Food Companies and the “LEAN PROCESS”
“Lean Manufacturing” is part of a business wide strategy aimed at minimising operating costs and increasing market potential.
Lean is now the name used for a collection of business performance improvement tools and concepts that focus on enhancing Quality, Cost, Delivery and People’s contributions through the application of world class manufacturing principles, the elimination of waste and continual improvements in workplace safety.
The five Lean principles are
- Specify what creates value from the customers perspective
- Identify all the steps along the process chain
- Make those processes flow
- Make only what is pulled by the customer
- Strive for perfection by continually removing waste.
The main driver for Lean is to compress the time period from customer order to banking payment. The way that is achieved is by identifying and eliminating waste. In the supply chain there are several ways waste can be huge.
- Over production
- Inventory
- Transport
- Processing
- Idle Time
- Operator motion
- Bad quality
The good thing about Lean is that it is not just about buying the latest piece of kit or having the best facilities; it’s about developing a different approach to work. It’s not expensive to get started and it is adjustable for large or small businesses.
Lean is a journey of continuous improvement rather than a destination. Once you have taken the first steps you’ll almost certainly want to continue.
Here at Lincol Oil we have helped some of Europe’s major Food Manufactures through the Lean process. We have developed ways in making the application easier. You no doubt have vast knowledge about your own industry. We have been serving the food industry since 1906. Lincol have been developing a colour coding system which has been implemented by the Findus group as part of the Lean process.
If you can identify with any of the following Lincol Oil can help
- Are oil changeovers a problem
- Outputs unpredictable
- Too much down time
- Wasting valuable time on the same old issues
- Not got all the data and specifications you need
- Wrong Lubricants
- Not enough information on food safe Lubricants
- Need to reduce costs
For more information www.lincol-oil.co.uk or tell 01469 571093 ask for Simon Greaves.
