The document describes Screentek International's journey with 5S and Lean Manufacturing over time. In August 2013, the factory was in a state of chaos with hazards and blocked fire escapes. They began implementing 5S principles like sorting, setting in order, shining, standardizing, and sustaining to organize the factory. New machinery was purchased and the layout was altered to reduce waste and improve productivity. By December 2015, they generated more sales with fewer manufacturing hours and reduced stock levels, showing the benefits of their Lean transformation.

1. SCREENTEK INTERNATIONAL LTD
5S & Lean Manufacturing Journey

2. AUGUST 2013
IN AUGUST 2013 THE FACTORY WAS IN A STATE OF CHAOS, ITEMS RANDOMLY
PLACED. IT WAS A MAZE OF SLIP, TRIPS AND FALL HAZARDS AND FIRE ESCAPES
WHERE BLOCKED OFF.

3. THE OUTSIDE OF THE FACTORY WAS A DISGRACE AND EMBARRASSING TO
BRING SUPPLIERS AND CUSTOMERS FOR SITE VISITS. ALMOST ALL WASTE WAS
GOING TO LANDFILL AND WE RECYCLED VERY LITTLE WASTE. WE NOW
RECYCLE AROUND 97% OF ALL WASTE.

4. WE KNEW THAT WE COULD NOT CONTINUE THIS WAY
AND OUR 5S JOURNEY STARTED FROM NOW…

5. AT THIS TIME, WE HAD BEEN WORKING WITH GROWTH ACCELERATOR AND IAN FRANKS
WHO WAS HELPING PUT TOGETHER OUR GROWTH BUSINESS PLAN.
IAN RECOMMENDED THAT WE INTRODUCE LEAN MANUFACTURING IN TO THE BUSINESS
IN ORDER FOR US TO MEET OUR PROJECTED TARGETS AND RAN A COUPLE OF STAFF
TRAINING SESSIONS TO GET PEOPLE THINKING ABOUT LEANER AND EASIER WAYS OF
COMPLETING TASKS AS A TEAM.
WE PLAYED GAMES AS A TEAM RELATING TO LEAN THINKING AND WATCHED VIDEOS
OF SOMEONE MAKING TOAST AND ONE ABOUT ENVELOPES (See below all will make
sense)

6. IAN SUGGESTED THAT NICK WALKER ENROLLED ON
ACCELERATED ROUTE TO LEAN, A COURSE RAN BY THE
MANUFACTURING INSTITUTE.
THE COURSE GAVE NICK THE KNOWLEDGE TO
INTRODUCE KEY IDEAS AND STEPS IN TO THE FACTORY
AND HELP REDUCE THE WASTE FROM TIM WOODS.

7. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS INTRODUCED WAS SHADOW BOARDS FOR TOOLS
AND BRUSHPANS AND BRUSHES. THIS SAVES HOURS OF TIME EVERYDAY SIMPLY
BY KNOWING WHERE THE TOOLS ARE AND BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THEM
QUICKLY AND EASILY

8. WE THEN BEGAN WITH THE FIRST OF THE 5 S’ – SORT!
WE BEGAN BY REMOVING EVERYTHING FROM THE FACTORY AND
CLEARING SPACE INSIDE.
WE THEN FILTERED THROUGH THE ITEMS TO DECIFER WHAT WAS
REQUIRED AND WHAT COULD BE DISPOSED OF.

9. AS THIS WAS HAPPENING, FOLLOWING AN
INTRODUCTION FROM KAY WAREING OF RBS BANK
WE CONTACTED TEXTILE GROWTH FUND TO TRY AND
AQUIRE SOME FUNDING TOWARDS NEW MACHINERY
TO HELP US CONTINUE WITH OUR GROWTH.
WE WERE LOOKING TO PURCHASE A GERBER FABRIC
CUTTING CNC, HOMAG EDGEBANDER, HOMAG
VENTURE 320 CNC BOOMERANG WITH RETURN
CONVEYOR AND A NEW DUST EXTRACTION SYSTEM
TO ACCOMMODATE THE MACHINES.
WE GOT THE FUNDING AGREED OVER TWO PROJECTS
AND SECURED 25% OF THE VALUE FOR THE PROJECTS.
THE GRANT SECURED TOTALLED £125,186.68 WHICH
WAS A HUGE BOOST FOR OUR BUSINESS NEEDS.
WITH THIS IS MIND WE NEEDED TO PUT A PLAN
TOGETHER FOR THE LAYOUT OF THE FACTORY

10. BY MAPPING OUT OUR CURRENT STATE PROCESS MAP, WE COULD SEE WHERE OUR WASTE WAS
COMING FROM.

11. BY MOVING THINGS AROUND WE MANAGED TO REDUCE OUR WASTE DRAMATICALLY. OUR FUTURE
STATE PROCESS MAP SHOWS HOW WE SIMPLIFIED OUR OPERATIONS

12. WE THEN NEEDED TO PLAN HOW WE WHERE GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN BOTH FINANCIALY AND
PHYSICALY. MANAGEMENT GOT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH THE PLAN ALONG WITH
THE HELP OF BILL TIPLADY FROM THE MANUFACTURING INSTITUTE.

