Lean business conference has many fans

Neil Yule, sales and marketing director explained what FläktWoods does – air management being much more than just making fans. But Yule’s presentation highlighted the predicament the company as in with customers laughing at its delivery promises and even parts of the same group being given the go-ahead to source from alternative suppliers to Colchester. Since embarking on lean, and moving to a new site, there has been a dramatic turnaround. But Frank Walsh, operations director, has started the site on its lean journey, and the results in just 15 months are impressive. As the factory tour showed, the initiatives in place – health and safety focus, communication, 5S – are all helping drive up delivery performance, and productivity, and drive down leadtimes. “He isn’t even cheating,” says Yule of this particular improvement measure. Walsh’s presentation proved an enlightening part of the conference, especially when coupled with the factory tour where delegates got to talk to some of his non-tie wearing team. “Guys in ties cost me money, guys without ties make me money,” explained Walsh. Kaizen teams were employed, and given free reign, being told by Walsh: “You’ve got the empowerment to change things.” And now, the business focuses on data – “Speak with data” he eschews, “it takes the emotion out.” It has been a journey for this site, but it also recognises that it is only part way along that journey, with further steps to make. Subsequent presentations included one from previous Best factory Award winner Schefenacker, whose Mike Riddle linked the importance of using IT to “glue together” the operation that is becoming more lean. Riddle warned those “throwing away the rulebook” on accounting, when they move to lean, that this can cause massive issues. “Use technology to join up disconnected processes” he encouraged. Event sponsors TBM Consulting, QAD and Sage were available for delegates to pick up more information throughout the day. And in the afternoon, interactive workshops from Unipart, Access2growth and Nicholson Consultancy provided all delegates with tools and techniques, tips on sustaining a lean programme through the ‘mid years’ and a simulation on lean.