Rubber Manufacturer
SITUATION
Rubber manufacturer needed to reduce scrap generated through all phases of its manufacturing process.
DRIVER GOAL
- Work with five major production areas and maintenance to identify the major causes of scrap and develop a preventative maintenance program.
RESULT
- Achieved overall scrap reduction of 18% through better process control and more effective maintenance.
Case Study
Reduce Scrap & Increase Overall Equipment Effectiveness
Issue
A manufacturer of industrial grade rubber used primarily in the commercial roofing industry engaged The Highland Group to reduce the amount of scrap generated through all phases of its manufacturing process.
Highland Approach
The Highland Group formed cross-functional process control teams to perform root cause analyses, Design of Experiments and other problem solving techniques. This “joint team” approach served to engage the workforce in the improvement process while also training client personnel in techniques to be used beyond the scope of the project.
Actions Taken
- Designed and implemented a System For Managing to communicate the corporation’s high-level Driver Goals down to all levels of the organization.
- Recommended the implementation of a preventive maintenance software program (offered by Avantis Software); the program was subsequently implemented.
- Developed a detailed action plan for an upcoming plant shut-down.
- Initiated shift “huddles,” communication boards, departmental banners, etc. throughout the plant.
- Implemented weekly action logs and follow-up reporting mechanisms in all departments and used them to drive corrective actions.
