Manufacturer given a hand

Designers of outdoor timber play equipment using a team of highly skilled craftsmen, Hampshire based Hand Made Places specialise in play sculptures, outdoor classrooms and playground seating in helping schools and local communities develop their outdoor spaces. Being a growing enterprise, it realised that input from experts in manufacturing was required to ensure they could continue to turn their unique product ideas into reality. Needing to develop a cost effective strategy to move production forward, drive down manufacturing costs and to break through a perceived ceiling on production process development, Roger Dyer, MAS South East Specialist, mentored the team on lean awareness. Mark Cullum, production manager at Hand Made Places, says: “We are specialists in play and playground design, not experts in manufacturing, which is why we needed MAS South East support. Our objectives from the outset were to increase production from the limited space available and drive down manufacturing costs. We had to face a decision of either moving to a larger site and replicating our current experience, or to learn and try a new approach to manufacturing.” MAS South East introduced lean manufacturing tools and techniques to improve the overall speed and efficiency of the skilled craftsmen, and increase throughput around the shopfloor. While Hand Made Places continue to learn, they are confident that their business has taken a huge step forward. The intervention of MAS South East has enabled the company to provide more popular products in a shorter turnaround time, while managing stock and timber order intake more efficiently. Cullum continued, “We are now at the first stage of becoming a true ‘manufacturing company’ and as a direct result of MAS South East we are now working smarter which has allowed us to reap benefit after benefit. While we continue to learn, we are confident that our business has taken a huge step forward. We are looking forward to our most successful year ever.”