each machine and will now be treated as standard for maintaining machinery across the plant.
• By standardising the process, Seda was able to address their gap in training and skills resources, providing one standard process for all.
• Team Leaders have recruited extra help from the Technical Operations team to share the maintenance workload and create extra time for the Team Leaders to conduct larger tasks.
• Larger tasks have been broken down into smaller jobs so that they can be completed when staff have opportunities of downtime.
• Maintenance jobs and planning are now delegated and categorised by skill requirement and machine status.

Results

• Seda have created a new three-month maintenance plan per production line rather than fixing machinery on an ad hoc basis.
• The changes made during their lean start journey have led to an increase in production of 200,000 cups per day.
• The increase in production efficiency per machine can be replicated on other machines across the plant, leading to increased capacity, savings, and future earnings. 

Established in 1996 by our CEO Jonathan Hale, SO Modular Ltd are a rapidly expanding timber frame manufacture. Our highly experienced, growing workforce can ‘Design, Supply and Erect’ your timber frame – home, apartment block, retail outlet or education establishment, on time, on budget and of the highest quality standard.

We continue to be at the forefront of innovative and creative solutions within the construction industry, pushing boundaries and developing products that enable us to boost efficiency, sustainability and cost-effectiveness across a diverse range of construction projects. 

Website: www.somodular.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Improve treatment and processing routines.
• Standardise workflow.
• Remove system inefficiencies.
• Improve quality control.
• Communicate with sales department.
• Involve senior management in programme.

Key Changes

• Have created Production Control Boards.
• Have implemented new safety measures in treatment area.
• Collecting data.
• Identified source of delays in wood treatment area.

Results

• 25% increase in net productivity after identifying challenges in wood treatment area.
• Have seen 30 minutes/day saved in sawing process as a result of wood treatment improvements.

Since its formation in 1969, Catnic has pioneered steel lintel design for house building and become the market leader in the UK. It is now a major brand name in steel lintels. Part of the Tata group, Catnic is based in South Wales and has established itself as a multinational manufacturer, supplying lintels, plastering accessories and metalwork to 60 countries from three European manufacturing sites. 

Website
www.catnic.com

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Develop a quality-control process to reduce number of monthly customer complaints to zero.
• Create standard operating procedures for material and information flow.
• Create standard operating procedures for the slitting process.
• Identify the root cause of incorrect lintel lengths.
• Implement a clear communication system for those working in the yard. 

Key Changes

• Identified that the problem with lintel length was in the yard at point of picking. 
• Created an automatic system to update stock movement with scanners.
• Digitised their daily record sheet.
• Ensured Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) were up to date and that all staff are trained as such.
• Defined clear roles and responsibilities with ownership of tasks.
• The yard team have now been trained to digitally transfer stock as well as physically.
• Purchased electric forklift trucks to reduce noise in the yard and have invested in new updated radios for better communication.
• Created visual markers in the yard to ensure that the correct fitting lintels were in the correct place. 
• Improved labelling system to eliminate issues with mislabelling. This included incorporating weatherproof labels for lintels in the yard.

Results

• Tata Steel Catnic have been able to provide consistency in their training and their work processes for all staff by rolling out all new SOPs to all staff. 
• Since learning about lean, Tata Catnic have been able to use their knowledge in other areas of the business. They have started by creating visual representations of problems in other areas of the business to address them.
• As a result of solving their issue regarding customer complaints, Tata Catnic have been able to identify financial savings of 10s of 1000s of pounds per financial year. They believe these savings will only grow as their lean journey continues. 
• Identified that the issue with slitting procedure is an end-to-end problem rather than a machine problem and will now be taking this on as an additional project.

Goodfish Group is the UK’s leading privately-owned contract manufacturer of plastic and composite components. GoodFish in St Asaph employs 62 staff and runs 83 machines with capabilities for producing: Injection moulding, plastic extrusion, vacuum forming, tool making, assembly, composites, sonic welding and 3D printing.

Website

www.goodfishgroup.com/goodfish-group-north-west

Lean Start Project Objectives

Extrusion Department: 

• Eliminate the loss of production time on lines caused by load hopper failures and lack of availability of clean filters. 
• Eliminate the loss of product (135 meters worth) because of the existing Quality Assurance (QA) sample retrieval method for testing.

Moulding Department:

• Reduce product defects at customer product assembly to zero using a product monitoring system, saving £1.5K in wasted clips. 
• Reduce customer complaints to below company target.

Key Changes

Extrusion Department:

• Tested out the new system on one line. Deep cleaned Gantry and walkway areas, disposed of damaged filters, cleaned, and stored functional but unused filters. Created a filter kanban system to ensure continued supply availability of clean hopper units and filters. Created new standard operating procedures relating to hopper maintenance. Implemented a production ownership maintenance system that includes visual indications for system performarnceperformance.
• Set up a new testing station at place of production, eliminating need to cut 300mm sections for testing, saving product and money.

