How are Queensland businesses improving their processes?

Cairns Steel Fabricators have implemented lean manufacturing and 5S principles to benefit the company, discussed below.

Cairns Steel Fabricators1

With 60% growth over the past 5 years, Cairns Steel Fabricators (CSF) knew a sizable expansion to cope with customer demand would be a big undertaking, not to mention the potential financial risk. To be sure any expansion was warranted and current resources were optimised, CSF decided to address its internal processes first to ensure they were as lean as possible before embarking on any expansion project.

Working with QMI Solutions, CSF implemented the following ‘lean’ improvements and realised real outcomes:

• Effectively doubled capacity
• Increased employment – 10 extra jobs
• Identified deficient practices
• Better use of space
• Less materials handling
• More efficient movement
• Sorted waste, auctioning unwanted steel
• Colour-coded tools
• Senior management buy-in
• Better equipped to handle growth

The results - just by becoming leaner, Cairns Steel Fabricators effectively doubled its capacity and improved productivity – a significant achievement for a company already experiencing substantial growth.  In addition, lean processes have improved the culture and morale of the company.

For more examples of how other Queensland businesses have implemented process improvement initiatives go to http://www.qmisolutions.com.au/

1 Case study developed by QMI Solutions.

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How are Queensland businesses improving their processes?
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