Lean Transformation in a Mattress Manufacturer

Company

Our client is an Italian mattress maker with two main markets: Italy and Germany. Its product range includes all kinds of mattresses: spring mattresses, latex mattresses, viscoelastic mattresses etc.. The company invests a lot of time and energies in R&D both in the continuous search of new materials and in the design of mattress covers. Products are both standard and custom made.

 

The Challenge

While product quality and company’s flexibility were highly appreciated by the market, service level was unsatisfactory due to a lack of sincronization among production departments. As a consequence production output was not stable, delivery dates were seldom met and all customer orders became urgent with the consequence that production planning was often chaotic.

 

The Action

Our project, which lasted about a year, focused on all aspects of manufacturing: factory layout, planning, people’s roles. Layout: factory layout has been completely redesigned with the purpose to improve production flow and to reduce materials handling. The two previous assembly lines have been replaced by a single one. As a result material flow was simplified and people’s movements reduced while efficiency and process control were highly improved. Planning: Planning charts were installed in all departments in order to make visible daily production targets. New “supermarkets” were created for semi-finished products with high stock turns and for a number of components the Kanban method of purchasing was introduced. Roles: The new layout and the new planning methods required a radical change in people’s culture and the creation of new roles. Special attention was devoted to people’s training and motivation.

 

The Results

Our work has allowed our client to adopt a planning model both simpler and far more effective and a better and more immediate way to control the production process. Thanks to the new layout and to the redefinition of people’s roles, productivity has increased significantly and is constantly monitored and controlled. But this is not the end of the story but the beginning: the new culture of continuous improvement has started a process that will continue in the future with or without the support of consultants.