Industry Challenges
The household appliance industry has over 300 manufacturers, however the top 20 in size account for ~90% of the industry’s sales. The recent economic recession has had a long-term impact on the housing market and consumer spending, both major contributors to appliance sales. Thus, the industry has been severely challenged.
How is the industry responding? There has been much industry consolidation during the past 5 years, and manufacturers are placing greater emphasis on product development, especially those products that meet the U.S. government’s criteria for ENERGY STAR© certification. Consumer demand for energy-efficient units, for both new and replacement products, will increase as a result of tax-incentives offered with these purchases. And the US government has offered tax incentives to motivate consumer spending in key areas. . .
However, many manufacturing facilities are old, and are characterized by inefficient operations. Problems such as congestion, process flow, and stamping operations are in need of cost reduction and the application of lean manufacturing principles to eliminate waste and reduce variation. And the appliance industry could realize cost savings and competitive operations through an outsourcing strategy that puts brings expertise and lower costs to their operations.
Support we offer
identifies and quantifies improvement opportunities in uptime and cycle time. Improvements to tools, equipment, and work practices are prioritized and implemented in a systematic manner with the goal of maximizing production capability. Elements and components include Leadership alignment and training, the Pioneer and Advanced Throughput Improvement Systems, data collection, analysis, validation and documentation, Action Management System, problem solving methodology, standard work, recipe/set-up sub-system, process optimization, and cycle time improvement.
Quality Systems – assessment, design, implementation and improvement of an organization’s quality system. Our expertise includes the following ISO standards: ISO 9001, ISO/TS 16949 (including Core Tools), ISO 14001, ISO 17025, ISO 13485, and AS 9100. Phoenix’s primary goal is to help an organization not only meet the ISO requirements, but to improve their business performance and enhance customer relationships through reliable and consistent quality performance. Phoenix also provides quality system training and comprehensive auditing services.
Logistics Systems – ensuring minimal inventory, optimal throughput flexibility, and disruption-free flow of material. The elements of the Logistics System include planning, tracking, and data analysis, Facility Layout, Inventory Control, Material Flow, Scheduling, and equipment installation expertise. The primary strategy is to reengineer present facilities and processes for implementing a Lean manufacturing system including Kanban/pull systems. These systems include part presentation to production process, rack and container design and optimization, work-in-process (WIP) storage and movement, finished product storage and movement.
Total Productive Maintenance System – assures optimal equipment condition that produces quality products at the maximum rate and minimum cost. A Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) System is achieved when the chief metric becomes Operational Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) that creates a cooperative effort between Production, Quality and Maintenance personnel in the pursuit of continuous improvement.
Leadership Development – creates self-sustaining Leaders capable of ongoing management of change and driving continuous performance improvement. These individual Leaders will be developed as a result of the methods and processes used to effectively implement both improvement initiatives (Throughput Improvement System, TPM, etc.) and foundation systems (Action Management and Team Environment).
Team Environment – ensuring that teams are developed at all levels of the organization including production, services, and support functions with roles that are clearly defined, measured, and audited.
Workplace Organization – creates an effective work cell layout including readily available information, job aids, and storage of machines, tools, and material. The best layout enhances performance and ergonomics and could be different from area to area. The best design technique utilizes affected personnel to ensure a robust layout.
Workplace Optimization – integrates man, machine, material, product demand/mix, and methods across the entire organization. Workplace Optimization maximizes the entire organization’s performance and fosters continuous improvement. It does not permit sub-optimizing overall performance to improve a single work cell’s organization.
Metal Formability and Die Improvement Services – Phoenix provides experts in stamping and sheet metal conversion processes, to assist in issues resolution and the development of die maintenance programs Circle Grid Analysis, Thickness Analysis, Die Re-Engineering, and Reference Panel systems that result in more stable and reliable operations.
o Materials Specification – Phoenix has the metallurgical expertise and engineering knowledge to lead or assist in materials application decisions. This includes working knowledge in the emerging field of Advanced High Strength Steels.
On-Site Testing, Engineering and Quality Services that replace internal labor and with lower cost, higher skill personnel.
Testing Services – On-site quality assurance testing.
Quality Services – On-site plant quality coordinators who oversee and manage quality system documentation to support operations and maintain ISO – TS certification.
Safety Services – On-site plant safety coordinators who oversee safety systems, implement continuous improvements and maintain operational safety compliance records.
Environmental Services – On-site plant emissions, water and waste accounting, collection and reporting services.
