Manufacturers service speeds process flow

London – Chem Resist, based in Dewsbury, has reduced its manufacturing process time from one week to just 8 hours as a result of advice and support from the Government’s Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS).

The 32-employee firm specialises in handling and storing corrosive liquids and claims to be the world’s largest maker of spiral-wound thermoplastic vessels up to 4 metres diameter and 100 cubic metres capacity.

Chem Resist wanted to raise the efficiency of its fabrication and assembly processes in order to better serve customers in the chemical, water treatment and metal processing sectors. To achieve its aims, the company got in touch contact with MAS via the local regional centre in Yorkshire run by YFM Business Development.

MAS specialists launched an extensive process mapping exercise to identify bottlenecks in the production line. Each step was measured in real time and percentage of the overall process, which highlighted a clear hold-up in the fabrication of the base and lid.

The delay was found to be the result of bases and lids being cut using a jig saw following a marked out line, which was both slow and inaccurate, and often meant a second corrective process was needed to put right any deviations.

MAS researched costs for the purchase of a CNC router and with the return on investment clear; the company gained a capital grant to install the new machine. The company has since also trained three fabricators, who have received an NVQ qualification in Auto CAD.