World class operational excellence helps to positively transform UK Businesses and Organisations

April 21, 2011 - PRLog -- Dr Julie Madigan, Chief Executive of the Manufacturing Institute asserted that:

“When competing to succeed during challenging economic times, businesses and organisations have to increase productivity whilst also eliminating unnecessary waste. Through our Shingo workshops we will be showing organisations just how they can practically and sensibly implement internationally renowned LEAN principles, system and tools into their workplaces giving them competitive advantages and transforming them into world class centres for operational excellence”.

For more than two decades, the Shingo Prize has recognised operational excellence in outstanding companies throughout the world. Named after one of the world’s leading experts on manufacturing practices and leading light of the Toyota Production System, Japanese industrial engineer Shigeo Shingo, this prize has become one of the most sought after international awards. The North West based Manufacturing Institute is proud to be the only European Educational Partner for the prestigious Shingo Prize.

By participating in this aspirational award businesses and organisations will be able to demonstrate their excellence on the world’s stage. They will be following in the footsteps of those who have already taken the road to successfully gaining world-class recognition, including BAE Systems and Ultraframe.

Participating in the Shingo Prize will:

•   Speed-up sustainable and substantial positive change within your business
•   Improve core business processes
•   Improve competitiveness
•   Develop and align organisational culture with operational excellence
•   Provide a benchmark against an internationally recognised standard of elevated business performance
•   Increase profitability

This series of spring and summer workshops throughout the North West aims to introduce the Shingo Model to both businesses and organisations interested in greatly increasing their continuous improvement and business performance processes. Workshops are being held on site at:

Kelloggs, Manchester, 17 and 18 May
Aimia Foods. St Helens, 20 and 21 June
Life Technologies, Warrington, 11 and 12 October

While companies may feel waste elimination and productivity improvement practices are obvious and logical, many fail to appreciate the unique philosophy behind the Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence that can help turn a great business into a truly world-class one. For example, a recent winner of the Shingo Prize, Goodyear of Brazil, achieved the award through reducing their process lead time (33%), reducing work in process (28%), immense plant scrap reduction (54%), zero waste to landfill and a reduction in worker absenteeism (42%). The continuous improvements they have implemented have brought major benefits to the company and its staff and helped Goodyear to exceed customer expectations.

For further information on the events contact Carolyn Bayley at The Manufacturing Institute on 0161 875 2477 or visit www.shingoprize.org and click ‘education’

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NOTES TO EDITORS

For further information please visit us at www.manufacturinginstitute.co.uk

The Manufacturing Institute is an independent charity – founded by North West manufacturers and Universities. For 15 years The Manufacturing Institute has helped transform manufacturing performance, working with over 4000 companies to gain competitive advantage from high impact skills building and productivity improvement programmes. Through a wide range of charitable campaigns and activities The Manufacturing Institute aims to engage with and educate both individuals and organisations as passionate advocates for manufacturing.

The Manufacturing Institute’s objectives are:
•   to advance education for the public benefit
•   to promote manufacturing by
o   educating the public in the needs and capabilities of manufacturing
o   fostering research and development to improve the efficiency of manufacturing
o   promoting awareness of the quality and capacities of the physical and intellectual outputs of manufacturing
o   providing information and results of manufacturing research to the public

The Manufacturing Institute became the first global partner of the Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence, which has been the beacon for efficient and productivity in the United States for over 2 decades. The Shingo model has been used to educate, assess, benchmark and recognize outstanding operational excellence in the US, Canada and Mexico and now through The Manufacturing Institute, the prize is open to organisations in Europe.

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Small and medium size North West manufacturers have access to a fully or part-funded manufacturing review to review to assess existing working processes and identify the best areas for improvement.