Plastics industry welcomes lean message

A PICME product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Apr 26, 2005

The Process Industries Centre for Manufacturing Excellence reports high interest from its presence and seminar programme at the Plastics Design and Moulding exhibition.

The Process Industries Centre for Manufacturing Excellence reports high interest from its presence and seminar programme at the Plastics Design and Moulding exhibition.

A rolling half hour PICME presentation of productivity improvement techniques pulled in nearly 100 plastics processor visitors to the PICME stand.

PICME Business Development Manager Mike Aitken says: "The overall response from those who visited us was very good: our visitors made it clear that mere training in lean manufacturing is not enough".

"You have to learn lean manufacturing by doing it, and therefore the PICME method of making sure that the techniques take root in client companies was again validated at the exhibition as the only way to go".

PICME research is establishing that UK plastics processing is seeing a growing shortfall in the required supervisory and leadership skills for good manufacturing practice.

Aitken says: "Many plastics-based manufacturing operations who have undergone training in lean manufacturing have found that the teaching has not stuck and the practices have not been sustainable".

"After a little probing it becomes clear that the learning-by-doing approach has not been properly undertaken by and - as significantly - that manufacturing supervisors and shift team leaders have been left out of the improvement loop".

"These, above all people, are the personnel who should be driving lean at every minute of the day but in most instances they are not".

"Part of the PICME mission is to help strengthen a learning-by-doing culture and thus ensure a strong and ongoing process of lean manufacturing at client companies".

The UK plastics sector is key to PICME's overall remit and targets for the improved productivity of the UK's process sectors.

"UK plastics - in all its diversity - has a lot of challenges for the principles of lean manufacturing", notes Aitken.

"And we have helped all clients in all process areas - film blowing, thermoforming, injection moulding - to streamline their effectiveness, improve morale, and boost the bottom line profit in very significant terms".

"Lean manufacturing is here to stay - and UK plastics is becoming more mindful of the need to use it".

Mark Lewis, PICME Chief Executive, comments: "The major challenge for our industry is the rapid uptake of the world class operating practices needed".

"PICME is in business to encourage all in the industry trying to meet this challenge, and to provide practical help".

"Most enterprises in UK plastics manufacturing could still benefit significantly from working that bit smarter".

"As ever", adds Lewis, "the key to unlocking this potential is not about cash or capital".

"It's about people - helping them work more effectively - and using best practice in measurement and improvement".