Challenge
GP Strategies® was invited to partner with a $35 billion food, beverage, and confectionary conglomerate that employs over 100,000 people in 80 countries. The company is a preeminent maker of snacks, holding significant market share in more than 165 countries for segments including biscuits, chocolate, sweets, chewing gum, beverages, cheese, and grocery.
We performed reliability and process assessments for the company and determined that the production line was hampered by dozens of abnormalities and defects directly impacting the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). The company needed to increase the production line’s throughput and reduce scrap.
The equipment reliability issues a GP Strategies identified were tracked to variations in the way that operators performed their daily tasks. Documentation and procedures for operations, startup, shutdown, and changeover procedures were out of date, leading to inconsistent performance and poor defect identification and elimination.
Solution
In collaboration with the maintenance and production teams, GP Strategies developed and implemented several rapid improvement operator care workshops. These workshops covered critical topics, including:
- Visual management | Formalizing visual cues across the facility for operational clarity
- 5S and problem-solving | Following a system of cleanliness and physical organization to facilitate greater productivity, safety, and quality
- Operator equipment inspections | Performing regular checks for machinery reliability
- Front-line reliability | Enabling operators to be more self-reliant and respond more quickly to problems without always needing to call in technicians or specialists
In addition to the operator care rapid improvement workshops for existing company facilities, we designed, developed, and delivered a comprehensive operator training program for a new production line being assembled.
- Customized Training Deliverables
- Equipment-specific training modules
- Safety and operator care overview
- Equipment overview
- Components, functions, and operation
- Evidence of good operation
- Controls and sensors
- Operating procedures
- Inspection and front-line maintenance
- Troubleshooting
- Training Within Industry (TWI) and job breakdown sheets for standard operating procedures (SOPs) and front-line maintenance
- Videos
- Accelerated learning principles
- Quizzes and learning games
- Structured qualification process
- Final testing and qualification
- Coaching
- Equipment-specific training modules
- Hands-On Training
- Learning trips to vendors and existing sites
- Structured on-the-job requirements
- TWI application to job tasks
- Qualification sign-offs
- Toolkit
- Operator care and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
- SOPs
- One-point lessons
- Defect identification process
- Visual controls and aids
- Workplace organization and 5S
- Operator inspection checklists
- Sensor maps
- Front line maintenance
- Train the Trainer
- We trained and coached company in-house trainers to administer the program, sustain gains, and identify improvement opportunities.
Results
Numerous advances were made as a result of the project regarding safety, efficiency, and problem identification and resolution. Qualitatively, there were also noticeable improvements in the workforce, including reduced stress, better morale, and a more involved and proactive staff.
Quantifiable results in the production process include:
- Over 350 production line defects identified and resolved
- Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) increased by 14.6% over six monthsOverall equipment effectiveness (OEE) increased by 14.6% over six months
- Yield increased by 3% (more of the products manufactured were of appropriate quality, indicating improved efficiency and reduced waste)
