In this process, it is easy to forget the basics when looking for ways of improving performance. Tork, global provider of professional hygiene products and services, launches improvements to the exelCLEAN® cleaning cloth range; making cleaning more efficient than ever before.
Maintenance and cleaning are fundamental day to day tasks across most industrial sectors and are often common sources of accidents, as operators performing these tasks focus on machinery as opposed to personal safety. To improve this, employee engagement and understanding is critical – otherwise, efficiency improvements become a management philosophy rather than a production reality. Education is not enough, because when individuals are under pressure, the focus tends to be on the easiest, rather than the safest, option. They need materials to be accessible, and to produce instant results. The majority of industrial manufacturing industries across Europe use rags for maintenance and cleaning, but this traditional solution is flawed. Rags clutter the workplace, and can be unhygienic, unsafe and stained, with a lack of dispensers meaning cleaning supplies are not close to hand. Time is also wasted sorting and choosing mixed rags.
The right tools and processes should be in place to ensure a workplace is operating to full capacity. Tork cleaning cloths with exelCLEAN® are non-woven products, refined to improve high-performance durability. Portable handy boxes have a new design, reinforced handle and a larger opening – enabling individuals to take a right-sized Tork cloth even with gloves on. The uniform construction also helps a business to reduce overall environmental impact with product, packaging and process improvements lowering the carbon footprint by approximately 14%. The cleaning solutions are easy to use and allow people to work smarter and safer, increasing worker satisfaction when completing tasks as the job can be done quicker. Tork products require up to 41% less solvents than rags, reducing costs and improving working conditions and in turn, employee satisfaction and retention.
“When it comes to continuous improvement, a second is a second no matter where it comes from.[1] Last year, the manufacturing industry in Europe invested €140 billion on new technology. Before you invest in more complex solutions, you must have fundamental details in place.” said Rachel Thompson, Product Manager at Tork. Better performance starts with employee engagement and interaction but will only fully succeed if correct equipment is provided. Do not forget the basic details and the simple changes you could make to fundamental tasks that could make all the difference to performance.
[1] PWC, Industry 4.0- Opportunities and challenges of the industrial internet, 2015
