A case for improvement

Tuplin is a specialist in packing every type of product that needs careful handling, and has been successfully packing goods for export by sea, air and road worth millions of pounds since 1973. The goods packed include fragile, awkwardly shaped and sometimes-priceless goods, from the smallest precision instruments to massive flight simulators, all handled with care to over 65 countries worldwide. Having already undergone a number of Lean Improvement Workshops in the past, Tuplin knew only too well the advantages of introducing lean into everyday manufacturing processes. However over a period of time the initiative of implementing lean had stalled leading to a number of rising problems. The challenge facing the company was to improve throughput and reduce work in progress, the objective being to reduce lead times and increase productivity. Alistair Henderson, director of Tuplin, called in MAS South East team after hearing of the services they provide and a three-day rapid improvement workshop was agreed upon. Prior to the start of the workshop a number of key objectives were set, including; the introduction of a low cost production scheduling system, an improved operations layout, reduction in distance travelled around the shopfloor and the introduction of a number of measures to continue the on-going improvements long after the departure of MAS South East intervention. Led by MAS South East manufacturing specialists, Matt Green and Mark Schaffer, much of the work centred on speeding up the flow on the shop floor, improving scheduling, reducing movements by staff including the use of special trolleys and introducing other new measures to assist product flow. Henderson was fulsome in his praise for the help and advice given to the company by MAS South East. All objectives set out were achieved and exceeded with added benefits in productivity. A low cost production scheduling system was introduced which has led to improved communications throughout the organisation. An improved layout and better working environment has led to increased staff performance, improved morale and teamwork with suitable measures in place to ensure quality and productivity remains paramount above all else. Henderson said: “The new visual production scheduling system, that MAS helped us to develop, has radically improved the way the business is operating and our valued team is very comfortable with the new system. They are happy to know what to do and when, and I believe everyone works better with known targets. It has come as a surprise how much time we have to plan work. We will continue to work at the factory layout and process control to achieve more lean gains.”