OEE Journey from OptimumFX
January 26, 2009 by david.evanson
Introducing the OptimumFX OEE Journey:
One of the questions we often bounce around as a team is; “We’ve all heard of ‘The Toyota Way’, so what is ‘our way’? What is the UK FMCG way?”.
This question has pointed us in one direction - there isn’t one….so let’s create it! We’re calling this way the: “OptimumFX OEE Journey”.
Click here to download OptimumFX OEE Journey
A little bit of background: Over the last 7-8 years we’ve been developing systems such as LineView, MachineView, and more recently the XL800 OEE system, and fine tuning the processes that you can use alongside our systems to get great results. We’ve used these processes to support some of the biggest FMCG brands in the UK to get some great results.
As we move into 2009, our objective this year will be to publish these processes, document our OEE Journey, and to make our OEE systems as readily available to you as possible.
Our goals for the OptimumFX OEE Journey in 2009 are:
- Throughout 2009 OptimumFX will be publishing a number of white papers and articles to consolidate our theories for OEE improvement.
- We will be working with a number of UK Manufacturers to jointly test and publish the results from our implementations.
- Our goal is that if you want to improve OEE, we want you to be able to pick up our systems and theories, and apply them straight away.
What does this mean for you?:
- We will share our OEE Journey completely free of charge - just sign up to this blog for more details.
- XL800 OEE System trials: You can get Free Trials of our XL800 OEE Systems. Free trial of great data completely free - we’ll even help you create robust processes to get results straight away. At the end of free trial either give the system back, or buy it.
- LineView trials: Every year we intend to give one site a copy of LineView on a 6 month free trial. This year we’re working in collaboration with the “Best Factory” team from Cranfield School of Management to deliver this project. To find out more and apply follow this link: http://www.optimumfx.com/freelineview/index.html
- Or download our LineView trial document: Click here to download the LineView Trial Offer
Innovate or die? - the brink of a revolution
January 10, 2009 by david.evanson
I’ve just been reading an article in the Food Manufacturer (Rick Pendrous, 02/01/09) in which he claims that supermarkets such as Tesco are allegedly seeking as much as a 5% price drop off products such as ready meals and other core products.
The article states “Tesco are very demanding,” said one chilled food supplier that was asked to cut its prices. “We will end up very wounded indeed.”
Are you reading this and thinking similarly? Perhaps you are already being challenged on your costs and have made the first step of laying off your temporary labour, but still being requested to hit targets and improve efficiencies. If this is the case then news that the supermarkets are going to be challenging your sales teams for further price cuts….which you are likely to be requested to deliver.
In my opinion this leaves many manufacturers with a choice: Innovate (And improve). Or die.
In my belief this environment could well lead UK manufacturing into a new era of innovation. Over the next 12-36 months i believe we will some of the things we will experience are:
- Greater demands for output
- Greater constraints on labour costs
- Greater focus on ROI
- Pressure from retaillers to drop cost
- Greater constraints on capital expenditure
Resulting in:
- Any sites that act too slowely will be shut
- Any sites that choose not to act will be shut
- Major changes for the sites that want to survive
If you want to survive expect:
- Change. Lots and lots of change
- A resurgence in lean and CI implementation
- More continuous improvement projects being implemented
- Greater focus on KPI’s and numerical performance
- Greater emphasis on improvement
- Individuals held more accountable for delivering change rather than just ‘doing the day job’
- People management skills will be at a premium
- Your site will introduce improvement projects with greater emphasis on internal team delivery
- To be involved with consultants and CI experts to support projects
If you’re slow adopting these changes my belief is that times will get very difficult…and you may not last the year, or even the next 6 months.
Many of us will have heard of “The Toyota Way” of production, when will you start to create “Your way”, and what will it contain?
The end result? I believe we are on the brink of a CI revolution in the UK. I believe that over the next 3 years we may well witness if not some new techniques, then some new ways of applying age-old techniques. I can’t wait to be involved!!!
Help your operators create their own improvement toolkit
December 3, 2008 by david.evanson
I was asked today about which books i would recommend for getting more information on continuous improvement implementation in the FMCG industry. Specifically the guy i was talking to had already read The Toyota Way and The Goal, and instead wanted something really practical to help with a specific continuous improvement implementation, something that he could use with his front line managers.
So here is a range of books that i massively recommend (and often send copies to new clients considering SMED, 5s, TPM, OEE, Poka Yoke exercises). These books are written ‘for operators’ and are extremely practical, straight forward, and hugely valuable in any application:
All the links will send you to Amazon.co.uk:
2. Identifying waste on the shop floor
3. Mistake proofing for opeartors - Poke Yoke made really simple, a great book
4. Pull production for operators
8. Cellular Manufacturing for operators
10. Quick Changeover for operators (SMED)
Just remember that there’s a difference between knowing the tools and knowing how to apply them. These books make a great start of introducing topics in a way which makes implementing them just a little bit easier.
