Newsflash: SMED Quick Changeover Results!

Recently (last week) we conducted a 5-day SMED/Quick Changeover Kaizen on a large paper machine with these fantastic results:

1. $100,000 cost savings per year (conservative estimate)

2. $284,000 increased sales margin per year

3. 11 full days of increased machine capacity per year

4. Increase in machine utilization (measured by OEE)

5. Increase in quality and reliability after the changeovers

6. Standard work for the 5 machine positions: Tender, Back Tender, 3rd, 4th, & 5th Hand

7. Less broke waste

8. Improved relationships between management/supervision and the production floor union (5 union members were on the kaizen team as well)

9. Improved monitoring of changeovers on an on-going basis (ownership transferred to the production operators for this)

10. Mechanical improvements to the paper machine itself (many done this week, many more scheduled on the 30-day task list).

It was an intense week, but well worth the effort, for sure.  Everyone was pleased, even the Union members who were reluctant on Monday but were whole-heartedly participating by Wednesday – Friday!