Chemico Systems Gets Lean and Clean with MMTC
Chemico Systems is a member of the Suppliers Partnership
for the Environment (SP). EPA, a partner of SP, sponsors
a portion of the Lean and Clean Workshops facilitated by the
Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC), a National
Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST)/Manufacturing
Extension Partnership (MEP). Chemico Systems, with approximately
82 employees, operates two processes in Chesterfield, MI.
Chemico specializes in paint maintenance goods and services,
mixing degreasers, and multi-purpose cleansers on one side,
and stripping parts on the other, both for the automotive
industry. Chemico was excited at the opportunity to
have employees participate in the Lean and Clean workshop.
Chemico held two separate workshops, one for the chemical
mix process, and one for the part stripping process.
Chemico selected a core group of employees to participate
in the workshops and, to represent all departments.
One of the focuses of the workshop is to train employees
on the Lean and Clean philosophy and how to define improvement
opportunities. This overview includes examples of how
other companies have successfully implemented lean improvements.
Once initial training is complete, the work teams are given
the opportunity to walk through their facility, identify value-added
and non-value added processes, current and potential waste,
and potential improvement areas.
One of the lean tools, a value stream map, is completed of
the existing process and compared against potential improvements.
At the end of the walk through, the team was impressed with
the amount of information they had learned through seeing
a familiar process in a different way. The walk through
allowed employees to examine a process in the same manner
that management does.
The next step of the workshop involved spending a few days
brainstorming ideas for changes to improve the process.
MMTC representatives encouraged all members to participate,
allowing the whole team to be equally involved.
After the brainstorming session, team members were given
specific assignments from the list of ideas to investigate
feasibility and cost information. Employees gathered
information and reported their findings back to the team.
Team members were encouraged by the amount of money that could
be saved through the implementation of their suggestions.
All information was compiled and presented to the executive
management staff on the last day of the workshop. All
group members were part of the presentation. Executive
management was pleased to see how the principles from the
workshop were used to identify potential improvements in the
facility. Waste such as time, material and money were identified
and specific projects for improvement were suggested.
Through participation in the workshop, the employees now share
the Lean and Clean philosophy that has always been a part
of management’s vision.
Potential improvements and cost savings include:
Stripping Process
- Build Mechanical Washer. After initial cost of Design
and build (approx $30,000) of a washer able to be operated
by one person, rather than 2-3 people, Result in $100,000
in annual savings
- Add insulation layer to existing tank. Target to
reduce utilities by 5%. Result in annual savings of$4200
- Reduce travel time for parts from dock to dipping tank.
After initial cost of $2000 for conveyor system, result
in $12000 in annual savings
Chemical Process
- Reduce minimum buy amounts, increasing number of deliveries.
Annual savings of $840, by reducing carrying costs of inventory
2% per month.
- Purchasing customer management software to allow for
web purchasing, inventory monitoring, and automatic ordering.
Result in $42.50 per month or annual savings of $510.
This also enables a 51% reduction in lead time with new
measures in place. Result in same day shipping of
parts to customers.
For additional information, contact Michael Coast, MEP contact
for SP at MMTC, 734-451-4215 or SP’s offices at 202-530-0096. |
