Food Processing

Using TPM to enable an environment for change to happen

Background

This well recognised foods producer started their TPM journey in 2010. They had done some good work but their factory was spread over a large area in individual business units. Change Agent roles were in place but reporting to a central steering group meant that business unit leaders were not seeing it as core to their role. There was a noticeable lack of the activities linking back to the site’s strategy.

The Challenge

There was a belief in the TPM programme to carry out the activity and an acknowledgement that the benefits would be reflected in the company culture. However, there was no link with the strategy and delivery of the business plan which meant that deployment was, at best, random and unconnected. In 2012 there were major new workload and new equipment initiatives which led to the Management Team’s focus being taken away with the Change Agents struggling to keep realistic momentum.

The Industry Forum Solution

The factory has been restructured and a driven business unit TPM Team has been established so that each business unit manager needs to decide what activities need to be delivered to meet their business unit objectives. It is not insisted that TPM is the way by which it is done, however now the links have become clear they must consider how else will they meet their targets. This now gives a matrix structure – site steering group, business unit steering group and then pillar teams with site steering group pillar lead and then the pillar representative in each unit. Activities are now linked to the strategy in a top down structure, giving a much clearer focus and enabling an environment for Change Agents to make change happen.All information in this document is copyright of Industry Forum ©