Industry Forum

Industrial Components

Industrial components are used in a variety of different industries. In many of these, the pressure for world class quality and performance is moving down to the lower levels in the supply chain. As a result, more and more industrial component manufacturers have found that it is essential to work with a partner who can assist them in ensuring that their products and processes are right first time. This should be based on a full review of all stages of the component’s lifecycle, from raw material evaluation and materials characterisation to product and process optimisation and failure. Efficient, better quality and more cost-effective processes are essential to scaling up to compete on a global scale.

This kind of process optimisation is a key requirement for both new and existing products and systems.

Industry Forum has over a decade of experience as industrial components business consultants supporting blue chip organisations within this sector, both in the UK and globally. Industry Forum has supported the development and introduction of global systems with clients, coached and developed internal resource to ensure sustainability and supported front line delivery of invasive lean or TPM programmes.

Examples of some of the techniques successfully deployed in client organisations within this Sector include:

  • Developing business policy deployment systems to ensure all improvement activities within the organisation support overall strategic objectives
  • Implementing robust data collection and analysis systems to identify business improvement opportunities relating to Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery, Environment and Manpower (SQCDEM)
  • Driving daily management processes enabling first line leadership to control their processes, implementing local level problem solving and improvement
  • Developing the capability and autonomous ownership of workplace teams to identify and implement improvement opportunities using core Lean improvement tools such as waste elimination, workplace organisation, standardisation and visual management
  • Application of robust problem solving methodologies to improve quality and prevent defect reoccurrence both internally and at customers
  • Value stream mapping techniques to re-design the production process in order to identify and eliminate causes of in process waste and supply chain material loss
  • Optimisation of product changeovers and adjustments to reduce start-up and shut-down efficiency losses and increase flexibility to manufacture in smaller batch sizes
  • The implementation of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) methods to drive improved Overall Equipment Effectiveness and reducing manufacturing costs per unit

The process to deliver these techniques is a collaborative one implemented through Industry Forum’s proven ‘Learn by Doing’ approach. The client’s team are initially led by IF Engineers through training and hands-on application of lean techniques through a series of workshops. They are then coached and mentored as they replicate the activities across their facility, leading their people in turn. This cascades the ‘know-how’ for delivering lean systems, grows ownership and embeds sustainability within the organisation.

Typical results achieved by clients working with our industrial components business consultants include;

Reduction in lead-time through the process

Improved safety, quality, delivery performance and cost effectiveness

Reduced start-up losses for large projects and new product / process introduction

Increased knowledge transfer to support sustained performance improvement

To find out more about how Industry Forum is successfully working in the Industrial Components Sector please contact Simon Carr, General Manager:

Email: [email protected]

Call: +44 (0)121 717 6600