Four steps to improved productivity

Economic uncertainty, tougher competition and fast-paced innovation make it imperative to review your company’s production line on a regular basis. How can you make your production more efficient? What is the best way to lower your manufacturing costs, reduce cycle time, eliminate waste or bottlenecks?

We can help you. With the Productivity Improvement Programme (PIP), we use a proven, structured process to identify where improvements can be made, and help you implement solutions.

PIP is not just about tools. It is about efficiency and how to improve your results. We look at workspace design, logistics, set-up processes, sources of waste, even hidden waste. As a toolmaker with long experience and a global customer base, we have a wealth of knowledge upon which to craft smart solutions. We can help you at machine level, operator level, and even organisational level. We are not satisfied until you are satisfied.

A four-step process that really works

The PIP can be performed on a single machine, a process chain, or a complete plant. We support all levels, regardless of whether you are an operator, technician, production manager, strategic purchaser or managing director. We work closely together with you, reviewing your needs and finding solutions using a four-step process:

1. Survey: A productivity team identifies bottlenecks and areas of improvement and compiles data via observation and existing documentation. We present the results, and after your approval we continue.
2. Recommend: After we analyse the survey results, the team proposes alternative solutions for increased productivity and lower costs in targeted areas.
3. Validate: The team verifies the favoured proposals with your production staff. We provide a comprehensive report as a basis for your decision on whether to implement the suggestions.
4. Implement: The PIP does not result in an idle report. Together we create a detailed plan on how to proceed, including instructions on who does what and when, what investments are needed, and how the roll-out procedure should proceed. We give the appropriate training and follow up to see that the improvements work as intended.

The PIP process is carried out with a minimum of disruption to your production. It is a fast, smooth way to review your production efficiency and improve your results. Many of our satisfied customers have already used the PIP to discover where and how to cut process time, increase feed rates, and realise an additional number of productivity hours resulting in annual savings from just under £100 000 to over €700 000.

Are you interested in optimizing the productivity and profitability of your machines? Please contact one of our skilled manufacturing specialists.

In the oil industry we helped a pump gear manufacturer reduce a component’s manufacturing time from 129 minutes to 75 minutes. The number of tools was reduced from six to four, and tool life increased dramatically.