Results

Extrusion Department: 

• Rolling out new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) relating to hopper maintenance, and training in this, to the remaining 15 extrusion lines. 
• New maintenance SOPs are in development for the 15 remaining lines.
• New QA checks SOP to be rolled out across all 16 extrusion lines.
• The QA project reported a saving of £38,850 per annum, plus downtime was reduced to zero, producing a further annual saving of £80,000 per annum. 

Moulding Department:

• The point of defect occurrence has been identified and as a have implemented new SOPs for monitoring and QA as a result.
• Training for standard operating procedures to be rolled out throughout department.
• The QCC (Quality Control Circle) project in moulding chose a prioritised problem which represented £1.5K of scrap clips. Eliminating this failure represents a modest saving and introduces the problem-solving skills needed to apply to more issues in the future. 
• TOTAL savings per annum = £120K

Tata Steel’s Shotton Works in Deeside, Flintshire has just celebrated its 125th anniversary and manufactures approximately 500,000 tonnes of metallic-coated and pre-finished steel each year for building envelope, domestic and consumer applications. Tata Steel at Shotton consists of two main businesses, Colors and Building Systems employing around 800 people. Colors process steel coils into Galvanise and Colour coated coils. Building Systems, the lead construction business within Tata Steel UK, manufactures building products and systems, processing around 80,000km of material a year—enough to go around the world twice.

Website
www.tatasteeleurope.com

Lean Start Project Objectives

• To use Practical Problem Solving (PPS) to identify problems with yield losses associated with low Dry Film Thickness (DFT) along the colour coating production line.
• Identify the point of occurrence for loss in a complex system.

Key Changes

• Issues were first categorised in order of priority, considering the timings for when the countermeasures should be implemented. 
• Countermeasures were then developed and implemented to tackle each identified issue.
• Standard operating procedures (SOPs) have been developed.
• Monthly sheen wheel condition checks, including condition checks for the sheen wheel tool.

Results

• Have seen a great reduction in issues with the Dry Film Thickness. There has been a 75% reduction in defects from Low DFT tonnage per month since the countermeasures were implemented. 
• They are optimistic that they can reduce this further when all operators are up to speed with new standard practices. 

Airflo manufacture high-quality, PVC free fishing line and other fishing products at their Brecon site.

Website
www.airflofishing.com

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Reduce time and material waste by introducing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for production.
• Increase production as a result of new SOPs.
• Standardise changeover procedures for all operators.  

Key Changes

• Created a new step-by-step system for changeover procedures which was tested by an experienced operator. 
• Created a standardised document with visuals that outlines the new changeover process.
• All operators are currently undergoing training for the new procedures introduced.
• Visual instructions are visible and available to all around the shopfloor.
• Shift supervisors now prepare for the model change whilst the previous model is running to maximise time.
• Created bag labels to easily identify various materials, saving time.
• Plan to use these same methods to streamline other processes such as weight changeovers.

Results

• Using the new process for changeovers, Airflo Fishing have been able to save 170 minutes a day.
• Additional 113 lines made per day.
• Utilising the Lean Teachings, Airflo Fishing have been able to create additional revenue of up to £544,000 per annum.

Hear from Airflo fishing

Atlantic Service are an internationally renowned company known for manufacturing long-lasting, durable, and high-quality blades for the butchery and catering industries. They are known for their precision blades manufacturing, particularly their Band Saw production.

Website: www.atlantic-service.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Increase the production of Band Saws.
• Collect data to understand baseline for potential issues and develop KPIs.
• Create standardised methods for production cell operation and train all staff in new standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• Improve production in the welding area, reducing the amount of time site engineers spent at this area (50%). 
• Address Staff burnout

Key Changes

• Ran educational sessions for the machine operators to encourage “buy-in” with the Lean Start project.
• A new timesheet was implemented, improving the recording system for accurate data collection.
• Toolroom team machined spare jaws to allow SMED (single minute exchange of die) activity on welders.
• Using the data collected, new standard operating procedures (SOPs) were created in the welding area. 

Results

• Significant reduction in maintenance call outs for welding and down time for machines. 
• Following the analysis of operator capability, Atlantic Service have set a new target of producing 790 blades per shift.
• Have seen financial increases of approximately £25,000 between Q4 2022 and Q1 2023.
• Will be continuing with the Lean Start and Lean Plus programmes.

Dairy Partners are a long-established family-owned British dairy company supplying UK and overseas markets. They operate from two main sites: Stonehouse, Gloucestershire and Carmarthenshire, Wales. 

They have the capability to process mozzarella cheese, pizza cheese and analogue blended products into various formats including grated, shredded, diced and block, across both main sites. 

