Consultancy brings home bacon to kitchen firm

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Feb 10, 2006

Kitchen furniture maker reduces order assembly time by 75% after taking part in a consultancy scheme to improve business competitiveness.

A manufacturer of kitchen furniture has reduced its order assembly time by 75% after taking part in a Yorkshire Forward scheme to improve business competitiveness.

Omega, based in Thorne near Doncaster, believes the improvements to its production process will support the company's continued growth plans.

Omega designs, manufactures and markets branded kitchen furniture which is sold through independent kitchen specialist outlets nationally.

The company employs 200 people at its Thorne site.

In February 2005, the company seized the opportunity to improve its productivity with help from Yorkshire Forward's Advanced Engineering and Materials (AEM) Competitive Edge programme.

The Competitive Edge programme is managed by PA Consulting Group and the work for Omega was delivered by management consultant Peter Rowley based in Grimsby and Hull.

Mike Procter, Production Director at Omega, said: "We were reaching the point where existing processes were constraining manufacturing growth - we needed fresh thinking and innovation".

"If we hadn't done the Competitive Edge programme we wouldn't have been able to develop this side of the business as quickly because we would have needed more space".

"The consultants at Peter Rowley identified how we could improve production operations and apply the principle of lean manufacturing".

"We wanted to reduce loading time and reduce the length of the assembly process".

"In the past we could have had up to 1000 kitchen units waiting for loading which is not a good use of factory floor space".

"We now have a continuous process of loading on to distribution lorries which avoids the bottleneck and gives us more factory space to use".

"As a result of the Competitive Edge programme, we have redesigned factory processes and implemented more efficient working practices".

"We have reduced order assembly time by 75% and improved productivity of line-side activities".

"These improvements are supporting the company's continued growth plans, which have averaged more than 20% a year in recent years, and we can now focus on increasing production capacity further".

"The Competitive Edge programme has helped move our manufacturing business forward and we now have a much more focused approach to production".

Simon Hill, Executive Director of Business Development at Yorkshire Forward, said: "I am delighted the Competitive Edge programme is helping the region's businesses improve production methods through technology and knowledge instead of price".

"The Competitive Edge programme helps companies identify and develop key competencies that will enable them to become highly competitive in the increasingly demanding global markets".

Competitive Edge is joint-financed by Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund.