A direct marketing solutions company wanted to continue growing but was consistently operating at or near capacity. Additionally, market pricing pressures created a need to manage growth in a more efficient way.
On the recommendation of their private equity owners, they engaged Carpedia for an assessment of one of their production departments, Personalization.
The Personalization area was identified as a constraint in the overall production flow, and Carpedia proposed an engagement that would result in improved performance of the area and relieve it as a constraint.
Carpedia partnered with the client to improve machine uptime to create capacity and increase good feet produced per machine hour.
Key changes included:
- Reduced machine downtime with a modified break and lunch coverage schedule, and standardized the machine hand off process during shift changes
- Improved the layout of the production floor
- Installed improved scheduling tools and methods
- Created and implemented job standards and system tools to improve job planning and scheduling
- Installed execution control and reporting tools to improve visibility to performance and downtime identification
- Improved active management with Carpedia College and on-the-job coaching
The Results
At the conclusion of the engagement, the personalization area had been removed as a constraint in the client’s operation and the projected savings were exceeded and achieved faster than anticipated.
The client also reported improved focus, understanding of key metrics and morale. The team feels more engaged and has a better understanding of expectations.
The client has since engaged Carpedia to conduct four subsequent engagements in other areas of their operation.
Results Included:
- 3:1 Return on Investment
- 66% Improvement in Good Feet per Hour