Website: www.dairypartners.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Company-wide goal to increase production in their Newcastle Emlyn site to 35,000 tons a year. This will require further investment but needs improvements to current operating procedures in the first instance. 
• OPR (Operation Performance Ratio) improvement final packing.
• To improve the export packing process by creating a standardised process for all to follow.
• Make improvements in the export packaging line to save time and product waste. 
• Address the failures on the cheese loader air cylinders which were failing after only 8 months of use, leading to the loss of up to 200KG of product. 
• Improve data recording. 

Key Changes

• Introduced SMED (single minute exchange of die) improvements for vacuum packing reel holders.
• Replaced a broken sensor and introduced a new bottom web reel system to reduce changeover times.
• Have introduced planned preventative maintenance plans to reduce machine downtime and unexpected breakdowns, this will be reviewed bi-annually.
• Will be implementing a new export packing line layout to reduce incidents.
• Have introduced new IT system for recording in real time, Power BI. This will help to identify individual equipment, processes or shifts that are having the most issues.

Results

• SMED improvements in the vacuum packing system have led to significant reduction in changeover times (52.8% for top web changer, 25% for bottom web changer).
• New preventative maintenance protocols on cheese loader should eliminate loss of product.
• Have improved OPR reporting and have set a new high target. 
• Calculated savings of approx. £120,000 per annum. 

Fitzgerald Rail & Construction Equipment Services Ltd, based in Cwmbran, South Wales, is an established provider of specialist services within both the rail and construction industries. Fitzgerald are specialists in repairs, maintenance, upgrades to RIS-1530-PLT, engineering services, manufacturing, part sales and heavy haulage transport; they endeavour to provide a fully comprehensive service 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. 

Website: www.fitzgeraldplant.co.uk

Lean Start Objectives

• Improve and standardise pick lists for engineers and customers with a particular focus on kit for T35 trailer.
• Improving administrative processes to ensure timely upload of all data. 
• Improving file storage so that important documents, specifically manuals are saved in a sensible manner, following a starndardised process.

Key Changes

• Storeroom: Added additional kit items to recorded list, created a visual diagram to map out where all items were and then timed the picking process. A new picking process was created that streamlined the route based on the layout of the stores.
• Office: An online training portal was set up for staff to complete over 12-week period to identify gaps in knowledge. Have since incorporated visual reminders for tasks in office space and on the company portals online. Have begun implementing a change in workplace culture by making all staff aware of the need for communication and working together as a team.
• File storage: Have developed new file storage system that creates unique folders relating to customers, equipment type and fleet number.

Results

• Storeroom: Significantly reduced wasted time in kit picking process and intend to roll out this system as standard practice for all current and new kits.  
• Office: Improved communication and training, streamlining office tasks and reducing confusion over task allocation.
• File storage: The new file storage system has led to a reduction in wasted time looking for documents and has eliminated confusion in locating/ saving documents.

Rototherm Group sustainably design and manufacture precision instrumentation solutions for flow, level, temperature, and pressure, that enable their customers to accurately and reliably improve their processes. They operate within highly certified and demanding industries including energy, defence, beverage, water, and pharmaceuticals.

Website: www.Rototherm.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Improve target setting, accuracy, and achievability.
• Reduce number of defects by eliminating debris stuck in the drilling process.
• Reduce customer complaints.
• Implement Quality Assurance (QA) check points within the manufacturing process. 

Key Changes

• Installed a cleaning station to ensure all debris and waste is removed after drilling operation.
• Gemba documents were implemented on processes to maintain and capture quality related items.
• Used SMED (single minute exchange of die) to identify issues with production time.
• Used practical problem solving (PPS) to identify the root cause of issues with other products. This has been used to develop countermeasures which have eliminated these issues. 

Results

• Rototherm have seen a 17.7% Reduction in Machine non-availability. This, combined with other activities carried out during the TLC Programme has given an overall increase of 29.5% in production capability.
• Rototherm’s largest customer now wants to double their order. This will result in approximately £30,000 extra a month in purchases and a capital cost avoidance of £250,000 as additional machinery won’t need to be purchased.
• Standardised processes have been created for many aspects of their production line. This saves both time and money and resulting in higher levels of customer satisfaction. 

Stately-Albion grew out of a company called Premier Caravans, which produced holiday homes, mobile homes, and touring caravans. Stately-Albion is the largest employer in the Abercarn area and prides itself on having a dedicated and loyal local work force, with a true community feel. 

Website: www.stately-albion.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Improving standard process for tiling within park homes. 
• Reorganise store areas and reduce over-purchasing of tiles – after collecting data with the TLMP coaches, Stately Albion found that out of 31 orders, only 16% had ordered the correct number of tiles. 
• Following these improvements, set a new manufacturing target of 18 park homes per month.

Key Changes

• Have reduced the number of steps in the tile ordering process.
• The tile ordering process has been recorded and standardised, all tilers are now aware of the standardised operating procedure (SOP)
• Stately Albion found that their alcove design was causing issues, the complicated L-shape tile cutting was time consuming and created more waste. Since recognising this, Stately Albion decided to redesign the alcoves. The height and width of the new alcove eliminates the need for cutting the surrounding tiles at all, saving time, and eliminating tile waste.  

