Lock Joint Tube Improves Operations with enFocus Support

Sponsor Spotlight: Lock Joint Tube, Facilities Engineering Manager, Oliver Chmell

Interview by Prabodh Sonalkar, enFocus Innovation Fellow and project leader

Tell me a bit about the project and how you worked with enFocus.

The project was to improve efficiency with our largest mill. We worked with enFocus to do a deep dive analysis into the changeover process including the technology and how our operators set up the machinery.

We started off with semi-weekly meetings where enFocus fellow, Prabodh, would observe the changeovers and setups, identify pain points, and get a feel of the culture within the organization. enFocus brought a fresh set of eyes, someone who had not fallen into our ways of doing things, to look back on industry standards for SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Dies), six sigma, and lean manufacturing to give a new perspective on our operations.

What impact has this project created for your organization?

The first impact was a mindset shift - our operators noticed that we want to make improvements and give them the latest tools. They’ve had a positive response to this. They saw that we’re bringing in the experts in innovation to our workplace for them. Once we make the technological and procedural changes and implement the solutions, easing the stress on our operators will be the driving force behind cultural improvements and more importantly, it will be a big driving force behind saving time on the mill.

The potential financial impact of that is huge. We have around 100 changeovers a year. With the potential of saving at least 2 hours, we can reduce overtime and increase production. In addition to this, enFocus and iNDustry Labs also helped us to apply for the Manufacturing Readiness Grant to help fund some of our technological improvements.

What skills and capabilities did the enFocus Fellow provide?

Prabodh provided a new look from a technical background. He wasn’t ingrained with his own ideas about what the problems were and gave a fresh perspective. Along with enFocus’s ideology, Prabodh provided improvements for our operations.

What is the greatest value enFocus delivered?

With an operation like this, our primary focus is on the physical and mental wellbeing of our workforce. The cultural improvement along with the time savings that will reduce overtime is the biggest win for us. It’s good to get the product out the door quickly but it’s better to have a happy workforce.

How would you describe your future partnership or opportunities for collaboration with iNDustry Labs and enFocus fellows?

We’ve been looking at the opportunities with enFocus and iNDustry Labs to develop some training programs and classes for our operators. Since enFocus and iNDustry Labs have given us a technical, knowledgeable group that is local, we look forward to continued collaboration.

Learn more about enFocus' work with regional organizations in our next Sponsor Spotlight.