Business Case
One of the largest edible oil manufacturers wanted to implement the core principles of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) across its manufacturing units to improve operational effectiveness. The organization aimed to enhance the utilization of people, machines, and materials while reducing production losses and operational costs.
The goal was to reduce packing losses, improve workforce productivity, and establish better inventory management practices for packing materials while building a culture of continuous improvement.
Current State Observations
To identify improvement opportunities, our team conducted diagnostic workshops and detailed observations of packing operations across the refinery.
- Packing machines experienced frequent pouch rejection due to sealing defects, roll joint issues, and weight variations.
- Film rolls, cartons, and finished goods were stored inefficiently, causing excess handling and transportation across the shopfloor.
- Oil losses occurred due to leakage in pouches and inefficient recovery of oil from cut or rejected pouches.
Solution Synopsis
- Packing machines were restored to basic operating conditions through improved maintenance practices and standardized cleaning procedures.
- Engineering improvements were implemented to eliminate defects such as sealing problems, roll joint losses, and weight variations.
- A FIFO-based pull system was introduced for film roll storage and supply to packing machines.
- Carton storage and finished goods handling were redesigned using visual controls and machine-wise storage to reduce movement and handling.
- A modified recovery mechanism was implemented to drain maximum oil from rejected pouches and reduce product losses.
- Additional Kaizen projects improved production flow in tin manufacturing, tin filling, and jar filling operations to increase workforce productivity.
Outcomes
The TPM-driven improvement program significantly reduced packing losses while improving productivity across several production lines.
Before
- Frequent pouch rejection due to sealing defects and roll joint issues caused material losses.
- Inefficient storage and handling of packing materials increased movement and operational inefficiencies.
- Oil losses occurred during packing due to leakage and poor recovery of rejected pouches.
After
- Annual cost savings of ₹133 lakhs achieved through reduction in packing losses.
- Dead loss reduced by 80% and reprocessing reduced by 40%.
- Productivity improvements delivered 33% increase in tin filling capacity and 20% improvement in jar line productivity.
