Introducing TXM Multifunction Visual Management Boards

An example of the large visual management board with customised logo and department name ready for use in manufacturing and office settings.

TXM is famous for our expertise in Visual Workplace Management delivered through our highly effective Lean Daily Leadership Process®. Now we can offer the hardware to back this up with three new customisable visual management boards launched on the TXM E-Store this month.

These new board designs have been developed with customer input to create an effective visual system to improve work place processes. The E-store now offers a 5S System Board, a Large Visual Management Board and a Small Visual Management Board. The boards are designed to enable teams to communicate the status of their area quickly and clearly. They will help communicate problems and solutions for all to see during meetings making them more efficient and effective. Anthony Clyne, TXM Director has been instrumental in developing these visual boards

5S System Board

An example of a 5S System Board customisable to any department in manufacturing or office settings.

“This board is used to visualise the system of 5S within an area and defines who owns what area” says Anthony. TXM Practical 5S® workplace organisation is a simple, practical approach delivering sustainability by sorting out, setting in order, shining and checking, standardising and sustaining. Practical 5S® uses visuals to achieve its goal of a standardised system used by every stakeholder in the business. The new Practical 5S® board can be used to display before and after improvements areas as well as 5S issues and audit performance. “It is based on individual ownership and is often used to display one area at a time” says Anthony. “The 5S board is a key part of a sustainable Practical 5S® system” says Anthony

Visual Management Board for Lean Daily Leadership Process®

These new boards comes in two sizes. “These board designs been developed following years of hands on client experience”, explains Anthony.

The steel visual management boards allows magnets to stick and a eraser ball film is laminated over the board so it can be written on with white board markers. This board can be attached onto a wall or can be used with a free standing frame.

“Visual management boards enable quicker, more productive meetings by providing teams with the information they need in simple, easy to understand format that everyone can see. Visual boards can be integrated alongside with electronic screens. The manual white boards providing a provide a simple quick meeting forum while the electronic board can manage the task completion as well as detailed data analysis outside the lean daily leadership process” says Anthony .

“This board maintains the personal engagement element of a meeting. It enables people to agree on actions without hesitations, eye contact is maintained during whiteboard meetings while electronic based meetings tend to have people looking at screens. Magnetic concern strips adhere to these boards and can be easily updated by many people at the same time during a meeting” says. Anthony

How to Identify If Your Visual Management Board Really Works?

A Visual Management Board should contain three elements: standards, problems, and actions.

  • Standard: In Lean, we set target performance as the standard, rather than average performance. The standards should be clearly indicated on the board, which tells how things should be if everything is perfect.
  • Problem: What is the problem? Problem is the deviation from standard, either actual performance (e.g. lower than target), or the standard itself (improper target); One operations manager in an ice-cream factory told me that there’s no need for improvement as their efficiency is more than 120% every day. After my observations they had twice the number of operators than was needed on the production line.
  • Actions: Countermeasures to a problem should be taken when there’s a problem. A Visual Management Board without action is definitely just a show board. How effectively the problems are addressed, and the actions are carried out, represents how efficient your organisation is.

“All these elements help the user to understand what’s actually going on in the work area. Only by making the things visible, it is possible to identify the deviations (problems) and quickly address and solve them”, says Justin Tao, TXM Senior Consultant.

What Does a Good Visual Management Board Look Like?

“At TXM, we believe that a good Visual Management Board should match the 31-second rule” says Justin:

  • In 1 second, it can tell us if it’s normal (everything is fine in the work area), according to the standards (target or plan); The work area should “talk” to you in simple terms. Usually, companies use green to represent good status (e.g. hit the target, on time), and use red to represent problem status (e.g. lower than the target, delayed);
  • In 10 seconds, it tells us what the problem is if it’s not normal.
    At TXM, we use magnetic concern strips to record and manage problems.;
  • In 20 seconds, it tells us what action is to be taken, who is responsible for this and what support is needed. Problems without actions, or actions without checks, are a waste to have on the board!

A Visual Management Board will help communicate between users and viewers and make the Lean Daily Leadership Process more efficient and effective.

