[AIB Plant Processes] Keep it Lean, Keep it Clean

Besides the upcoming presidential election, the war in Iraq and the always-increasing price of gas, what are two of the hottest news topics of 2008? The status of our economy and the global green movement. The crusade to preserve the environment has penetrated every manufacturing industry. In today’s global marketplace, more and more companies are looking at ways to minimize costs, reduce waste, improve efficiency, create environmentally friendly products and lessen their carbon footprints.

But, at what cost? With inflation at stake and soaring energy prices, how can the food industry economically meet these “green” goals without sacrificing food safety and quality?

Many companies, large and small, are adopting the idea of lean manufacturing. This concept focuses on eliminating waste in a manufacturing process and aligning production to meet or exceed customers’ demands. Lean manufacturing is a continuous improvement process that applies to all aspects of a food facility from receiving, production, warehousing and shipping to management and administrative areas.

The challenge most manufacturers face is where to begin the process of trimming the fat, so to speak. Many companies are adopting the 5S concept, which originated in Japan as a way of organizing and managing the workspace to improve efficiency. The idea is to provide a clean, orderly and standardized workplace in order to focus more attention on production processes, quality and other value-added processes. The concept directs plant employees to decide what should be kept, where it should be kept and how it should be kept. This results in a more efficient workplace, saving time and money and reducing waste. In turn, plant morale often improves as employees become less frustrated when they have equipment readily available.

The Japanese words that make up the 5S concept have been translated into comparable English words. There are varying translations, but the main concept remains the same.

SORT. The Sort step is the act of removing non-essential items from the workspace. In each plant area, go through all the tools, materials, etc., and keep only the essential items. Store or discard everything else. There are three basic rules of thumb to follow when you are sorting materials.

1. If you use it daily, find a place for it that is accessible.
2. If you use it weekly, move it out of the immediate work area and into a designated place.
3. If the item is rarely or never used, get rid of it.

You can repeat this step and reevaluate the sorted items when conditions require improvements.

SET IN ORDER, OR STABILIZE. Once workspace items have been sorted, the next step is to arrange tools, equipment, utensils, parts and processes in an orderly way that promotes workflow. Go by the old saying, “a place for everything, and everything in its place.” The Set in Order step provides easy access to the items that you need. Use visual aids, such as signs, symbols or labels to assign permanent places. With this step, you will notice that efficiency improves and people begin to work smarter.

SHINE OR SANITIZE. Consumer expectations and government regulations make it a requirement for food facilities to remain clean and neat. This step becomes a lot easier once items are not cluttering the workspace and hindering cleaning activities. Every day at the end of each shift, every work area needs to be cleaned and items need to be put back in their assigned places. This step teaches employees to be proud of their work areas.

Once cleaning expectations are set, inspect the plant to make sure that employees are meeting the requirements for safety and productivity purposes. Teach and train employees about why and how cleaning should take place.

STANDARDIZE. Food facilities have been setting and following production and food safety standards for years. In the Standardize step, your company will consider the goals you want to achieve and what actions need to be taken to achieve them. Then, develop a set of company standards that employees are expected to follow to make those goals a reality. When everyone understands the standards and knows their responsibilities, it makes adherence easy.

This step requires continuous review for ongoing improvement. Regular meetings are necessary to discuss next steps and improvement needs and to share accomplishments.

SUSTAIN. Once the framework has been set, the Sustain step maintains the discipline and attitude to keep the other four steps working. Remember, the 5S concept is not a one-time activity, but a way of life that demands discipline and leadership. Involve all company personnel, including administrative functions, to sustain the lifestyle change and maintain continuous improvement.

WHERE TO START? If you found out today that you would have an AIB inspector at your facility in two days what would you do to get ready? Would your 5S program stand for scurry around, search for stuff, steal brooms and rags from others, stash the items you stole, and sweat because you did all this while performing your regular job duties? If this sounds familiar, you likely will achieve great results with the 5S concept of lean manufacturing.

Undertaking the 5S challenge would be a daunting task for just one person. And only one viewpoint wouldn’t be nearly as effective as it would be with multiple employees participating.

Invite representatives from various departments and work areas to be members of the 5S Team. The first step to tackle is creating a list of things that are not efficient or effective. This might include processes, facility design, procedures, administrative tasks, etc.

Once the list is complete, begin asking “Why?”

• Why is the dust pan there?
• Why do we stage raw materials in the center of the plant?
• Why are tools put in a locked cabinet?
• Why do we have four nonconforming material procedures?

By asking these questions, you will begin to find answers that create a neat and organized workspace that reduces waste, saves valuable time and brings about more efficient operations.

Next, the team works at answering the questions and correcting the issues. Again, input from multiple departments and work areas is critical because you will get the big picture of how changes might affect the entire operation.

Once the team has decided on corrective action, implement the new procedure or solution and continue the problem-solving process with the next issue.

Finally, review your end results and calculate savings. This step is the most rewarding because you will actually be able to put a dollar amount on the money saved!

5S AND FOOD SAFETY. An organized, clean and efficient workspace obviously makes great business sense. But, without a strong foundation in food safety, 5S will not make a complete program. There are many building blocks that are necessary for a successful overall program. Educate employees about the fundamentals of food safety so they understand the impact of their actions. Manage a food safe environment by conducting regular plant inspections and process reviews.

Achieving these steps will put you on the right path to a lean manufacturing process that will reduce waste, cut costs, and create a more efficient operation with a competitive economical advantage in today’s environmentally conscious global market.

The author is Director, Customer Relations, AIB International.