What does it take to banish absenteeism from the workplace and register real commitment? Annie Gregory finds out.
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Is your kaizen board buried beneath a thick layer of dust? Do your employees cling to the 'but we've always done it that way' excuse? Time to reinvigorate your CI with the best tips from the WM Manufacturing Conference.
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Patrick Mroczak, operations director at beverage maker Aimia Foods, catches up with Max Gosney after leading his team to the Factory of the Year prize at this year's Best Factory Awards
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People work more safely when, as Annie Gregory discovers, they have a say in making the rules
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It only takes one to wreck the entire team – so, asks Annie Gregory, what's the best way of dealing with poor performers
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Increased OEE, smashed targets and soaring morale – Max Gosney finds out how Sanofi in Dagenham is rewriting the record books despite impending closure
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Are suggestion schemes an invaluable source of ideas or a millstone round the corporate neck? Annie Gregory weighs up the pros and cons
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From winning new orders to earning yourself a promotion, Max Gosney reveals why entering an award could be the smartest business move you ever make
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More profits for less cash – so why, asks Annie Gregory, isn't everyone doing OEE?
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Empowering your employees may sound like a cliché, but handing power to your people could have a dramatic impact on profitability, says Bob Davis of US-based group the Association for Manufacturing Excellence
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Fed up after decades in the political wilderness, a resurgent UK manufacturing sector says going it alone offers the best route to glory in 2012. Max Gosney reports on the revolutionary spirit surfacing at WM's Outlook roundtable
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Grant McPherson learned to manufacture the Japanese way after two decades at Honda. Now the new Jaguar Land Rover boss tells Max Gosney about the CI secrets driving up standards at JLR's Castle Bromwich site
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The continuous improvement diet can do wonders for failing factories – just don't expect overnight results, delegates at last month's Works Management Manufacturing Conference were told
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On the eve of the 20th Best Factory Awards, WM united four former winners and a Cranfield judge to debate what separates the best sites from the rest. Here's a summary of top tips from the expert panel
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No self-respecting manufacturer would tolerate persistent downtime or slack practices on the shopfloor. So why do they let it go in the back office? Max Gosney reports on WM's People & Productivity roundtable debate
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We've all heard of it, but what is OEE actually for? Annie Gregory asks the experts
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The word on the factory floor is that health and safety is becoming a competitive barrier for UK manufacturers. New industry think tank the WM Leaders Forum comes to the rescue with 10 recommendations on keeping safety standards high without compromising productivity
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Tight cost controls mean manufacturers are turning to employees rather than new equipment to maximise productivity. Max Gosney reports on the results of the People & Productivity report 2011
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Lean is made up of a plethora of complex theories. WM offers a handy reference guide to the kaizen team and how to employ them to ensure continuous improvement success at your site
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Does it make sense to try and turbocharge gradual, continuous change? Annie Gregory looks at the apparent
oxymoron of 'kaizen blitz'
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To make continuous improvement really stick, you will need to ensure full visibility of the goals – and the results. Malcolm Wheatley reports
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