Business Case
A pioneer in the Indian prawn feed industry experienced a severe slowdown during the global seafood market recession of 2007–2008.
When market demand began recovering in 2009, the company struggled to respond effectively because its feed mills were operating at less than 50% overall equipment performance. Low plant utilization and a sluggish work environment had also affected employee morale.
The goal was to improve mill performance, reduce downtime, and increase plant output using existing equipment and resources.
Current State Observations
To identify improvement opportunities, our team worked with cross-functional teams to analyze mill operations, product quality issues, and changeover practices.
- Feed mills were being run below rated speed due to concerns about product quality deviations.
- Die changeovers required 95–100 minutes, causing frequent production interruptions.
- Each changeover resulted in approximately 5 MT loss of production per mill per day due to downtime.
Solution Synopsis
- Statistical analysis was conducted to understand the relationship between process parameters and product quality, enabling mills to operate closer to rated speed.
- Improved moisture control practices and raw material traceability were introduced to stabilize process conditions.
- Process control charts were implemented so operators and quality inspectors could quickly identify and correct deviations.
- SMED concepts were applied to reduce die changeover time through improved tooling arrangements, cleaning stands, and die handling trolleys.
- Parallel activities between operators and helpers were defined, and standardized procedures were introduced for consistent changeover execution.
Outcomes
Operational improvements significantly increased plant productivity while using the same equipment and workforce.
Before
- Feed mills operated at low performance ratios, limiting production capacity.
- Die changeovers required 95–100 minutes, resulting in significant downtime.
- Each changeover caused loss of up to 5 MT of production per mill per day.
After
- Mill performance ratio increased from 65% to 85%, enabling higher operating speeds.
- Changeover time reduced to 60–65 minutes, improving equipment availability.
- Overall plant output increased by approximately 40% using the same resources.
