Maple’s office and factory teams have taken part in a series of workshops to demonstrate the importance of communication, planning and organisation in every project.
It’s the latest example of our commitment to Lean Management and the 5S approach to business improvement, and will help us reduce waste, streamline production, improve quality and enhance safety.
All staff who take part in the workshops are working towards a Level Two (L2) NVQ Qualification in Business Improvement Techniques. Using simulation techniques, they assembled components from diagrams, managed stock and finished parts through the factory, checked quality, processed orders and ‘delivered’ them to the customer.
The teams then applied the lessons learned from the exercise – with impressive results. “The teams identified areas where communication and processes could be improved,” said Maple’s Production Manager, Kelly Dunbar. “In the second simulation, the flow through the factory was better, fewer parts were rejected and we delivered twice as many finished assemblies to the customers.”
Lean Management and the 5S approach underpin our Diamond Route Approach, which is designed to provide exceptional service at every stage of a project.
Maple’s Andy O’Neil was one of the factory employees who took part in the workshop. He said: “By using the 5S system, we learned there is always room for improvement.
“In the second simulation, everyone knew what the other person was doing. By working together more closely, the workflow was a lot smoother, quality was improved, we had less stock lying around, and customer service was much better.”