Results

• All tilers are now aware of and are following standardised process.
• Correct tile orders have risen from 16% to 80%.
• Stately Albion Have been able to exceed their set target month-on-month since implementing new protocols. They believe that this can be exceeded by identifying other areas for standardising. 

Airflo manufacture high-quality, PVC free fishing line and other fishing products at their Brecon site.

Website: www.airflofishing.com

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Prevent waste and eliminate contamination issues arising from pellet storage issues.
• Reducing the amount of waste “scrap” product.
• Replacing BIF (gassing agent) with more reliable floating material. 
• Prevent contamination in two forms: mixing of black and white pellets, leading to production of fishing line in the wrong colour; dust, dirt and other external contaminants spoiling the product, leading to production waste.
• Standardise the process for drying pellets.

Key Changes

• Airflo have reorganised their storeroom, applying lids to pellet boxes and introducing a photo-labelling system to all storage racks to help identify what should be stored and where.
• Information boards have been added to the pellet driers to identify what is being processed at any given time and to clearly communicate any specific process information. 
• Daily supervisor checks have been implemented to overlook new standard processes.  
• BIF has been replaced with a plant-based material.

Results

• By standardising their processes, Airflo have created significant time savings resulting in financial savings of over £300,000 per year per machine. 
• The reduction of “scrap” waste product has produced an additional yearly saving of over £50,000. 
• Through the changes made during the TLC Lean Start, Airflo have found a cumulative saving of over £1,000,000 per year and have achieved a 95% quality pass rate for products on their production line. 
• The production of new BIF-Free fly line opens up future exporting opportunities to  the US, worth approximately £6million. 

Atlantic Service are an internationally renowned company known for manufacturing long-lasting, durable, and high-quality blades for the butchery and catering industries. They are known for their precision blades manufacturing, particularly their Band Saw production.

Website: www.atlantic-service.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• To create a standardised process for the changeover times between operators.
• Improve space utilization in dispatch area and subsequently reduce movement waste by operators in this space.
• Improve the stock management of blade wrap. 

Key Changes

• After running time-trials between the experienced operators, Atlantic Service were able to create a new best-practice procedure for all new and experienced operators to use going forward. 
• Identified and amended the inefficiencies in pallet stacking and storage in their dispatch area. 
• Atlantic Service and the TLMC team used the ‘Five Whys’ root analysis technique to understand why they constantly had more blade wrap stock than was needed.  
• Following the ‘Five Whys’ exercise, Atlantic Service have invested in printing equipment in order to print their own blade wrap in-house. 
• To ensure competency of operators in new process, Atlantic Service have held training sessions for staff ahead of implementation.

Results

• Changeover time between operators has been reduced from 24 minutes to 14 minutes per shift, resulting in approximately £40,000 in additional sales across three machines. Atlantic Service plan to use this process across 5 additional machines which would yield similar financial savings.
• By reorganizing their dispatch area, the number of pallets that can be stored has increased from 93 to 184. This new structure has also saved over 2km in movement waste and approximately £20,000 in staff member time.
• Printing blade wrap in-house will produce savings of approximately £54,000 in avoidance costs per year.

Fitzgerald Rail & Construction Equipment Services Ltd, based in Cwmbran, South Wales, is an established provider of specialist services within both the rail and construction industries.

Website: www.fitzgeraldplant.co.uk

Lean Start Objectives

• To improve the post-production quality of certain products.
• To improve administrative processes and reduce time taken to locate user manuals. 
• Ensure that all user manuals are saved and accessible. 
• To improve data input processes and reduce human error in data collection. 

Key Changes

• Fitzgerald Plant Services have introduced a standardised checklist to ensure defects are identified earlier in production. 
• Product-specific training has been created and rolled out to all engineers.  
• A new filing system has been created on the internal drive, this has included creating unique customer folders and separate folders for equipment and user manuals.
• All user manuals are now saved on the internal drive and are accessible to all staff that need them. 
• To improve data collection, Fitzgerald have introduced an electronic form with drop down lists of the set criteria for inspection data. 

Results

• Feedback from staff about the new filing process has proven the new system to be easier to understand and has shown a reduction in time wasted. Further improvements to the filing system are planned for the future. 
• Though monitoring of new the inspection process is ongoing, reduction in rework time as a result should lead to improvements in delivery and a reduction in cost.
• Setting the correct tolerances in the new electronic inspection data input form has significantly reduced the potential for human error. 

Rototherm Group sustainably design and manufacture precision instrumentation solutions for flow, level, temperature, and pressure, which enable their customers to improve their processes accurately and reliably. They operate within highly certified and demanding industries including energy, defence, beverage, water, and pharmaceuticals.

