Lean, Jobman and other business improvements

We are already realising benefits from the introduction of Lean manufacturing principles alongside the deployment of the Jobman scheduling software and other strategic business improvements.

Sort, set, shine, standardise and sustain (Lean 5S)

As well as establishing a Lean steering committee, a number of our team are also undertaking a New Zealand Certificate in Competitive Systems and Practices (Level 5) overseen by the Lean Hub.

Machinist Aaron Teiri, who joined the business from the roadmarking industry in December last year, is one of those undertaking the course and he has applied the 5S principles in drawing up walkway markings in the factory and between our two buildings.

“We had a walkway in the building but it wasn’t really designated as such and it didn’t go right the way around,” he says.

“These markings will make it safer for both our staff and also any visitors walking around our site.

“We are now applying the Lean principles in our day-to-day practices – tidying and ordering things away, shadow boards have been created for our tools and a hazard register and sign in is being established at the factory entrance.

“Lean is 100% making things more efficient.”

Change in roles

Aligned with the adoption of Lean, former assembly and despatch manager Nic Larsen has succeeded Nigel Dickson as production manager, with Nigel having now taken on the role of OSH and inwards goods manager.

OSH and inwards goods manager Nigel Dickson

Nigel says he is relishing the new challenge.

“The main role is storeperson – ordering stock and storing things away – alongside overseeing our health and safety obligations,” says Nigel.

“There is also an element of helping out with special projects and jumping in to assist different areas of the business when it is needed. For example, I was recently helping project manager Ben Mathes get all of the site drawings done for a Kenepuru project.”

He is looking forward to driving improvements in the company’s health and safety practices and ensuring full regulatory compliance.

“We are definitely finding out a few things. A few of us recently attended a forklift course with Training In Action, and just for one example, learned that if we were to ever lift someone up in a cage, then certification would be required for that person, their harness and the cage itself.

“We are now also making other simple health and safety improvements, such as creating an exclusion zone using movable barriers when unloading trucks, which prevents the public from walking in, including the truck driver.”

Nigel says he is seeing a lot of efficiency and productivity improvements coming into the business.

“I think it was a really good decision of management to introduce Jobman.

“With procurement, everything will soon be running through it – every item that comes through the door will be receipted there.

“It is going to be a valuable tool for us in regard to back costing and using up extra stock. Literally, the project managers will be able to go in and make their selections like a shopping cart and the system will advise how many we have in stock and can even enable automatic ordering if we get down to low numbers.”

Due to mark ten years with the business this October, Nigel says he is still very much enjoying each day.

“I can’t stress enough that of all the different fields and places I’ve worked in, how great it is to work in this company. I’ve seen it grow from 15 people up to over 30-plus at one point and it has always felt like a family business.”

Welcome to Nic Larsen

Born and bred in Dunedin, Nic has spent most of his career in Wellington constructing sets in the film industry, including working on the Lord of the Rings trilogy and building WWI reproduction aircraft for The Vintage Aviator.

His career evolved into joinery and other roles, including in management positions, and after a brief lifestyle change in Cromwell, returned to Wellington and joined the business this April.

Production manager Nic Larsen

Nic says after finding his feet with the company in his first role in the assembly area he is now relishing the opportunity to step up into the expanded managerial position.

“I’ve taken on another three reports and the whole machining and preproduction now – programming, any kind of machine processes and then onto assembly and despatch,” he says.

“I’m across everything from the doorway into the factory.

“Overseeing the whole lot right throughout is much better for continuity for the business. I’ll be aware of any issues at the front end and then can ensure they don’t continue down the line – it essentially removes potential for communication breakdowns and general roadblocks.”

Nic says the company’s production and assembly processes are already becoming more streamlined and he is seeing greater unity between the different teams.

“The wall between the two buildings is physically there, but we don’t want it to be a barrier metaphorically – manufacturing is one unit and we are one company!

“We want a full sense of inclusiveness – a business that works as one rather than a whole lot of entities within. The aim is therefore to become more productive, with happier staff, leading to faster production with less waste and less overall cost.”