Continuous Improvement is a journey

Challenges:

Capacity Constraint and Long Lead Time

Background:

As part of the continuous improvement actions to improve its overall Capacity and customer Lead Time, Kaizen workshops were conducted.

Tools Implemented:

VSM, Waste Walk, Yamazumi (Line Balancing)

Measurables:

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), Dock-to-Dock (DTD) Lead Time, Days On Hand (DOH) reduction, Cycle Time Reduction

Results:

40% reduction in overall lead time, 30% OEE improvement

Growth ("make vs buy" of talents)

Challenges:

HR challenges (talent acquisition & labor costs)

Background:

Customer was facing a challenge of not able to hire SQEs and EH&S specialists per hiring plan. APA provided right resources within the required timeframe. In addition, the win-win result was the service fees generated 30% lower cost than the client's internal SQEs and EH&S specialists' total labor costs.

Results:

Fast turn-around of resource readiness, lower labor cost, and experienced SQEs, Cost Management specialists, and EH&S engineers.

Quality drives sustainable business

Challenges:

Customer Dissatisfaction (poor DPPM and QPPM)

Background:

With high Quality PPM and Delivery PPM, the customer was facing financial penalties from its customers. In addition, its air freight costs continued to escalate. A root cause analysis (8D/Fish Bone) was performed.

Tools Implemented:

Standardized work, Control Plan implementation, sub-supply base process improvement.

Results:

within 6 months, 45% improvements in monthly QPPM with no line down. Air freight costs were reduced by 80% within 3 months.

Green supply chain

Challenges:

Environmental Compliance

Background:

The customer needed to ensure its suppliers are in compliance with local regulatory EH&S requirements. On-site audits were conducted, gaps were identified, and action plans for gap closure were performed.

Results:

Suppliers have resolved the non-compliant items, and continued their operations.

Total Value Chain improvement

Challenges:

Production Line Down

Background:

The customer's supplier had change control violation and resulted a mixture of different part levels. SDEs were deployed for containment, issues & resolutions.

Tools Deployed:

8D, DMAIC, PPAP verification & validation

Results:

Root causes were found. The supplier changed in manufacturing processes without communicating with its customer first for an advanced approval. The supplier did not re-PPAP the changed processes. Original manufacturing processes were recovered and entire supplier's production workers went through standardized work and change management workshops. Overall recovery time was less than 48 hours.