The client

A British food manufacturing firm supplying the major UK supermarkets already boasted an annual turnover of over £50 million. It was now seeking to expand its manufacturing capabilities to enable it to take on more business and to expand into new product areas.

The challenge

To move the company’s total manufacturing operation, including four packing lines, into a new factory building while maintaining production and fulfilling orders. Could we increase capacity to meet the company’s expansion targets using only the limited factory space currently available? And could any productivity-enhancing solution be implemented without a major disruption to the supply of goods into the marketplace?

 

 

The solution

The move was planned for almost six months in advance to guarantee minimal disruption to work flow. It was audited throughout by customers and BRC. The key factor in the success was the long planning phase where different teams worked on process optimisation, factory flow, stock-build to ensure a phased machine move could take place without increasing labour hours and guaranteeing the move conformed to all technical requirements.

During commissioning rapid project teams worked around the clock to make sure all equipment was validated, using swabs for all surfaces and agar plate placements for airborne contamination. Every department worked together and once the initial rush was over, the new space and all the opportunity it afforded made up for the hard work.

 


“The key to success in this project was the length and breadth of the planning phase. All eventualities were accounted for which allowed the implementation to run as smoothly as possible”

— John Hiles, HIC


 

The results

Remarkably, during the move the company achieved a 97% OTIF (on time in full) delivery score. The new facility increased production capacity by 30% whilst still allowing for further expansion in the future.

What’s more, by bringing all external warehousing in-house, the company achieved an annual cost saving of £780,000. As an additional bonus, health and safety risk was also reduced.

 

Key Outcomes

 

97% orders delivered on time

30% capacity increase

£780,000 per annum saving on warehousing costs