Plastics moulding under the spotlight

Delegates from a wide range of plastics suppliers attended the first PICME plastics moulders event at Eaton Automotive in the West Midlands earlier this month.

Delegates from a wide range of plastics suppliers attended the first PICME plastics moulders event at Eaton Automotive in the West Midlands earlier this month.

"Excellent", "really informative", "much food for thought", "really important to also hear from companies that have benefited" and "obvious that the PICME engineers are high calibre", were typical comments received in feedback from the 34 delegates from moulders in the healthcare, plumbing, electrical, materials handling and trade moulding sectors.

PICME's Steve Williamson covered business assessment by benchmarking to discover strengths and weaknesses, and to help understand the practice and performance gaps.

He also demonstrated the new Max-Serv European online benchmarking tool.

Michael Glass of PICME emphasised the importance of both practice and performance improvement in sustaining a continuous improvement culture.

He explained the PICME Masterclass and reviewed focused improvement activity.

He explained that since its foundation in 2001 PICME had saved its clients GBP 100 million in immediate and ongoing benefits.

PICME's Greg Watts explained value stream mapping (VSM) and demonstrated the power of this lean method, which focuses on drawing out the value-added activity of the business and the elimination of idle time.

This was also emphasised during the tour of the Eaton plant where VSM is a working tool.

The icing on the cake for many was the presentation from Geberit Terrain's Van Williams and Andy Martin who endorsed the PICME improvement approach in a powerful presentation of the benefits experienced by their company.

Geberit explained that they started the activity with some scepticism.

They had tried improvement initiatives before.

All had failed.

"The PICME approach works".

"PICME's 'inch-wide/mile-deep' approach to problem solving really makes a difference", said Williams.

The host for the day, Eaton Automotive, then explained how its policy of engaging people has really made a difference to this award-winning manufacturer.

A tour of the factory demonstrated a high level of commitment and pride in their continuous improvement approach.

Cogent's Brian Manning provided some dramatic statistics relating to plastics industry training and explained how Cogent is supporting a more focused national approach to developing skills in the plastics and rubber sector.

PICME's Steve Davies said that this first plastics focused manufacturing improvement seminar had been a real success.

"It was particularly pleasing that the event was hosted by a successful plastics manufacturer and that both Eaton and guest speakers from Geberit were open enough to explain the real benefits from their improvement work".

"It really is powerful when the message is endorsed by companies who have benefited from the improvement work".

"We even had delegates asking to prebook for the main PICME seminar on 7th September at Cranfield", added Davies.

PICME's 3rd annual conference for the process industries will once more take place at Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield, Bedfordshire.

The conference begins at 0900 BST on Tuesday 7th September, and will feature successful examples of manufacturing improvement from PICME's recent clients as well as presentations from PICME and others.

Companies presenting will include Akzo Nobel, Avecia, Cogent, Marley, Muraspec, UCB BOPP, and PICME itself.

Topics and techniques on show will include value stream mapping, policy deployment, benchmarking, cultural change, waste minimisation, plant utilisation, the enabling role of NVQs, managing the supply chain, and lean manufacturing strategy.

Overnight accomodation and dinner is available for delegates on the night of 6th September.

All of PICME's manufacturing improvement engineers will be at the event for networking and informal consultation.

The full conference programme will be published within the next two weeks.

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