a.b.e.® has introduced a policy of ‘best practice’ to maintain its leading position in the market
The first stage of the modernisation of production started in 2019, called for an investment of about R3 million. After more than eight decades of traditional production methods – needed an injection of best practice: “In our case that meant workflow maximisation, increased automation, and slashing of production costs. ‘Best practice’ is a technique generally accepted as preferable to alternatives because it produces results superior to other means – and this is precisely what we have implemented for the restructuring and streamlining of the
a.b.e.® production processes at both the Isipingo and Boksburg factories.
During the first phase, best practice was introduced in 2019 at the Isipingo plant with the implementation of measures such as revising the plant layout, minimising manual labour, introducing computerised logic control systems, and installing modern equipment to handle operations such as product conveying, in-line weighing, box taping, and shrink wrapping.
The best practice process framework was created and completed which not only called for staff training but a change in people culture for the semi-mechanization of the process flow. Proof of the concept, design, successful outcome led to the implementation of the
super laykold line. The standards were set on this A-line item first and then rolled out to other lines. Resulting in savings and sustainability in production to switch to continuous process flow rather than batch process flow. Automation helped set the pace and consistency in the implementation of the process.
Due to the good results of the Best Practice process in the first stage, it continued in the Isipingo plant specifically the Meyers plant with a purposeful roll out as the second phase.
Further investment involved all other processes and its efficiencies to be investigated and best practice processes implemented. This included the implementation of new conveying systems to improve production efficiency, a more focused approach in health & safety in every process operation with the rollout of the task based risk assessments, ongoing improvements in product formulations, tighter controls in stock control and stock movement and most importantly always ensuring the highest quality on all finished product produced. The same positive result in savings and sustainability in production was experienced. Other lines such as the
silvakote standard line, the bitumen-based line, the epoxy line and the liquid and solvent lines were improved.
In 2019 the transformation process started and it will be a continuous process: with the foundation now laid makes further improvements possible in the coming years, the effect it has had on the organisation in terms of people and morale, and the resultant improvements emanating from these.
Lastly, we appointed our new Production Manager Valencia Govender, with Andricia Hareepersad taking on the role of the National Operations Manager also based at Isipingo.