Website: www.rototherm.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• To develop standard operating procedures for the manufacturing of a new product.
• To develop KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) for the production of their new product.
• To eliminate time wasted along the production line. 

Key Changes

• Rototherm created a cultural change in their workplace by ensuring that the new Lean processes were shared with all team members. 
• Use of their Calibration Room was assessed using a Spaghetti Diagram to track operator movements. 
• The results of the Spaghetti Diagram were used to enact change in the organisation of the Calibration Room to reduce movement and time wasted.  
• Rototherm have created a new communication system using lights to notify team members when they are needed in different production zones. 
• Data collection has been carried out on their new operating system to define new KPIs. 
• Rototherm now hold daily briefing meetings on site to ensure good communication across teams.

Results

• Rototherm were able to increase their on-time deliveries from 42% to 92%. 
• Rototherm have reduced defective product by 50%, this has significantly reduced customer complaints to almost none.
• The reduction in staff movement and therefore time wasted in the Calibration Room has resulted in increased numbers of product available to pack. This means increases in sales are possible. 

Chester Medical Solutions (Deeside) is a pharmaceutical packaging printing company. The company was established in 1965 and is still family owned. They employee 170 staff members across two sites. Their Deeside site manufactures printed folded cartons & patient information leaflets for pharmaceutical/medical device/ healthcare & associated industries.

Website: www.chestermedical.com

Lean Start Project Objectives

• To collect data on production waste and identify key concerns.
• To reduce material waste from 40% to the company target of 28%.
• To introduce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all team members to follow. 

Key Changes

• Data collection allowed Chester Medical Solutions to identify four different types of production waste with their key concern being over production of product.
• SOPs for new procedures were created with the help of the TLMC team. 
• Cultural change in the workplace was encouraged through staff training in all new SOPs. 

Results

• The team at Chester Medical Solutions have been able to reduce material waste by 66%. 
• This has created savings of approximately £45,255 per year. 
• Team members have all been included in positive cultural change in their workplace. 

Established in 1984, Continental Diamond Tool Ltd (CDT) specializes in the production of precision rotary diamond dressing tools. These tools are widely used in industries such as Aerospace, automotive and power generation. 

Website: www.cdtltd.com

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Improve visualisation of process flow.
• Reduce product stagnation. 
• Reduce lead times within process and wasted time waiting for work.
• Collect data to identify impacts of improved working processes.

Key Changes

• CDT worked with the TLMC Team to collect data that would help them understand the reason for the extended process lead time and identify problem-areas within the process.  
• The root cause of product stagnation within the process was found in the Mould Area.
• They were able to implement the improvements needed to reduce wasted movement around the various production areas, moving equipment closer to the relevant areas.
• They have invested in new equipment to protect against catastrophic failure as appropriate.

Results

• Estimated savings in labour costs due to improvements in production process are approximately equal to £5040 per annum.
• By identifying the processing issues in the Mould Area, CDT have been able to increase overall capacity in Mould Area, leading to an extra £96,000 per year.
• Following the success of their first Lean Start, CDT have registered for their second Lean Start Course, sending 3 new colleagues to complete a project with the TLMC Team.  

Heidelberg materials UK (formerly Hanson UK) are the leading supplier of low carbon heavy building materials to the construction industry. They are one of the largest building materials manufacturers in the world, global market leader in aggregates. 

Employing 40 team members, Craig Y Hesg Quarry, South Wales is a hardstone producing site. It has been operational since 1871 and produces 400kt of stone each year.

Website: www.heidelbergmaterials.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Understanding main causes for site availability issues, i.e., reasons for issues with downtime.
• Identify what was causing blockages in the quarry chutes. 
• The Heidelberg site was running at a rolling average of 85%, 10% below target and causing approximately £412,500 in lost earnings per year. Heidelberg set out to reach their targets. 

Key Changes

• Heidelberg were able to collect data which allowed them to identify that dust build up was causing the blockages and subsequent downtime. They were also able to identify next steps and the risks of resolving the issue.
• Heidelberg took their Lean training directly to the operators involved in problem areas to get their opinions and suggestions for future work. 

Results

• Engaging directly with operators in problem areas has began important change in the culture of the worksite, encouraging Lean education and Standardised Operating Procedures (SOPs) be rolled out to all staff.
• By engaging with the Lean Start teaching, they have identified the key issues causing reduced downtime at the Craig Y Hesg quarry.  
• They have set SMART targets to address these issues. 
• This is an ongoing project and results are expected in Q1, 2024, following further data collection and analysis. 

Airflo manufacture high-quality, PVC free fishing line and other fishing products at their Brecon site. Only company in the world that uses Polyurethane (PU) for fishing lines as opposed to PVC. This creates a lightweight, longer lasting, product.

Website
www.airflofishing.com

Lean Start Project Objectives

• To improve quality control. 
• To reduce amount of scrap being produced, using practical problem solving to understand root cause of the issue.
• To implement regular data collection by operators. 

