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Process Improvements Update
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Process Improvements Update
With customer satisfaction as the primary driver within the business, we have reviewed and implemented several initiatives with the main objective has been to achieve significant process improvements. The Highlander, Claymore and Slitting machines have been have upgraded and refurbished to meets the challenges of an increased demand on capacity. Improvements in machine contact time have created additional capacity which in combination with a "campaign" approach to manufacturing has increased machine efficiencies and led to further gains in capacity. A simple “Traffic Light System” has been introduced to improve the process capability of the Highlander and the Claymore that helps us better control to the target coat weight on each machine. 
The objective of this review was also to re-engage all our operators in the customer complaints process through increased involvement (team and individual) and improved communications. The improvement initiatives were designed to create repeatable processes, to get to the root cause of problems and to subsequently eliminate them through implementing appropriate preventive measures. We are already seeing positive results by maintaining this engagement through regular team meetings and continuous updates and feedback to all operators on a day to day basis. 
With any organisation an increase in sales usually means a corresponding increase in the number of complaints received, but we are extremely pleased to report that at Smith & McLaurin our complaints and sales trends are now mutually exclusive from each other, with figures showing that despite an increase in sales from month 21 there was a drop in complaints which continued through to month 24. We can attribute this positive signal with all the changes outlined previously including better communication at all levels, operator training and the introduction of our “Traffic Light System”.
Posted on 06 July, 2009
