Case study

Developing the factory network for a major food supplier

A UK based food manufacturer, supplying most of the retail multiples, needed to simplify and improve factory operations. It had inherited three factories, each of which manufactured chilled products for a single customer. The product range in each factory was complex and there was a significant degree of overlap between the production capabilities of each site. As a result the factories suffered from complex scheduling and this, compounded by congested layouts, resulted in poor efficiency levels.

PA was asked to lead a client team, comprising senior people from each site, in developing a factory strategy that would best meet the future needs of the business. The team reviewed the product portfolio, determined best practice production methods, defined factory layouts and developed comprehensive implementation plans. The work resulted in a 'focused factory' strategy in which high volume and long running products were concentrated in one ' high efficiency' factory, whilst a second facility was dedicated to providing the flexibility required for lower volume products and for new product introductions.

Only two of the three existing sites were required to meet the foreseeable demand and this was then implemented over the following 18-month period.