To learn more about the new TXM range of Practical 5S® and Lean Daily Leadership Process® visual boards and to purchase one for yourself, visit our E-store.

Taking place from 04-08 April 2022, MACH is the platform to connect UK manufacturing engineers, decision makers, buyers and specifiers with suppliers of new technology, equipment, services and processes.

With live demonstrations and a host of experts to meet, it is the ideal opportunity to get a full update on the latest developments in all aspects of production machinery and technologies.

TXM Lean Solutions will be advising customers on how to make the most of their current and potential investments in machinery as well as advising on lean layouts and the latest in lean thinking.

Attend MACH2022 Exhibition for FREE! Make sure you come see us at booth 19-318 for your chance to collect a copy of Tim McLean’s book ‘Grow Your Factory, Grow Your Profits: Lean for Small and Medium Sized Manufacturing Enterprises’.

Come see us at booth 19-318 between 4-8 April and mention this article to claim your FREE Lean book.

Two UK TXM Senior Lean Consultants Hit Five Year Milestone

Here at TXM we pride ourselves on having a team of consultants who are happy, productive, and loyal. In our Australian business we have several consultants who have achieved 5 years or greater and the UK is no different. Our UK business has been steadily growing and building its presence with the help of our Business Development Manager Lester Troughton and his team of three experienced Senior Lean Consultants.

Tim Scurlock on-site at Hazchem Safety.

TXM Lean Solutions UK Ltd and the worldwide team would like to congratulate Tim Scurlock and Lee Candy for achieving 5 years at TXM. They both join several consultants and staff who have been with TXM Lean Solutions for the long haul of five plus years, accomplishing some amazing results for their clients and helping grow TXM across the globe.

Tim Scurlock joined TXM with over 20 years’ experience working extensively in the Automotive Industry in the UK for General Motors Vauxhall. Tim has worked in both Manufacturing and Service industries, in driving efficiency, running Lean programmes, and training teams of Lean Coaches. He has learned to apply Lean across almost every industry sector.

Tim’s experience speaks for itself, he has completed over 90 projects with TXM including Gusto, Safpro, Lexon and Hazchem Safety. Tim is one of our most experienced consultants and has the ability to transform businesses in any industry with his expertise and knowledge.

Lee Candy on-site at Broadfix.

Lee Candy joined TXM with over 15 years’ experience with extensive knowledge from working as an internal Lean leader with Eaton Corporation and Tyco as well as a Lean consultant. During his time as a Lean consultant Lee has helped hundreds of small to medium-sized businesses grow and develop their competitiveness. Lee has been a consistent achiever for his clients, always delivering achievable, sustained growth.

Lee is another of our UK Consultants achieving 5 years at TXM and over 80 projects under his belt including Tracerco, Conveyor Units, SDS Protections and Broadfix. We would like to take the time to thank Lee for helping TXM grow and prosper in the UK market. He has helped us achieve results that matter to us and our clients.

Here is to 5 more years and beyond with Tim and Lee helping us growing in the UK with the help of our Business Development Manager Lester Troughton. Contact us if you’d like Lee or Tim, our UK Lean Consultants to help you achieve increased profits.

After a long hiatus TXM Lean Solutions will be back in front of customers at PPMA 2021. The UK’s Premier Processing and Packaging Machinery, Robotics and Automation Show.

The PPMA Show 2021 brings together every aspect of the production line from labelling, filling & packaging to process, robotics, automation and industrial vision systems. It will showcase machinery and solutions for the many sectors involved in processing and packaging.

With live demonstrations and a host of experts to meet, it is the ideal opportunity to get a full update on the latest developments in Food & Beverage, Pharmaceuticals, Building Supplies & Materials, Confectionary, E-liquids and a whole lot more.

Registration for the show is free, so be sure to sign up and visit the TXM Team at Stand F80

As TXM go from strength to strength growing across Australia, Europe, the UK and the Americas, alongside international economies roaring back into the black we are happy to announce the appointment of a new Senior Lean Consultant in Europe. Benoît Spatz joins us in Strasbourg, France.