13. THEN THE FUN BEGAN…
AUGUST 2015 NEW MACHINES
STARTED TO ARRIVE
GERBER FABRIC CUTTING CNC

14. HOMAG EDGE BANDING CNC

16. HOMAG CNC AND EDGE
BANDER

17. AS THE MACHINES WHERE ARRIVING, WE WERE MOVING OUR EXISTING MACHINERY ALL IN TO ONE
UNIT TO HELP WITH THE FLOW IN PRODUCTION

18. SET IN ORDER
ONCE THE MACHINERY WAS IN PLACE, WE BEGAN PHASE 2 – SET IN ORDER
GIVING ALL ITEMS A LOCATION WITHIN THE FACTORY AND MAKING SURE THINGS WHERE PUT BACK
ONCE THEY FINISHED USING THEM.
WE GAVE THE RACKING LOCATION NUMBERS AND SET UP A KANBAN
SYSTEM.
HELPING US CONTROL OUR STOCK AND RE-ORDER LEVELS AND ENSURE WE
NEVER RAN OUT OF STOCK. WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH OUR SUPPLIERS
AND CAME UP WITH AN IDEA THAT WORKED FOR US BOTH, WE DECIDED
CLEAR BOXES WOULD BE USED TO MONITOR STOCK LEVELS. ONCE EMPTY
THEY WOULD BE RE-FILLED BY THE SUPPLIER.

19. SHINE
THE NEXT PHASE WAS TO SHINE THE WORKPLACE, MAKING IT LOOK CLEAN AND TIDY. WE PUT
CLEANING ROTAS IN PLACE TO ENSURE IT WAS CLEANED ON A REGULAR BASIS. WE ALSO RE-PAINTED
ALL THE FLOORS AND WALLS
ONCE THE FLOORS WHERE PAINTED
WE TAPED OUT THE WALK WAYS WHICH
TAKE YOU ON A FULL FACTORY TOUR AND
ALSO GUIDE YOU TOWARDS THE
EMERGENCY EXITS.

21. STANDARDIZE
THEN SETTING THE STANDARDS THAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE BY TAKING PICTURES OF HOW THE
FACTORY SHOULD LOOK AND PUTTING THEM CLEARLY ON DISPLAY MAKING EVERYTHING AS VISUAL
AS POSSIBLE.
EVERY WEDNESDAY, WE HAVE SET UP A MEETING WITH MANAGEMENT AND THE FACTORY
SUPERVISORS TO DISCUSS WHAT WE HAVE DONE AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO NEXT. EACH WEEK A
MEMBER OF STAFF WILL ACOMPANY THEIR LINE SUPERVISOR TO BE INVOLVED IN THE TASKS FOR THAT
WEEK. BY DOING THIS IT IS HELPING EVERYONE TO BE INVOLVED AND WE ARE SEEING AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE FACTORY.
WE APPOINTED MATT LAVILL THE 5S CO-ORDINATOR ENSURING THERE IS A CONSTANT
REGARD FOR 5S IN THE FACTORY AT ALL TIMES.

22. SUSTAIN
ONCE THE STANDARDS HAVE BEEN SET, WE WILL NEED TO SUSTAIN WHAT WE HAVE DONE. OFTEN FOR
A LOT OF BUSINESSES THIS IS WHAT THEY FIND TO BE THE DIFFICULT PART AS STAFF MEMBERS SLIP BACK
IN TO A ROUTINE THAT THEY HAD OR THEY SKIP A STEP IN A PROCEDURE THAT HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO MONITOR AND ENFORCE THESE PROCEDURES WITH ALL STAFF TO ENSURE YOU
STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME AND CONSTANTLY IMPROVE OUR PROCESSES.
WE HAVE COME TOO FAR NOW TO LET IT ALL SLIP!

23. ALTERING THE FACTORY LAYOUT HAS SO FAR RESULTED IN A HUGE INCREASE IN
PRODUCTIVITY AND WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGHOUT 2016 AS WE
DEVELOP LEAN THINKING AND PROCESSES IN THE FACTORY.
IN DECEMBER 2015, WE GENERATED
MORE NET SALES vs. DECEMBER
2014 BUT MANUFACTURING HOURS
WENT DOWN BY 1,344.25 HOURS
WE HAVE ALSO MANAGED TO
REDUCE OUR STOCK LEVELS BY
15.8% BY WORKING CLOSELY WITH
SUPPLIERS TO SET UP RE-ORDER
LEVELS AND A KANBAN SYSTEM.
WE ARE PROUD TO BE A LEAN
MANUFACTURING BUSINESS.