 Why
the need for process improvement
Vehicle manufacturers today face a compelling need
to improve their performance. And so do their suppliers. Every
company in the supply chain must play its part to ensure a close
working relationship between their suppliers and their customers
and ultimately with the vehicle manufacturer. But every supply
chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
To
become an effective supplier you need to have
control of your business. To be proactive rather than
always having to react to your customer's demands. You need
to deliver support to your customer
to ensure the survival both of the supply chain itself and
of your position within it.
You also need to develop your business process
culture, by focussing on the process, analysing it and changing
attitudes. Then you must implement the
resulting improvements to enable you to deliver process
results and change your business process culture. For the
better!
To fail this process improvement is to
let down not only your customers but your workforce, and,
in the end, yourself.
...Unfortunately what the
competition are doing is excellent, even better...
MasterClass
- Process Improvement...
Click on diagram above to enlarge |
The purpose of the MasterClass programme
is simple, yet vital. Its aim is to help companies like yours
improve their competitiveness in a structured sustainable
way.
MasterClass is based on a philosophy
of customer satisfaction, involving everyone, and cascading
the know-how.
It's an individually tailored, hands-on approach
conducted principally on the shop floor.
MasterClass looks at your company's production
processes with two aims. To eliminate
waste and to maximise the potential of the available resources.
It does so in a way that will provide the most additional
benefit to your customers.
The result is improvement in Quality, Cost and
Delivery within your company.
Our highly experienced Industry
Forum Engineers work directly with your own workforce
to encourage them to learn-by-doing.
That way, any changes made are as a result
of suggestions from the workers themselves. This means that
there's no feeling of new systems being imposed on the workforce.
Indeed, our Industry Forum Engineer becomes an integral member
of the team.
"There is a
resource here you can utilise to get the skills, to get the
expertise, to help train your own shopfloor personnel - For
improved performance"
Peter Hill, Director, European Purchasing, Nissan Europe
NV
How
MasterClass works...
Typically, a MasterClass programme consists of four distinct
phases.
Pre-diagnostic
This initial phase is a one-day visit from one of our Industry
Forum Engineers. He or she is the specialist who'll work closely
with your company to bring about the improvements you want.
During the Pre-diagnostic, introductions are made, information
gathered, and questions about the process answered.
Diagnostic
The MasterClass programme can only result in real and sustainable
progress if the company's current performance is measured.
You need an effective benchmark against which to measure improvements.
The purpose of the Diagnostic phase, then, is to establish
the current state of competitiveness of your company, and
to see where improvements can be made.
"The shopfloor
is our bank, that's what makes our money and that's where
the improvement needs to happen."
Tom Cullingford, Process Improvement Manager
Peterson Springs
Workshop...
After the diagnostic phase has identified the areas where
improvements can be made and targets set against the relevant
measures of QCD, the MasterClass moves on to the Workshop
phase. This is an intensive five-day activity where everyone
is required to -
"roll up their sleeves and do it"
The workshop employs five fundamental philosophies
to eliminate waste and improve productivity.
"For me one of the
most important outcomes was the change in attitude from our
employees on the shopfloor, because previously any problem
encountered had been an issue for management."
Jim Murphy,MD
Vita Liquid Polymers.
The improvements resulting from a workshop can
be judged against the QDC benchmark set during the diagnostic
phase.
But the MasterClass doesn't end when all the desired changes
have been implemented. The process of improvement is a continuing
one.
Follow-up stages
Any improvement resulting from the programme is only effective
if it's sustained. A tailored follow-up programme, spread
over several months, provides the support to ensure continuous
sustained improvement.
How
to get Involved...
Customers are demanding ever-increasing levels of Quality,
Cost and Delivery performance from their suppliers. For British
industry to survive and succeed in this present climate, change
is not an option. It's an urgent necessity.
"Like all OEMs, we've gone to more
world-class suppliers. It's a pity we had to drop some of
the UK indigenous suppliers because they felt unable to give
us that sort of support."
Mike Beasley, Former Executive Director, Jaguar Cars Ltd.
The SMMT Industry Forum is a collaboration between
international vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers.
It's totally committed to helping businesses like yours to
develop and sustain world-leading competitiveness.
The programmes we've developed represent a unique
opportunity for the British supply industry to be the first
to apply global best practice consistently through the entire
supply chain and gain a very real competitive edge in the
world market.
They are programmes your company needs. Right now.
"I think the Industry
Forum has brought a breath of fresh air into the industry.
The tools and techniques they're applying are excellent, first
class, they are world class tools and techniques. We should
ignore them at our peril."
Mike Beasley, Former Executive Director, Jaguar Cars Ltd
To benefit from one of our programmes,
please contact: Arthur David - 07970 246888.
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