The viability of Australia\u2019s manufacturing sector is going to depend on finding ways to increase productivity, international competitiveness and eliminate waste.<\/p>\n
Manufacturing accounts for 6.8% of the economy and employs more than three times as many people as the mining sector.\u00a0Government policy and media commentary has tended to focus on bailouts for large manufacturers, rather than reform initiatives aimed at improving operational efficiency.<\/p>\n
One company driving change in this sector and producing positive results is Think Perform.\u00a0Think Perform is part of the Thrive Alliance group of companies and a certified provider of Lean, Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence training.\u00a0Unlike most other RTOs, which simply deliver off-the-shelf training courses, Think Perform immerses itself within a business, identifies inefficiencies and then develops and implements a program to increase productivity.<\/p>\n
For family-owned WA-based swimming pool manufacturer, Aquatic Leisure Technologies (ALT), Think Perform underpinned a wholesale transformation of its operations.\u00a0ALT is one of Australia\u2019s largest manufacturers of fiberglass pools and had been producing them in much the same way for the last forty years since the business started.\u00a0With increasing competition from manufacturers in Asia and other countries, as well as concrete pool makers, ALT knew it needed to change and change quickly.\u00a0ALT had even considered shifting manufacturing offshore to remain competitive, but as a family owned business it wanted to keep producing pools in Western Australia.<\/p>\n
The company was familiar with so-called \u201cLean\u201d management, which is perhaps best associated with Toyota\u2019s production system.\u00a0Lean management is about delivering quality goods and services at the best possible prices as quickly and efficiently as possible by eliminating waste, smoothing out production issues and empowering workers.<\/p>\n
ALT built its new factory with Lean principles in mind and partnered with Think Perform to drive change at every level of the business.\u00a0When ALT came together with Think Perform it had already started on its Lean journey with the launch of \u2018The ALT Way \u2013 Business Excellence Initiative.\u2019\u00a0ALT had already been exporting pools for more than 30 years, but the transformation program established the foundations for ALT for further expansion in overseas markets.<\/p>\n
Importantly, reform at ALT would not have been possible without the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia (CCIWA) and the role it played in convincing State and Federal Governments of the need to continue supporting these types of industry transformation programs.\u00a0With on-going Government support for initiatives aimed at driving operational efficiency, both CCIWA and ALT believe Australia\u2019s manufacturing industry can prosper and once again be\u00a0internationally competitive.<\/p>\n
It has been unfortunate for the entire training industry, as well as the beneficiaries of these programs, that a few unscrupulous operators have tarnished the reputation of the sector. \u00a0However, in line with results being displayed from clients such as ALT, there are providers such as Think Perform who are delivering quality outcomes.\u00a0Countries such as South Korea and Japan have demonstrated that even in a high labour cost environment, they can establish a competitive advantage in manufacturing through increased efficiency and productivity.<\/p>\n
Click here<\/a> to download a free Lean Management ebook or click here<\/a> to contact Think Perform and discover\u00a0how Lean Management and Continuous Improvement Training can be\u00a0of benefit to your staff and business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"