If you’re a business owner, chances are you’re reading this because you manufacture something. There’s nothing wrong with making stuff, but sometimes they way you make products can be bad. Did you know that many firms could increase their productivity by as much as 50%?
Some people reading that statement might feel that is impossible to achieve. What they don’t realise is they might not know the right ways of reaching such goals. And that’s why I have decided to write this blog post.
I wanted to share the most practical ways that manufacturers can streamline their operations. If you’re a manufacturer, here’s how to curate a slicker production line at your site:
Make sure everyone knows what they’re doing
Even to this day, it still shocks me how many production operatives have little clue of their work! It shocks me because I don’t understand how they got through the interview process! Of course, there are times where employees might get seconded into other roles.
Whatever the reason, if they don’t get the right training, they could slow production. What’s more, they could raise some health and safety concerns! That’s why you should first carry out an assessment of your staff. Make sure they understand their roles in the business and how to carry them out.
The chances are high that you’ll come across one or two people that may need some training. Still, it’s best that you highlight any issues sooner rather than later. Otherwise, you could risk affecting customer deadlines.
Put proper procedures in place
A happy production line is one that sings from the same hymn sheet. In other words, you should standardise the work that gets carried out in your plant. Have official procedures in place that cover things such as how to operate machines.
You might think it labour-intensive to set up such a system. But, in the long-term, it will save your business time and money.
Upgrade any old machinery
Sometimes the issue might not be down to your staff or how they do things. Problems affecting productivity could just be down to old machinery! For instance, upgrading your conveyor may boost efficiency for your warehouse teams. Getting new forklift trucks mean you can move heavier pallets.
Carry out an assessment of the equipment your firm uses. Next, find out if upgrading them can improve productivity. I am willing to bet you’ll have to change something!
Automate some processes
Do you hire people to do just about everything in your production line? If so, you need to embrace automation! Sure, telling people that your products are all handmade is one thing. But, you could still use automation to speed up some processes.
For example, you could automate jobs that demand repetitive work such as shrink-wrapping pallets. Collectively, all those vital seconds and minutes saved mean you can increase efficiency.
Final thoughts
I hope that today’s blog post has given you plenty of food for thought. There will no doubt be plenty of things you can do to improve your production line. Good luck!
