The 7th European KAIZEN convention was hosted by SEKISUI Europe B.V. in Düsseldorf, Germany. 9 European teams participated at the event and shared their KAIZEN projects about how to improve processes at their company. We give you an overview of all participants and their ideas.
SEKISUI Eslon B.V.
Presenter Paul Cox in Düsseldorf with team member Gijs Raedts, not on the photo: Jeroen Speerstra, René Ostlender, Hester Hirsch, Rob Vernaus, Marco Waanders
Please explain your KAIZEN project and the objective:
Our KAIZEN project is about finding new ways to increase sales and MPII. Brainstorming led to the idea of doing that with the implementation of web shops. By doing this we could reach a wider audience and could sell also directly to end customers so we also would have higher margins.
Why is it an important topic for your company?
To ensure profitability new ways had to be found and with the increasing e-commercialization we needed to go online to increase our market share.
How did you get the idea?
Brainstorming and looking around. What can we offer and where are we unique in?
How long did you work on the project?
The whole KAIZEN is an ongoing project. But we started with the idea 7 years ago.
What is your achievement?
Triple sales increase, and a MPII increase.
SEKISUI Alveo BS GmbH
Umut Polat, Nils Uckermann, Fredrick Rothenberg
Please explain your KAIZEN project and the objective:
Our KAIZEN project is about energy saving potential in production and we have chosen the utility energy consumption as target to attack. Main utilities are cooling water, vacuum for granule transport and pre-drying – for all of those electric power is consumed. Our target is to save 5% power consumption compared to 2016 reference.
Why is it an important topic for your company?
Beside overall discussion inside SEKISUI (Corporate Social Responsibility, EHS, …) and outside SEKISUI about energy saving — for us our energy management system according ISO 50001 is requiring to target savings.
How did you get the idea?
For the topic of pre-drying discussion with Research & Development about reliable and repeatable process conditions triggered the idea of checking the humidity levels – with first measurement results the project was obvious!!
How long did you work on the project?
~4 months — overall project ~6 months
What is your achievement?
Improved process knowledge and some energy savings – for the complete project we achieved ~8% saving in the first half, however a little less saving is expected in second half.
SEKISUI Diagnostics Ltd.
The team: Jade Punter, Sarb Bassi, Julie Tillott , Lee Davey, Jim Welham, Ashley Young, Steve Kemp, Jon Blundell, Julian Jolly, Steve Thompson Marcus Bell, Liam McCabe, Steve Aldis
Please explain your KAIZEN project and the objective:
Our project is to reduce the amount of raw material transaction errors within manufacturing. Before the project 110 errors were wasting the company approximately £40,000 per year. The objective was to reduce the number of errors by 10%.
Why is it an important topic for your company?
To make the process more lean and efficient, also to save time for more value-added tasks.
How did you get the idea?
This was a known problem in the manufacturing department.
How long did you work on the project?
1 year.
What is your achievement?
Target exceeded – No errors recorded in the chosen time frame.
SEKISUI Speciality Chemicals Europe, S.L.
The team presenter in Düsseldorf: Sandra Caire
Please explain your KAIZEN project and the objective:
This project is a quality project. The aim is to improve the stability of our first step of production (Polymerization in Line 2) by improving the control on an intermediate quality parameter (PAC).
Why is it an important topic for your company?
Because it improved an internal quality parameter for a product that is important for our plant: E325LA (one of our product) is a raw material for S-Lec and in the future the demand of this product will increase due to resin increase demand.
How did you get the idea?
While having meetings with operators and shift leaders.
How long did you work on the project?
1 year.
What is your achievement?
We obtained a better stability in our process by achieving our target. The good results can be applied to other grades we produce at Tarragona plant in Line 2.
SEKISUI Alveo B.V.
The team: Thijs Geraedts, Davy Janssen, Johan van Heugten, Rene Wolters, Andre Princen, Chris Spijkers (not on the photo: Ran Vogels, Wilko den Brinker, Ron Sonntag)
Please explain your KAIZEN project and the objective:
“Increase Customer Satisfaction towards Customer F.” We got a C-rating (bad) from this customer over 2016 and we want back to A-rating (good).
Why is it an important topic for your company?
Customer relationship and customer satisfaction is very important.
How did you get the idea?
The management selected this customer for KAIZEN activity.
How long did you work on the project?
From February 2017 until November 2017.
What is your achievement?
We are very close with the last single orders at target, we wanted to increase the Customer Satisfaction Value with 76%. This value should be a A-rating by the next rating.
SEKISUI S-Lec B.V.
Presenter Martin van Neer with team member Tony Groos in Düsseldorf (not on the photo: Maurice Meermann, Dion Clephas)
Please explain your KAIZEN project and the objective:
This KAIZEN focuses on the “smart factory” principle and proves that with advanced data treatment more and better improvements can be made to prepare for the future and keep our high market share.
Why is it an important topic for your company?
Our company needs to prepare itself for the future.
How did you get the idea?
Detailed data analysis + six sigma black belt training.
How long did you work on the project?
~ 1 year.
What is your achievement?
Proven that the “smart factory” is feasible for SEKISUI S-Lec B.V. and that with the current machining better quality is achievable.
SEKISUI Speciality Chemicals Europe, S.L
The team presenter in Düsseldorf: Manuel Rivero
Please explain your KAIZEN project and the objective:
This project is focused on achieve a low quantity of fine particles in the final product in a stable way. Because, these fine particles affect to the customer directly in the spent time to dissolve the product. With a lower quantity of fine particles, the customer is able to keep on the production line speed.
Why is it an important topic for your company?
Because, currently this is one of our main customers, consume the 30% of our capacity, and will be increased during the next years due to the increasing of global demand.
How did you get the idea?
Voice of customer.
How long did you work on the project?
10 months.
What is your achievement?
Achieved results above the set initial targets, thanks to a better understanding of our process. This knowledge is not only useful for this product, also for other grades. Additionally, we learnt more about the customer process and generate a straight collaboration between plants.
SEKISUI S-Lec B.V.
The team: Marianne Mols, Diana Smeijsters, Patty Prickaerts, Tim Hochstenbach, Ronald Broers
Please explain your KAIZEN project and the objective in 3 sentences:
Improving the performance of our viscosity measurement on acoustic resin. Our Objective was to reduce the gauge R&R to <30%
Why is it an important topic for your company?
Acoustic resin is key product for our business. Accurate measurement results are critical in quality control.
How did you get the idea?
This KAIZEN topic is a small part of a larger project to unify the acoustic resin quality globally. To participate in the global project, we needed to improve our internal measurement performance.
How long did you work on the project?
11 months.
What is your achievement?
Gauge R&R acceptation level was reduced from 62,5% to 32,8%. Which means that the measurement performance almost doubled.
SEKISUI S-Lec B.V.
Presenter René Venner with team member Leon Hoenen in Düsseldorf (not on the photo: Marc Mertens, Ron Janssen, Bart Kerver, Frans Meuleners, Michel Hilkens, Bas van Twist)
Please explain your KAIZEN project and the objective:
We made an analysis of our current process in order to see if we could manage the volume of an additional 3rdproduction line with the same equipment and employees.
Why is it an important topic for your company?
A 3rd production line is coming and we need to be prepared on forehand.
How did you get the idea?
By not wanting to be surprised by the future and wanting to make the right decisions in the time leading up to the 3rd line implementation.
How long did you work on the project?
1 year (ongoing).
What is your achievement?
Proven that we can cope with a 3rd line not by simply adding FTE’s but improve process wise and add FTE’s were they are actually needed.