Benoît Spatz – Senior Lean Consultant – Strasbourg, France

Benoît holds a masters degree in machine tool technology from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Karlsruhe, Germany. Benoît started his career with the automotive supplier Shaeffler. In 2007 Benoît joined Steelcase a world leader in office furniture to lead supplier development across Europe.

He supported Steelcase’s suppliers large and small in an operational improvement process across Europe, the United States and Asia. Since working for Steelcase Benoît has led dozens of consulting projects around industrial performance and supply chain optimisation.

Benoît and based in Strasbourg, is bilingual French and German and will assist our clients in Eastern France and Germany.

Welcome to the team Benoît!

TXM Europe SAS Welcomes Jimmy Sterner

Even with the continued period of unknowns across the globe with the Ever Given ship stuck in the Suez Canal causing major shipping delays or the lockdowns experienced across much of Europe at the moment. TXM Europe SAS is happy to announce the arrival of new Swedish consultant – Jimmy Sterner.

Jimmy Sterner joins TXM Europe SAS with over 35 years experience in production and plant management across Northern Europe. Jimmy is also a well seasoned and experienced Lean Consultant with Lean and Six Sigma experience in senior roles with-in manufacturing, supply chain and global operations.

Jimmy started his career with global beverage container maker REXAM where he gain experience in production and plant management. After 20 years with REXAM Jimmy worked with ConvaTec & SWEP International applying Lean across a number of business functions.

After 20 years with REXAM, Jimmy worked with ConvaTec where he started as a Technical & Production Manager whilst also coordinating the transfer to a new facility. His next project with ConvaTec saw him implement Lean Enterprise and Six Sigma across their headquarters in Denmark.

At SWEP International he implemented a sustainable Lean culture for growth across the supply chain with a focus on manufacturing. Jimmy also established and secured business with external stakeholders. He applied Lean & Six Sigma at all levels, whilst implementing quality systems to support SWEP International’s growth.

After 7 years with SWEP International Jimmy became a Lean consultant specialising in Executive level Coaching, Value Stream Mapping, 5S, Total Productive Maintenance, Kaizen, SMED, Quality, Continuous Improvement and Change Management.

As a Lean champion Jimmy see’s it as his mission to create growth and profitability through continuous improvement, including development of people, processes, teams and organisations in parallel with technology and quality for internal and external stakeholders.

Jimmy is based in Skane County, Sweden and is highly skilled to be able to take your business to the next level. Contact TXM to find out how to get Jimmy on-site to your business.

 

Bruno Dury Joins TXM In France

Bruno Dury joins TXM with over 30 years experience in Lean & Operational Excellence implementations.

TXM Lean Solutions are pleased to announce the appointment of Bruno Dury to our French Team. Bruno joins TXM with over 30 years of industry experience across France as a Lean/Operational Excellence Consultant.

Bruno has over 30 years experience in process improvement and transformation starting his career with Areva in the Nuclear Industry where he honed his skills as a Method Manager. Bruno has since worked at Alstrom where he was Lean Leader & implemented the APS (Advanced Production System). It is a continuous improvement approach based on the principles of Lean Manufacturing and run by over 350 people across multiple sites.

Bruno then worked at General Electric responsible for coordinating quality assurance and the establishment of 3 units across the Villeurbanne and St Priest Sites. Whilst head of the quality department he oversaw 15 employees looking after customer quality, production quality, supplier quality and quality assurance.

Bruno will be helping our clients across Europe with a focus on France. His extensive experience of Lean and Operational Excellence will be invaluable for our clients and wider consulting team. We would like to welcome Bruno into the TXM Team!

If you would like to speak with Bruno or would like him to assess your business give TXM an obligation free call or submit an enquiry.

TXM Consulting Team Back in Action

Consulting Director Anthony Clyne Coaching 8D Problem Solving and how to use the fish bone diagram to solve problems via video conferencing software.

After six months of disruption, the TXM team around the world are getting close to normal business as pandemic restrictions ease. Backed by our COVID-19 safety plan, our consultants are working with clients on site in most countries. As well our expertise in remote coaching is enabling us to keep projects going where on-site work is not possible.

