CASE STUDY
Standardised parts and
materials process
Client: Poly-metallic producer
Location: South Australia
Duration: four months
Context
Wider improvement works on our client’s site identified that parts and materials management processes weren’t consistently applied nor effectively supporting improvements across surface maintenance areas. This included a breakdown in process between maintenance teams and the warehouse, resulting in higher inventory costs, jobs rescheduling or cancellation due to parts unavailability, and inefficiencies for key roles losing time searching for parts and materials. Having delivered several other improvement initiatives across the site, the Minset team was able to leverage wider insight to drive a thorough but fast-tracked process.
Approach
Several improvement identification sessions were held with key stakeholders to ensure the best of current processes were incorporated into the new shared framework. This included engagement with maintenance store personnel to understand team workflows and inform outcomes such as store area redesigns for improved efficiency. Key elements in developing a workgroup-led solution included:
- Standardising processes across all work surface groups to allow the flexible movement of people based on work demands – from leave coverage to rapid shutdown resourcing and more
- Analysing logistics and flows in laydown yards to inform changes and align all stakeholders
- Developing a digital process for transparent parts tracking after leaving the warehouse, positioning the team to deploy further digital solutions with the confidence of a robust underlying process
- Building an in-field handbook for materials logistics officers, supporting role consistency and transferability across personnel between workgroups
- Designing new work area plans to apply 5S methodologies and standardise store areas, aligned to existing warehouse practices
- Developing service level agreements to streamline and standardise parts deliveries, creating certainty for maintenance execution
- Developing and implementing a return-to-warehouse process to reduce inventory in storage yards
- Creating an audit process to support implementation and continual improvement
Results
People
- Improved interaction supported between surface maintenance and warehouse personnel
- Upskilling provided via field-based implementation support and coaching of key roles
Process
- Increased workgroup productivity enabled, with better availability supporting timely works
- Manual processes reduced via digital tracking of parts and materials
- Standard KPIs developed to maintain sustainability and provide a baseline for continual improvement
Physical
- Materials savings achieved, with more than $750,000 of store returns captured during the project and visibility for future savings
- Designs developed for work area improvements
- Continual improvement recommendations identified, providing a value-add to the project team
