Case Studies
Food
Opportunity
Bullant were asked to review the design of a multi-million dollar factory containing 2 lines (flow lines) planned for installation as part of a major capital project. The client wanted proof that the factory was actually designed to achieve the performance benefits stated in the project business case.
Response
With the help of operations personnel, Bullant created the following useful business insights;
- Metric roll-up showing the performance capability of the plant at the bottlenecks (the Drums) for the forecast demand.
- A Process Map showing the distribution of capacities and buffers on each flow line.
- An animated 3D Dynamic Model showing the statistically relevant efficiency of each line for the different configurations required by each product family.
- A reference production sequence showing the number and type of changeovers along with the expected leveled demand concentration.
Outcome
The work highlighted design changes needed on the lines to deliver the performance goals in the project. This avoided considerable operating expense and production rate issues at startup.
Dairy
Opportunity
A recent strategic review by the client had identified an opportunity to reduce costs by restructuring their supply chain. Bullant were asked to confirm how the supply chain could be modified and clarify expected operational benefits.
Response
Bullant worked with operations personnel at 3 different manufacturing sites, to create the following useful business insights;
- A bottom-up metric roll-up for 15 different flow lines to be incorporated into a Value Stream Map.
- Current State Value Stream Map incorporating a Supply Chain Level view and 3 Factory Level views.
- Future State Value Stream Map showing recommended changes to the supply chain.
- Transformation plan (including a capacity plan, a HR plan, and a warehouse and transportation plan) which demonstrated flow and profitability benefits.
Outcome
The client now had a clear operational foundation on which to prepare a major business transformation project.
Dairy
Opportunity
The client requested Bullant’s help when a major grocery customer threatened to delist products due to very poor delivery performance.
Response
Bullant deployed a Bullant resource to assist operations personnel and help make immediate changes at the manufacturing plant. Bullant created the following useful business insights with the help of operations personnel at the manufacturing plant;
- A Value Stream Map at the Factory Level which including finished goods inventory buffers at the forward locations. The Value Stream Map confirmed that the root cause of the supply problem was the running efficiency of one of the 6 high-tech packing lines.
- A combination of Process Mapping, Attainment Sampling, and Criticality Assessment to identify points of highest performance leverage.
- Documented 13 Performance-Centred Improvements that would create the capacity buffer on the line required to service the customer reliably.
Outcome
A team of Bullant and client personnel carried out the 13 Performance-Centred Improvements in order of priority. The finished goods inventory buffers at the forward locations were replenished and customer delivery performance was returned to acceptable levels withing 2 months.
Beverage
Opportunity
The client has 2 bottling lines, 1 much faster than the other. There was opportunity to shift more products to the faster line if only the efficiency on that line could be increased. The client had identified a number of improvement activities but wanted to confirm that these were indeed all of the opportunities. The client also wanted the activities proiritised so that products could be transferred onto the fastest line as soon as possible. The client also wanted visibility of the performance impacts of schedule changes and product seasonality.
Response
Bullant, with the help of operations personnel at the manufacturing site, created the following useful business insights;
- A Value Stream Map at the Factory Level showing the distribution of capacities and buffers on the flow lines and the extent and cause of schedule changes.
- A combination of Process Mapping, Attainment Sampling, and Criticality Assessment to identify points of highest performance leverage.
- 8 Performance-Centred Improvements (prioritised with costs and benefits) identified for each line for execution by the client’s improvement personnel. The Performance-Centred Improvments included high-value activities that the client had not identified previously.
Outcome
Client now had a comprehensive and prioritised roadmap for improvement, supported by data and with transparency regarding schedule performance and the effects of seasonality.
Dairy
Opportunity
The client was planning a multi-million dollar, major capital project which was to install equipment between a product depalletiser and 7 high-tech packing lines. The project justification was based on labour reductions while maintaining and enhancing operating efficiency. Due to space restrictions, accumulation levels between the depalletiser and the packing lines needed to be reduced. The client wanted to know if the project benefits could still be achieved with the reduced accumulation levels.
Response
Bullant and operations personnel at the manufacturing site created the following useful business insights;
- A metric roll-up and schedule sequences showing production & changeover time at each of the 7 packing lines for the forecast demand.
- A Process Map (Bullant Filters) showing the distribution of capacities and buffers across each of the packing (flow) lines.
- Dynamic model showing the capability of the depalletiser to feed all 7 packing lines with different accumulation levels.
Outcome
The dynamic model showed quite conclusively that labour savings would be offset by a reduction in operating efficiency caused by reduced accumulation levels. The client decided not to proceed with the project avoiding investing in a project that would be incapable of achieving an acceptable return.
Meat
Opportunity
The local coucil was threatening to triple charges if the client failed to get trade waste emissions under control. Many people had attempted to resolve the problem without success.
Response
Bullant created the following with the help of operations personnel at the manufacturing site;
- A combination of process maps and root cause analysis which identified that the out of spec emissions were being caused by sudden surges in pH which, in turn, were caused by cleaning activities on the production lines.
- A design for the modification of the trade waste system and the inclusion of a custom-made surge tank so that the emissions would stay within council limits.
- A capital expenditure request.
Outcome
Client now had the confidence to submit a capital project for board approval knowing that the solution was viable and that internal resources could implement.
Steel
Opportunity
The client had identified that billet stocks between the furnace and the rolling mill were too high, causing operational confusion. Also, energy costs could be reduced if more billets travelled directly from the furnace to the rolling mill.
Response
Bullant created the following with the help of operations personnel at the mill;
- A way of monitoring and reporting billet transfer times using the existing ERP system.
- A series of operational targets for billet transfer times and yard inventory.
- A design for the modification of the lifting magnets on the yard cranes to reduce magnet damaged caused by transferring hot billets to the rolling mill.
Outcome
Client reduced energy and downtime costs by many $100K’s.