Key Changes

•  Several countermeasures are planned to be implemented over a period of three months.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been created and implemented at the quality control stage. 
• A production versatility chart has been created to understand where colleague training is required. This is particularly useful during staff shortages.
• Airflo have purchased new machinery after identifying issues through their Practical Problem Solving (PPS) exercise.

 
Results 

• The quantity of scrapped fishing lines has been significantly reduced following involvement in the programme. 
• Following the end of the Lean Start programme, Airflo plan to continue to implement successful countermeasures leading to an expected continued reduction in scrap product. 
• The changes made during the Lean Start will result in less material and staff time wastage, ultimately leading to a significant overall cost saving for Airflo. 
• This will also enable Airflo to produce and sell a higher volume of product per year.

Atlantic Service are an internationally renowned company known for manufacturing long-lasting, durable, and high-quality blades for the butchery and catering industries. They are known for their precision blades manufacturing, particularly their Band Saw production.

Website: www.atlantic-service.co.uk

Lean Start Projects Objectives 

• For their third Lean Start project, Atlantic Service aimed to address customer complaints and quality control concerns. 
• Using practical problem solving (PPS), Atlantic Service aimed to understand the root cause of this issue.

Key Changes

• Atlantic Service found that there was no record being kept to track cleaning or temperatures of the oil tank. A standardised cleaning process and accompanying logbook has now been created to track cleaning and provide a foundation for staff training. 
• Atlantic Services also implemented Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for machine use and material change-over. 
• Operators were engaged with the project from beginning to end to ensure team ownership of the project. 
• Atlantic Service have incorporated visual materials onto the shopfloor with the aim of eliminating time-wasted looking for missing equipment and materials. 
• It is now standard procedure for contaminated oil to be filtered in order to reduce defects in reused oil. 

Results

• All new starters now receive standardised training that aligns with the SOPs that have been implemented during the Lean Start. 
• The newly implemented filtration and oil cleaning processes will result in savings of approximately £45,000+ per year. 
• This process will be rolled out to at least 5 additional machines, this could lead to additional savings. 
• Atlantic Services have been able to share their learnings with their plant in Mexico, creating improvements on an international scale. 
   

Rototherm Group sustainably design and manufacture precision instrumentation solutions for flow, level, temperature, and pressure, which enable their customers to improve their processes accurately and reliably. They operate within highly certified and demanding industries including energy, defence, beverage, water, and pharmaceuticals.
 

Website
www.Rototherm.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives 

• For their fourth Lean Start project, Rototherm wanted to focus on making improvements in their Thermowell Department. The thermowell department manufacture thermowells, which are protective casings for temperature instruments.
• Rototherm were aware of defects in this department that were significantly above target. Through this project, they aimed to identify at what stage the defects were being caused and implement countermeasures. 

Key Changes

• New specifications have now been set on machinery to ensure that standard sized thermowells are being produced. 
• Colleagues in the Thermowell Department have updated their production check list to ensure that each step of the process would be accounted for and not overlooked. 
• After producing a written standardised guidance, Rototherm plan to create a video that will explain the standard to all new staff in training. 

Results

• Scrap production in the Thermowell Department has been reduced by 3%. 
• Rototherm have been able to reduce the cost of tooling per unit from £4.83 to 0.58p, saving over £4 per unit. 
   
   

Rototherm Group sustainably design and manufacture precision instrumentation solutions for flow, level, temperature, and pressure, which enable their customers to improve their processes accurately and reliably. They operate within highly certified and demanding industries including energy, defence, beverage, water, and pharmaceuticals.

Website
www.Rototherm.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• For their fifth Lean Start Project, Rototherm decided to focus on Purchasing and Logistics. 
• Rototherm aimed to improve information flow between procurement and accounting. 
• They also wanted to reduce the lead time of material flow within the factory by identifying points of stagnation during the process.

Key Changes

Changes were made in 2 areas, procurement and on the factory floor. 
Procurement: 

• Rototherm created a new vendor application form that was more concise than previous versions. 
• Repeatable ordered items were identified and Internal Part Numbers (IPNs) were created to correspond with the items, streamlining the re-ordering process. 
• A new team member was trained to process all consumable items using KANBAN, a visual production tracking method that would improve efficiency. 
• Rototherm improved their coding system so that procurement staff could access relevant codes more easily, saving time and reducing mistakes. 

Factory Floor: 

• Rototherm designed and implemented a new layout for their storage area. 
• Rototherm designed and purchased 3 Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) to replenish KANBAN bins, projected return on investment in 2 months. 
• Rototherm have implemented a digital Day-By-The-Hour dashboard that will enable all factory floor employees to see targets for the day ahead. 
• After implementing the digital dashboard in the targeted area, Rototherm factory floor workers were able to share best practice learnings with other areas of the business.

