Production Run Strategy

Results Achieved

Reduction number of grade
changes per week

Sustained annualized
savings

Improvement in changeover
time per week

Production planning
improvement

Client Challenge

This global specialty chemical manufacturer with a wide-ranging portfolio was experiencing an increase in demand above available capacity resulting in longer lead times, late shipments, missed shipments and a general reduction in customer service. The business wanted to increase available capacity ahead of bringing a new capital project online.

Key Solutions Implemented

  • Brokered agreement between product management and the plant to adhere to a clear set of guiding principles for production planning, including following the product wheel sequence, adhering to lead times, and escalating approval for the cost of lost capacity caused by any scheduled breaks
  • Performed SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die) analysis on bottleneck procedure (46 steps over 3 shifts averaging 18.3 hours). Collated best practices and key metrics into revised work instructions and expedited engineering changes to allow more work in parallel