This Supply Chain continuous improvement project started during a period of rapid change – during the project the ownership of the company changed twice, the previously separated paper and pulp divisions were reintegrated and the company successfully merged with an equal sized competitor. Notwithstanding this turbulent environment, the Supply Chain team was successful at improving all of the key business processes, adopting a continuous improvement culture with accompanying tools, processes and changes in leadership styles and achieving cost reductions of $33 per tonne.
Project Highlights
- Mission statements and key success criteria for the initiative were established around a centrally-organized program
- Operating Rhythm™ scorecards were introduced to all teams to identify performance gaps, with a monthly cycle of accountability business reviews were established to review and collaborate on forward actions
- Continuous improvement participation was asked of all employees, with a quarterly “stop, assess and get feedback” milestone system
- All crew, trades and management meetings, communication processes and interactions were reviewed and a new Operating Rhythm™ was introduced to leverage strengths and correct gaps
- Project results achieved a total financial benefit for the client of $36 million creating a project return-on-investment of 94 to 1
