Logistics and Operational Efficiency
Sponsored by WMG
With customers demanding more value for money, how do you ensure your supply-chain maintains your margins?
Any manufacturing business with a well-organised supply chain and the ability to keep up with current best practice is in a very strong market position. The Logistics and Operational Efficiency module of the MX programme will help you work out where you can be more efficient and make everything run more smoothly.
The questions in this section reflect the importance of logistics and operational efficiency on business performance. Successful companies focus and invest in their core competencies and expand their supply chains to take advantage of global opportunities. This provides improved access to world markets by being able to offer customers desirable products at competitive prices. To be successful, companies must offer capable production processes and coordinate the flow of material and information throughout their supply chains.
Congratulations to the 2011 winner Draeger Safety UK Ltd
Logistics and operational efficiency plays a key role in business performance and Draeger particularly impressed the judges with the introduction of a new dashboard display, which is used to make key performance parameters visible to all staff. In addition the close attention paid to improving and ironing out issues in the supply chain has delivered tangible benefits for the business as a whole.
Draeger is a cutting-edge business which manufactures life-saving safety equipment for a range of industry sectors which include fire & rescue services, oil & gas, chemical and law enforcement. Products include compressed air-breathing apparatus as well as flame and gas detection devices.
The company has worked hard to reduce machine changeover times in order to allow small batches to be produced economically and thus minimise the need for stock holding. In April 2011, Draeger introduced a web based system for small orders which has already processed £270k of orders.
Draeger’s commitment to their staff was one particular area highlighted by the judges. They have a comprehensive communication programme which provides the basis of a robust support system for staff. The staff talent programme also encourages employees to develop and fulfil their potential.
Malcolm Irving, Head of Operations at Draeger's Blyth site, is delighted that the business has picked up an award at this year's competition, which builds on their success at MX 2010 where they won the award for Process Innovation.
He commented: "As a business we are absolutely thrilled to have come out on top in the WMG Award for Logistics and Operational Efficiency category – especially against such stiff competition. Also to be shortlisted in no fewer than five other key categories in this prestigious national competition gives us immense pride. The whole Manufacturing Excellence process has again provided us with a great opportunity to benchmark ourselves with other best practice organisations who are not necessarily operating in our industry sectors. We feel that our attention to detail, robust processes and the focused, quality-led approach to manufacturing excellence have all contributed to our ongoing success.
“All of the hard work that our employees put in day-in day-out is testament to why we've picked up the award in this year’s competition. To do this in such a difficult economic climate is a great achievement indeed”.
