UCB Films saves materials through PICME masterclass

Citation

(2003), "UCB Films saves materials through PICME masterclass", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 50 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.2003.12850cab.004

UCB Films saves materials through PICME masterclass

UCB Films saves materials through PICME masterclass

Keywords: Environment, Waste, Materials

Process Industries Centre for Manufacturing Excellence (PICME), has helped UCB Films at Wigton reduce its waste material bill by a six figure sum and also set its sights on doubling these savings through next year.

A PICME benchmarking exercise had highlighted an accepted level of waste that UCB management was determined to probe and review. The Wigton site is primarily known for its production of the well-known cellophane brand of film; the factory employs 372 people and its turnover is £36 million.

The method of manufacturing cellophane at UCB's site – including levels of waste – has been established since the 1930s. UCB used its PICME masterclass to review and improve these methods by applying several workplace organisation techniques. "PICME helped us challenge and re-examine our accepted performance norms. PICME also helped us to implement the necessary changes to lift our capability," says Richard Story, UCB Works Manager.

One of the first parts of the PICME masterclass – as is standard PICME practice – was to assemble the personnel in the UCB cross-functional team. The team's first action plan was aimed to deliver improvements in a short timescale. This was done by first raising awareness of the waste issue with the shop floor personnel. The masterclass team then worked with other operators to develop standard settings for machines in order to minimise the amount of good material lost.

The UCB team then formulated a second plan which dealt with a longer-term issue which had come to light when examining the system used to request product width. This issue was found to contribute significantly to waste and therefore led the team to develop a new approach that is currently under trial.

Following the PICME masterclass activity, UCB is now committed to rolling out the new methodology across the whole site. In addition to the cost-saving benefits of such work, UCB notes that the activity will also help to meet the ever-increasing hygiene needs of their customer base.

If the masterclass team's new width control system – currently under trial – succeeds in eliminating the most excessive of over-width rolls, further savings are on their way.

PICME Chief Executive, Mark Lewis notes that the disciplines of benchmarking and manufacturing improvement are already yielding significant benefits to the UK's process sector through PICME's activities. "It is very pleasing for us to see clients such as UCB and other clients covering their small outlay many times over within a short space of time. PICME's aim is to get the UK's process sector companies working smarter and more profitably. I would urge any company within that sector to discover the PICME improvement experiences for themselves."

PICME has been charged by the Government to add £120 million to the profitability UK process manufacturing sector in redundant cost over the next 5 years through increased productivity and reduced cost. Half way through its first term, PICME has already achieved savings of some £55 million for its clients in increased productivity and reduced cost.