Source of information: UNIDO Partnership Programme

 

 

Company Profile

Country

India

Capital

US$ 500,000

No. of Employees

161 (in three plants)

Products

Rubber and PVC profiles, seals and body trimmings for automobiles

Exports

15% of turnover. Exports products to UK, France, Italy, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Middle East, East Africa, South East Asia, Australia

Technology

Technical license agreement with Saiag Industrial S.p.A., Italy, in manufacturing of new generation sealing profiles and glass run channels. Two joint ventures.

Certification

ISO 9002

Improvements Achieved

(within 6 months, without any capital investment)

Production space: increased by 45%

Machine down time: reduced by 60%

Machinery breakdown: reduced by 42%

Scrap: reduced by 75%

Standard operating procedures (SOPs): increased by 50%

Workforce flexibility: increased by 57%

Productivity awareness: increased dramatically

Quality awareness: increased steadily

Staff motivation: improved significantly

Kaizen: 5 Principles

Continuous Improvement Firm

Lean Production – Doing More With Less

3 Broad Types of Wastes

7 Wastes To Be Eliminated

Kaizen – the Japanese Strategy of Continuous Improvement

Quick and Easy Kaizen (Mini-Kaizen)

Just-in-Time (JIT) Manufacturing >> JIT Implementation

5S

Glossary – Kaizen & Lean Production

Lean Manufacturing Quotes

Continuous Improvement Firm (CIF)

3 Basic Principles of Continuous Improvement

Kaizen Mindset

Kaizen Strategy: 7 Conditions for Successful Implementation

Kaizen and Total Quality Control (TQC)

Efficiency Improvement

Productivity Improvement

Business Strategies for Green Productivity & Sustainable Growth

Suggestion Systems

Japanese Suggestion System

Case Studies

Rojee Tasha Stampings Ltd. (India)

Thara Engineering (India)

3 US SMEs

Toyota Production System

CIF    Kaizen

The Toyota Way: 14 Principles

Fidelity Investments: Practicing Kaizen

Fun4Biz Suggestion System

Implementation Strategy

Non-capital changes by using world-class manufacturing (WCM) methods such as single minute exchange of die (SMED), 5S activities (Sort – Straighten – Sweep – Standardize – Self-discipline), variations of the Kamban system and other recognized methods of generating productivity gains.

Lean Enterprise: Kore 10 Tips

Example of a Truly Lean Value Chain

Most Notable Impact

A number of space and time utilization improvements were achieved.

Kaizen Mindset

Radical Improvement (Kaikaku): 10 Tip

Shop-floor organization included leveling and repainting, with the additional benefit of improved safety and material flow on the shop floor. A 45% gain in production space was due largely to 5S activities.

These activities combined with a red-tag campaign also contributed to a reduction in machine down time by 60%. Another contribution in this respect came from a systemic analysis of machine down time at each workstation, followed by remedy-search sessions held in the Engineering Department.

 

 

Production set-up time was reduced by 33% by the application of single minute exchange of die (SMED) method. Gold Seal engineers participated in a training program which focused on standardization of changeover procedures and streamlining internal operations. Subsequently, standard operating procedures (SOPs) were expanded to include manual work. Consequently, approximately 50% of the production processes performed on the company's shop floor were standardized. This led to reduction of the lead time required for production and completion of goods by 25%.

Kaizen Culture: 8 Key Elements

Through training, workers were able to develop additional skills, which led to an increase in workforce flexibility. Skills matrix was developed for each department. The outcome of such as exercise revealed that 57% of the workforce at Gold Seal was multi-skilled.

Takt-time leveling benefits were analysed in order to move towards a single-flow production system.

Motivation

A dramatic mindset change. A prevailing "culture of blame" was replaced by a more productive Kaizen climate. A major contribution came from a female executive who exhibited a high level of motivation and ensured that the activities agreed upon were properly carried out.

 

Quality Control & Scrap Reduction

8 Rules for Quality Management

Areas Targeted by TQM in Japan

Quality circles (QCs) were established and they increasingly involved the workforce. A suggestion system was also introduced, with suggestions being reviewed twice a month.

These mechanisms combined with SOPs for manual work, and the utilization of new measuring devices had a significant impact on product quality. Scrap volume was reduced by 75%.