Lean Manufacturing makes Elddis more Flexible

Lean manufacturing techniques have long been synonymous with the Automotive industry, the term itself derived from the Toyota Production System (TPS), but until now a less likely management philosophy in the caravan and motorhome industry.

Elddis has embraced and maintained this management philosophy at its County Durham production facility. And this is no time and motion exercise - there are real benefits for Elddis Customers.

In the past, prior to the implementation of lean manufacturing techniques, Elddis Customers would have faced a lengthy wait between placing their order and taking delivery of their new caravan or motorhome - a lead time that would seem even more frustrating as holiday opportunities could come and go before the eventual delivery date. Bad news too perhaps for Elddis, as Customers may have decided to buy nearly-new or from Retailer stock, rather than play the waiting game for a brand new model.

Prior to lean manufacturing, Elddis would build in large batches - 40, 50 even 60 models were typically built in one batch. Each year there could be up to 60 models in the range and with each being built in an average batch size of 50, 2950 vehicles would have to be built before the original model came full cycle and was repeated again. This equated to over 3 months lead time for the Customer.

Today, Elddis' introduction of Lean Manufacturing makes for a much more agile production facility where the improved efficiency has completely optimised the workflow, and in turn, Customer choice. Elddis can now build in smaller batches, as low as one, but typically in batches of five. In doing so, Elddis can respond to market demand much more easily and produce the models that are selling, instead of producing and trying to sell what has been made - a practice still followed by some other Manufacturers. At Elddis, the pace, model mix and quantity of the production schedule is set by Customer demand, reducing waste to improve overall Customer value.

Elddis prides itself on having the largest selection of layouts to choose from, and by keeping costs low and choice plentiful, with some of the shortest leadtimes in the industry, staying 'Lean' is a philosophy that has multiple benefits for both Manufacturer and Customer.

Published: 31/10/2011