MAS plays a crucial role in providing technical information and specialist support to small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) involved in manufacturing. With a proven track record in providing lean, innovative and best practice manufacturing solutions, MAS provides manufacturers with practical, hands-on advice on how to improve their efficiency, raise productivity, develop new ideas, and help in tackling problems that may be hampering their profitability.
Working with partners such as Envirowise, Carbon Trust, Nuclear Industry Association, MAS has long been able to provide manufacturing support focused on meeting green requirements or introducing advanced technologies. This offering was extended last year, when MAS received a £4 million funding package under the Government launched Advanced Manufacturing agenda in addition to extra £4 million funding on low carbon support for manufacturers.
Since receiving the funding, MAS has continued to work with manufacturers, equipping them with the capabilities and skills required to take advantage of the opportunities arising as the UK economy moves towards a low carbon and advanced manufacturing future.
One such business is JDR Umbilical Systems, designer and manufacturer of sub-sea cables for offshore oil, gas and wind energy platforms.
The cables produced by JDR Umbilical Systems form an essential element of offshore renewable energy projects and sub-sea production systems. Following an increase in demand for these high-tech cables, the business requested the help of MAS East to create capacity through improving process flow within the workplace.
The scope of the project was agreed and work commenced with the entire organisational workforce, including senior managers, being trained in the principles of lean including some key tools such as 5S. The key processes of product design and specification were mapped and opportunities for improvement were identified. The pilot area proved to be a real success, so much so that the principles of 5S have been extended to support activity focusing on managing and improving flow through the factory.
Following intervention from MAS, JDR Umbilical Systems was able to meet the huge increase in demand and successfully attained the below achievements:
Working with partners such as Envirowise, Carbon Trust, Nuclear Industry Association, MAS has long been able to provide manufacturing support focused on meeting green requirements or introducing advanced technologies. This offering was extended last year, when MAS received a £4 million funding package under the Government launched Advanced Manufacturing agenda in addition to extra £4 million funding on low carbon support for manufacturers.
Since receiving the funding, MAS has continued to work with manufacturers, equipping them with the capabilities and skills required to take advantage of the opportunities arising as the UK economy moves towards a low carbon and advanced manufacturing future.
One such business is JDR Umbilical Systems, designer and manufacturer of sub-sea cables for offshore oil, gas and wind energy platforms.
The cables produced by JDR Umbilical Systems form an essential element of offshore renewable energy projects and sub-sea production systems. Following an increase in demand for these high-tech cables, the business requested the help of MAS East to create capacity through improving process flow within the workplace.
The scope of the project was agreed and work commenced with the entire organisational workforce, including senior managers, being trained in the principles of lean including some key tools such as 5S. The key processes of product design and specification were mapped and opportunities for improvement were identified. The pilot area proved to be a real success, so much so that the principles of 5S have been extended to support activity focusing on managing and improving flow through the factory.
Following intervention from MAS, JDR Umbilical Systems was able to meet the huge increase in demand and successfully attained the below achievements:
- Improvement in productivity by 25 percent
- Reduction in scrap and defects by 25 percent
- Increase in value added per person by 20 percent
- Improvement in on-time delivery