Results

• This Lean Start project saved a total of 722 man hours. 
• Rototherm’s predicted annual overhead cost savings equals £21,600. 
• Team members in procurement have reported that they are happier with workplace culture overall and feel that their workload is now manageable. 
• Rototherm have been able to reduce health and safety issues as a result of the new layout of the storage area. 
• Rototherm have increased storage space by 24%.

Established in 1984, Continental Diamond Tool Ltd (CDT) specializes in the production of precision rotary diamond dressing tools. These tools are widely used in industries such as Aerospace, automotive and power generation. 

Website: www.cdtltd.com

Continental Diamond Tool Ltd (CDT) excels in producing high-precision rotary diamond dressing tools, serving industries such as aerospace, automotive, and power generation. Established in 1984 as Consort Precision Diamond Co Ltd, CDT has consistently achieved remarkable growth and success. CDT prides itself on a dedicated and growing workforce, currently employing 40 skilled professionals, and continually expanding.

Lean Start Project Objectives 

• To reduce waste during the setting process. 
• To improve process flow for making cores and spacers. 
• To reduce ‘movement-waste’ on the reverse plating process. 
• To address health and safety concerns raised by team members carrying heavy moulds downstairs. 
• To streamline cleaning during the plating process.

Key Changes

• CDT created clear standards for various processes. 
• CDT were able to eliminate ‘movement-waste’ between departments. 
• CDT created visual aids for all processes, improving the process flow and communications between the supervisors and team members. 
• All moulds are now stored downstairs, reducing the health and safety risk to team members.

Results

• By reducing the ‘movement-waste’ in the Setting Department, CDT have been able to reduce the time taken to complete this task by 43.8%. 
• CDT have also been able to make significant time savings of over 200+hours (per year) in the Plating Department. 
• This has created the potential for an additional £147,000 worth of work to be processed in the Plating Department each year. 
• Using new standards has allowed for work to be proactive rather than reactive. 

• CDT have reduced waste and in turn, created a safer, cleaner working environment for team members.

   

Heidelberg materials UK (formerly Hanson UK) are the leading supplier of low carbon heavy building materials to the construction industry. They are one of the largest building materials manufacturers in the world, global market leader in aggregates. 
Employing 40 team members, Craig Y Hesg Quarry, South Wales is a hardstone producing site. It has been operational since 1871 and produces 400kt of stone each year.

Website: www.heidelbergmaterials.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Heidelberg Materials’ Craig Y Hesg Quarry decided to focus on reducing blockages in their primary crusher for their second Lean Start project. 
• They aimed to reduce the blockages by 20% by using Practical Problem Solving (PPS), this would equal a time saving of 2hr 25 minutes.

Key Changes

• Through their PPS activities, Heidelberg Materials found that 33% of blockages were recorded to be occurring in the primary crusher. They found that this was due to seasonal issues, inconsistent data collection, crushers being overfilled and poor breakdown of raw materials during the blast process due to inconsistencies in the blast design. 
• After Heidelberg Materials were able to identify these issues, they went on to develop and implement Standardised Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the blast design to reduce size irregularities in the rock pile. 
• Heidelberg also developed and implemented a system for monitoring the blasts and created a maintenance system for the monitoring equipment.

Results

• The expected outcome from the Lean Start project undertaken by Craig Y Hesg quarry is a reduction in blockages and improvements in efficiency leading to a estimated cost savings of £104,000 per year.

Heidelberg materials UK (formerly Hanson UK) are the leading supplier of low carbon heavy building materials to the construction industry. They are one of the largest building materials manufacturers in the world, global market leader in aggregates.

Heidelberg Materials’ Penderyn limestone quarry located eight miles north of Aberdare in South Wales. The plant can produce 500 k tonnes of limestone per year and supplies products to internal concrete and asphalt businesses.

 
Website: www.heidelbergmaterials.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• The cost of running below target cost Heidelberg Materials £54,000 per annum. Using Practical Problem Solving (PPS), the Penderyn Quarry aimed to improve dumper load efficiency.
• The dumper trucks at the quarry could hold 40 tonnes, however, Heidelberg were running an average of 32 tonnes per truck.  For this Lean Start project, Heidelberg Materials aimed to increase this average.

Key Changes

• Heidelberg Materials used a fishbone diagram to understand the cause of the inefficiencies and the effect they were having throughout the process. 
• Heidelberg Materials implemented countermeasures that focused on improving the accuracy and visibility of payload data. A calibration process was developed and integrated into standardised work, this supported regular collection of data that could be reviewed in daily meetings. The creation of standards supported their ability to train the entire team.

Results

• Through their Lean Start project, the Penderyn Quarry have been able to improve load transfer, wasting less materials and saving approximately £54,000 per annum. 
• As a result of the countermeasures implemented, Heidelberg Materials have increased their average truck load to 38.3 tones from 32 tonnes. 
• This has meant that there are now 10 less trips per day between the quarry and the crushers.

