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| Client: | A major
supplier of pharmaceutical raw materials with a dominant share of the market.
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| Problem: | Rapid growth
in demand and drive to reduce costs produced a need to increase capacity,
become more efficient, reduce inventories, and improve delivery time to
customers. There was also a strong need to work in more efficient ways which
included increased use of teamwork. |
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| Approach: | Tunnell
worked with the client's manufacturing staff to create a continuous improvement
process based on the use of Six Sigma methodology. The first wave of improvement
included ten improvement projects worth $1.7million. Ten members of the
professional staff were trained in the Six Sigma methodology at the Green
Belt level and successfully completed their projects in a 4-8 month period.
Each project involved a team of 2-4 people in addition to the Green Belt,
so the plant workforce learned the art and science of teamwork. Improving
process capability and control was a key element of a number of the projects. |
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| Results: | All of
the projects produced bottom-line savings and improved customer satisfaction
through reduced delivery times. Financial improvements were achieved through:
- Increased capacity - Reduced inventory - Improved process capability (Cpk) - Shorter batch release times - Reduction of process failures - Waste reduction - Identification of higher performing raw materials |
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