Foam Products Works with Key Customer to Improve their Supply Line Logistics and Manufacturing Processes

Foam Products in Torpoint is continuously partnering with key customers to identify improvement opportunities and solidify business relationships. One of the processes performed to detect these opportunities is called a ‘Gemba’ walk. The process involves visiting customer facilities to observe current processes and procedures and interact with employees at the floor in the spirit of Kaizen which means, “change for the better.” This process offers Foam Products visiting team a chance to identify areas of concern and be able to provide customers with opportunities for improvements.

Once the visit to key customers is completed, the Foam Products team invite the client to their site in Torpoint, to go over their findings and discuss improvement opportunities.

Some of the improvements that Foam Products and other companies have been able to identify and act upon during joint reviews of operational activities include: high tolerance control on mouldings during manufacture; required improvements to storage and on-time deliveries; the use of returnable packaging to reduce waste and increase truck utilization; the installation of racking systems to increase warehouse capacity and reduce required transportation between locations; improvements in material handling.

Since Foam Products started to perform Gemba walks they have been able to solidify their business relationships with their clients by collaborating to identify improvement opportunities of their operational activities.

Our partnerships’ supply chain team has been delighted by Foam Products commitment and openness throughout their relationship, as any problem they discover in their supply line is solved with a little help from their friends at Foam Products.

Tags: Foam Products, Plastics