Faun Trackway ltd. is a global leader in the design, manufacture and supply of ground stabilization recoverable matting. Their products are relied upon daily for land, sea, and air side operations by military engineers in over 40 countries. The fabrication and spray coating facilities at their factory in Llangefni, Ynys Môn, currently employs approximately 20 team members.

Website
www. faunttrackway.co.uk/global-network

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Faun Trackway aimed to reduce their waste production and improve worker safety through automation and standardisation. 
• During their Lean Start project, Faun Trackway were able to discover an issue in quality control of their product and aimed to improve this.

Key Changes

• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been created and implemented throughout the process. 
• Faun Trackway used spaghetti diagrams to identify ‘movement waste’ and other areas of waste. 
• Faun Trackway have begun regularly and systematically collecting date in order to understand the baseline of their production rate. This will be used to create Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for production and efficiency.

Results

• The work done to date has been theoretical, as production on their specific product is not due to start until May 2024. However, when in place, it is expected that these new counter measures and practices will result in more efficient work and a safer environment for staff. 
   

Magstim® is a leading supplier of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) stimulators and packages used for Magstim® TMS therapy and neuromodulation research.
The majority of TMS research published has used Magstim® stimulators. The Magstim®product range provides the versatility and capability needed for a wide range of research.

Website
www.magstim.com

Lean Start Project Objectives 

• To increase output, Magstim set a target of producing an average of 5 units per day from their current average of 2.8 units. 
• To reduce delays in the manufacturing process and minimise time wasted during the process.

Key Changes

• Using a fishbone diagram, Magstim were able to identify nine issues within their process. They found that delays were occurring mostly within their storage facility. 
• Magstim implemented a new layout that would improve visualisation and save time wasted. 
• After developing countermeasures, Magstim carefully monitored the results and created Standardised Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all team members to follow. 

Results

• Kit production has been at or above the average of 5 units per day since implementing the countermeasures.

Magstim® is a leading supplier of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) stimulators and packages used for Magstim® TMS therapy and neuromodulation research.
The majority of TMS research published has used Magstim® stimulators. The Magstim®product range provides the versatility and capability needed for a wide range of research.

Website
www.magstim.com

Lean Start Project Objectives 

• For their second Lean Start project, Magstim aimed to improve efficiency of the processes within their Quality Assurance (QA) area. 
• To achieve this, Magstim wanted to reduce the time taken to test products by 15%.

Key Changes

• Using a Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) activity, Magstim were able to create a new room layout based on what equipment would be required at each step.
• Since working with the TLMC coaches, Magstim have began collecting data consistently to create a baseline that would inform future Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). 
• Magstim have created Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that can be easily followed and repeated by team members.

Results

• Magstim have reduced their product testing time by 11-14% so far. 
• Team members reported that they have learned a lot during their Lean Start project, specifically in Practical Problem Solving (PPS), time management, collecting and utilising company data and monitoring effectiveness of changes that are made. Understanding these key teachings is the first step towards significant cultural change in the workplace. 
   
  
   
   

Magstim® is a leading supplier of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) stimulators and packages used for Magstim® TMS therapy and neuromodulation research.
The majority of TMS research published has used Magstim® stimulators. The Magstim®product range provides the versatility and capability needed for a wide range of research.

Website
www.magstim.com

Lean Start Project Objectives 

• To improve quality control of products, reducing damage to the Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) and cosmetic damage to the products. 
• To subsequently improve customer satisfaction.

Key Changes 

• Magstim used a fishbone diagram and Toyota’s ‘Five Whys’ activity to understand the root causes for the damage to the PCBs. 
• From there, they were able to create standard handling procedures for all staff to follow. 
• Magstim created bespoke storage boxes for the PCBs to reduce the risk of damage whilst in storage. 
• Magstim encouraged training in data-collection and record keeping for team members.

Results

• Projected results indicate a 66% reduction of product damage and defects, this is the equivalent of 84 undamaged units and a saving of £30,000+. 
• Magstim improved their data recording system.

Ledwood is an independent engineering, fabrication and construction company specialising in the delivery of complex projects across the oil, gas, process and energy industries. They specialise in handling large scale onshore and off-shore projects in the oil, petrochemical, nuclear, renewables and power industries.

Website
www.ledwood.co.uk

Lean Start Project Objectives

• Ledwood found that on average 15 hours of work were lost per week due to movement waste between storage facilities and aimed to reduce this.

Key Changes 

• Ledwood identified the top ten highest used items and moved these items to reduce time wasted. 

Results

• Ledwood were able to reduce the time wasted by one third by moving the top 10 most used items. 
• This is equivalent to a saving of £6000 per annum. 
• Following their Lean Start, Ledwood plan to continue their Lean journey by moving further high-use items and implementing  KANBAN, a visual production tracking method, to order consumables in the storage facilities in good time.