READ: The Six Steps to Bring Your Production Back Home

In Australia, consultants are now delivering on site at all customers outside the remaining “COVID hot-spot” of Melbourne. In Melbourne, as infections fall we are looking forward to getting on-site consulting restarted if lock down restrictions ease as expected in late September. Interstate border restrictions are also impacting our customers.

However we are able to deliver services in Victoria, WA, NSW and Queensland with local TXM consultants, while our Melbourne team are effectively supporting customers in Tasmania and South Australia using remote coaching. In New Zealand, the recent brief lock down in Auckland is expected to end on Sunday and we expect delivery to get back to normal quickly then.

In the UK and France, our consultants are back on site and almost all customers are back to full operation. In North America, the more severe and lasting spread of infection and border restrictions between Canada and the US and between Canadian provinces is limiting the ability of our team to get to site. However as the situation, particularly in Canada improves, we hope to see the team out and about soon.

Despite the difficulties of the last few months, we have been impressed by the positive outlook of many of our customers. Many businesses, particularly in manufacturing, are busier than before the pandemic. Those that aren’t are seeing the current downturn as an opportunity to review their operations and make improvements to ensure that they come out of the recovery stronger than ever.

READ: Lessons from the Global Financial Crisis

To find out how we can help your business recover faster and be more competitive than ever get in touch with TXM.

New Consultant Joins TXM in France!

As part of our development in France and in Europe, we are pleased to announce the arrival of Guillaume Szewczyk as Consultant in Operational Excellence.

A graduate of INSA Lyon, Guillaume worked in the Renault Trucks factory in Bourg-en-Bresse as an industrialization engineer before joining Jolin in Wenzhou (China), to set up a Lean Manufacturing department.

He coached supervisors and department heads in Lean and Continuous Improvement techniques. Whilst in China, Guillaume then worked with a French producer of electrical equipment to configure quality assurance and validation systems for new suppliers.

Since his return to Lyon in 2017, Guillaume has been helping companies to industrialize new products and implement operational excellence procedures.

If you are based in Europe and need help to pilot Lean Transformation in your business, be sure to contact our French team on +33 805 08 11 07

Internationally Accredited Training for the ‘New Normal’

stand up meeting in a laboratory

The current climate means that you and your employees might be faced with downtime or looking to up-skill for the future recovery. This means you might be looking for workshops or courses that can teach new skills and provide you and your employees with growth and support.

A great way to support you and your employees is to educate and empower them to become better at their jobs. This can have the effect of boosting moral, increasing productivity and creating a culture of continuous improvement.

Here at TXM over the past few months we have seen the need for businesses of all shapes and sizes to adapt to the ‘new normal’ this might be though a new factory layout, supply chain management, our accelerated productivity program or accredited training. Our ISO18404 Lean Practitioner Program is designed to coach you to become a facilitator of change in your organisation.

Accredited to the International Standard ISO18404

TXM have recently received accreditation from global accreditation body, Exemplar Global, to deliver Lean Practitioner and Lean Leader Courses that comply with the international standard for Lean and Six Sigma, ISO18404.

Lean Practitioner & Lean Leader are the Lean equivalent to Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt levels respectively. The ISO18404 standard will provide Lean Practitioners & Leaders with a qualification that is assessed against a globally recognised standard, ISO18404.

The involvement of Exemplar Global means that our course delivery material and assessment procedures have a clear link back to the standard and have been independently assessed by a recognised international audit organisation.

In line with TXM values, the Lean Practitioner and Lean Leader courses will be based on proven TXM Lean approaches and be delivered by our own ISO18404 accredited Lean Experts.

Who Is It Suitable For?

Participants will be assessed on the practical project work that they do in their business, meaning that they have to show that they can deliver actual results in the workplace rather than just complete paperwork and exams.

We also have the ability to recognise prior learning in our assessments, providing experienced practitioners with the opportunity to obtain an internationally recognised qualification to back up their real world experience.

How Do I Participate

The course is currently available to our clients as an additional extra on top of your Lean deployment. It can be a great way to train employees in Lean to accelerate your Lean deployment and up-skill your teams. Alternatively we can run the course in-house for multiple people.

Contact TXM for more information.