Make
Operations
Productivity you can see on the floor
Our Operations consultants are experienced LEAN, performance and transformation specialists, including Master Black Belts. We combine LEAN, performance management and leadership standards into operating systems that keep improving after we leave
What we do
Our offerings
Operations
Operational Excellence & LEAN
More output from the same factory
Lean assessments, value stream mapping, Kaizen, flow and Kanban, delivered on the shop floor with the people who run it and with leaders trained to keep improving
What you get
- Higher productivity and flow
- Less waste in set-up, layout and handling
- Lean leadership that lasts
More output from the same factory
Lean assessments, value stream mapping, Kaizen, flow and Kanban, delivered on the shop floor with the people who run it and with leaders trained to keep improving
What you get
- Higher productivity and flow
- Less waste in set-up, layout and handling
- Lean leadership that lasts
AI in Operations
Where AI makes the difference
How factories and processes run with more output and less waste. These are the places where we put AI to work with you
01Predictive maintenanceMachine and sensor data that predicts failures before they stop the line, planned into maintenance and the bottleneck
02Root causes in production dataAI that finds the patterns behind quality defects and losses, feeding structured problem solving on the shop floor
03Digital standardsWork instructions and processes that people and AI agents can follow, kept alive in the operating system
How we do it
Methods we have proven
Distilled from our own projects. Open a method to see the steps we take with you
01Mock-ups, automation and RPAAutomation designed with the people who will run it. Operators, quality and technology suppliers test layouts and technology in mock-up workshops before anyone invests, and in the back office we standardise first and automate the repetitive steps with RPA+
- 1Map workstations and processes with value stream mapping
- 2Pick high-volume, highly repetitive tasks as candidates
- 3Run mock-up workshops with operators, quality and suppliers
- 4Simulate and document the best solution before start of production
- 5Bring process variation under control before automating
02Cost out and turnaroundA programme with a few clear focus areas, new governance and transparent reporting with confirmed P&L impact, so cost reductions last instead of being a one-off exercise+
- 1Define a limited set of focus areas
- 2Document non-value-adding activities
- 3Roll out best practice across all locations
- 4Introduce governance and KPIs for core and support processes
- 5Report transparently with confirmed P&L impact
03Kaizen blitzOne intensive week with every decision maker in the room, so changes happen immediately. The assembly is filmed, broken down and analysed for waste, and new solutions are running by day four+
- 1Train the internal team before blitz week
- 2Day 1: film the assembly and break it into tasks
- 3Analyse waste in set-up, layout, flow and ergonomics
- 4Days 2 to 3: develop new methods with the decision makers
- 5Day 4: implement, document and celebrate
04Layout, capacity and factory designWhen capacity must go up or a factory must be turned around, we design a factory blueprint from flow, and decide what is core and what should be insourced or outsourced+
- 1Understand end-to-end processes and what is core
- 2Design a factory blueprint from flow before the building
- 3Design the new production flow and choose machines
- 4Align takt between departments with an operating system
- 5Move every area with very high employee involvement
05OEE and bottleneck controlFacts about machine utilisation through OEE tracking, losses by category and structured solutions on the right bottlenecks, combined with planning that protects the bottleneck+
- 1Find the real bottlenecks with value stream analysis
- 2Install OEE tracking and capture losses by category
- 3Find root causes with structured problem solving
- 4Implement fixes in set-up, layout, staffing and 5S
- 5Make bottleneck protection part of planning
06Operating model, acquisitions and integrationGrowth through acquisitions often leaves many processes, systems and ways of working. We assess supply chain and operations before the deal and then build one shared operating model that makes the next integration easy+
- 1Due diligence on the target's supply chain
- 2Plan the integration: synergies, organisation and communication
- 3Map today's processes across sites
- 4Design one operating model and process framework
- 5Roll out site by site and measure the impact
07Operating SystemOne management system from shop floor to boardroom: daily board meetings in every team and leadership layer, a few shared KPIs, defined flow and takt, standards and continuous problem solving. It is the engine that makes improvements stick+
- 1Map processes end to end
- 2Define flow and takt and redesign the layout where needed
- 3Build the board structure with daily meetings and escalation
- 4Introduce standards: 5S, standard work and SOPs
- 5Coach leaders until it is simply how we lead
08Operational readiness and ramp-upNew factories, lines and sites must be ready to run on the day they go live: workstreams, governance, organisation, processes, training and a management system, built before production starts and stabilised afterwards+
- 1Define workstreams and governance
- 2Set milestones, KPIs, trackers and risk control
- 3Design layout and flow, ideally with simulation
- 4Build organisation, skills and standards from scratch
- 5Stabilise after go-live with daily performance management
09Product development, NPI and portfolioAn end-to-end model for developing and introducing new products, from idea to stable production, managed as a portfolio with a PMO and clear decision points+
- 1Map the development process from idea to launch
- 2Design an end-to-end NPI model
- 3Build a PMO that steers the portfolio
- 4Involve production, quality and suppliers early
- 5Implement portfolio management across sites
10Structured problem solving and qualityQuality issues are solved by mapping the process end to end, collecting data on defect types and finding the root cause, then anchored in new SOPs, work cards and training+
- 1Map the process end to end
- 2Collect data on defects and prioritise the biggest
- 3Find root causes with structured problem solving
- 4Bring the key variance parameters under control
- 5Write new SOPs and train the teams
11Takt and flowA market-driven takt time steers the whole factory. Every dependency, from cranes to staffing and inspection, is mapped and synchronised so the hall runs in one rhythm, often an alternative to building new capacity+
- 1Calculate takt time from demand
- 2Time the main process against support equipment and staffing
- 3Map and analyse every dependency
- 4Visualise takt for the whole hall on a takt board
- 5Remove bottlenecks in support functions
12Focused KPIs and warehouse performanceA few focused KPIs, transparent ERP data and simple daily routines turn performance around quickly, and a KPI cockpit keeps it there+
- 1Make ERP data transparent
- 2Choose a few focused KPIs
- 3Change the principles for order release
- 4Add daily routines with KPI reviews and root causes
- 5Build a KPI cockpit and stabilise
Deliverables
What you get
- Current and future state value streams with prioritised initiative list
- Operating system and KPI structure
- Factory layout and capacity model
- Quality cost overview and 'kill variation' initiatives
- Automation roadmap and technology selection
- Turnaround plan with quantified EBIT effect
Why it works
Built for execution
Measurable output
Tripled output in an aseptic facility, +35% output in a greenfield blade plant, 75% shorter changeovers
Cost under control
Significant savings across a single production network
A culture that sticks
Leaders trained to run the operating system, so improvements continue every day
Solution partners
Partners we bring in
Your team
Senior hands named
Next offering
Sourcing