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News Release from: HOSCA Group
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 19 March 2004
Control systems supplier signs up for
'lean ERP'
Dewhurst, worldwide supplier of control systems and components, has signed up for 'lean ERP' solution from Hosca and Information Engineering - the first of its kind in UK manufacturing.
Dewhurst, worldwide supplier of control systems and components, has signed up for the new 'lean ERP' solution from the combined forces of Hosca and Information Engineering - the first of its kind in UK manufacturing Founded in London in 1919, Dewhurst has subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Canada, USA and Australia
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 16 Oct 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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Products - control mechanisms and switches - are manufactured primarily for the lift industry, rail transportation, keypad markets and automated banking and retailing machines.
Dewhurst has long been a pioneer of new manufacturing technology in this field.
A programme to standardise its ERP system using Information Engineering's SYSPRO software solution, prompted Dewhurst to examine the efficiency of its business processes, and subsequently to implement Information Engineering and Hosca's unique 'lean ERP' solution - Information Engineering and Hosca formed an alliance in the summer of 2003 to offer manufacturers a solution that properly integrates ERP systems in line with lean manufacturing tools and techniques.
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"We know only too well the importance of lean manufacturing practice to a business like ours", says Richard Dewhurst, chairman.
"We didn't simply want the new ERP system to automate our existing processes but rather, saw it as an opportunity to strip out any waste." Dewhurst's three-stage lean ERP programme began in January 2004 with a benchmarking analysis, conducted by Hosca using a value stream mapping (VSM) process to identify the opportunities for the reduction of 'waste' in the organisation -activities and processes - and to produce a blueprint VSM for the business as a whole, embracing lean manufacturing principles.
Having established this 'lean blueprint', Dewhurst set up a multi-functional team of key players from within the company to make a detailed analysis of business process flows throughout the organisation - from quote to despatch - and establish where specific improvements could be made.
Under guidance from HOSCA and Information Engineering, the team identified a total of 234 'concerns' and it completely re-mapped the company's business processes in line with lean manufacturing principles.
The resultant 'process flow map' (PFM) allowed the company to implement corrective counter measures immediately and establish a set of lean practices for staff to adopt on an ongoing basis.
It also provided a detailed set of metrics against which the SYSPRO ERP system could be implemented.
"The VSM blueprint has become the vision for our business processes," says Richard Dewhurst.
"It will enable us to set goals as part of an ongoing programme of business improvement and deliver a step change for the business.
Whilst the change will take place in stages and over time, we can already see how to make a 50% improvement in productivity for one product line alone - we'll be able to increase output from 200,000 units a year to 300,000, without increasing staff numbers." The SYSPRO system itself includes a lean ERP module with five lean tools, which can be configured to calculate Kanban control parameters, TAKT time and line balancing, machine changeover and frequency of manufacture.
The practical benefits to Dewhurst are huge, delivering real-time access to 'lean data' which historically, was either unavailable, or available only through manual calculation - now the data will be fresh, live and accurate, allowing them to continually monitor and improve their lean manufacturing practices.
The unique alliance between Information Engineering and Hosca delivers a fully integrated solution, which brings together the best in IT systems implementation and lean manufacturing techniques, when the two things (respectively based on push and pull manufacturing practices) are often in conflict.
Richard Dewhurst: "Working with Hosca and Information Engineering has given us the opportunity to pull together as a team to pursue sustainable lean manufacturing best practice for our business - with immediate results." Dewhurst's lean ERP project, including the implementation of the SYSPRO system, is expected to be completed by the middle of the year and Richard Dewhurst anticipates working with HOSCA and Information Engineering on an ongoing basis: "It looks like this programme is going to deliver very significant benefits to our business and if it does, we will have no hesitation in rolling it out to other parts of the organisation.".
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