B-Loony continues to soar
B-Loony at work
The Manufacturing Challenge
To develop a long-term relationship of hands-on support and mentoring when and where help is required, working closely with the Production Director, shopfloor staff and sales team to ultimately facilitate and implement improvements targeted at shopfloor efficiency levels, sales processing targets, general productivity, employee skills and energy performance.
Alongside this MAS was looked to for impartial advice and to act as part of a wider business support network, giving B-Loony the knowledge and confidence to try new improvement projects and allowing the business to go from strength to strength,
MAS Action
MAS initially visited B-Loony for a general manufacturing review. Sceptical at first of how MAS could help, it quickly became clear that a number of major improvement projects could be undertaken on the manufacturing shopfloor that would lead to significant efficiency levels and make better use of the existing space.
The first step was a three day workshop which focused on Lean awareness, process mapping, identification of opportunity, alternative flow and layout ideas. MAS Advisor Chris Needham spent time with the team evaluating areas of the factory floor to maximise efficiency and reduce time wastage, which was followed by a total restructure.
Over the following three years, MAS continued to provide mentoring support to B-Loony’s Production Director, James Clephan. Ideas were bounced around and objectives, targets and projects set for further improvements across operations, including staff development and a results tracker implemented.
Further support was requested from MAS to look at and help improve sales order processing within B-Loony’s second site; a four-day facilitated workshop in sales administration took place that dealt with a number of longstanding issues.
MAS also referred B-Loony to engage in funded BIT (Business Improvement Techniques) NVQ for a cross section of production and non-production employees in order to boost the internal skills level of the workforce, allowing them to take ownership of improvement projects, boosting staff morale and team involvement.
“Aside from bottom line savings and increased efficiency and productivity levels since working with MAS, we have been equipped to achieved an above standard growth rate, employing more staff to cope with this increase. Perhaps more importantly communication amongst staff has improved tenfold and individuals are now encouraged to ‘take ownership’ of the products and improvements in their area – there is real team spirit amongst the shopfloor and our sales department that could be considered of more benefit than any monetary gain that can be identified.”
James Clephan, Production Director, B-Loony
Results
- New and improved factory layout – increased efficiency and productivity
- Bottom line savings achieved of £54k across shopfloor
- Sales order processing improvements
- Employee skills development – internal culture of continuous improvement
- Potential £40K saving on annual energy bill
- Improved structure of the company overall
Overview
Employees: 60
Turnover: £5.85M (Y/E March 2011)
Sector: Printing
Facility: 20,000 sq ft printing factory
Location: Chesham, Buckinghamshire
To read more about Advisor Chris Needham click here.
