Construction
VHZ-groep
In 2022, VHZ started a collaboration with Vocum to organise the production lines of various VHZ companies more efficiently. After Transcarbo (2022), projects at Kumij and Europrovyl (2023) followed, each starting with an analysis phase of two to three weeks.
Result
Higher output, better management and more grip on the production process
In 2022, VHZ started a collaboration with Vocum. The aim of this collaboration: to organise the production lines of various VHZ companies more efficiently.
Transcarbo is the first company where Vocum went to work. The project started in 2022. In 2023, projects at Kumij and Europrovyl followed. An analysis phase of two to three weeks was enough to gather the necessary figures and insights. The outcomes were presented to management and translated into a plan of action.
Why was it worthwhile to look at the efficiency of your production?
Kay Verkoulen, Production Manager at Transcarbo: “We face all kinds of challenges. We have grown as a company over the years, while the shop floor has stayed the same size. Customer demand has also become more complex, which has made the production process more complex. So it seemed a sensible step to look at how we could get more out of our production line.”
How were these proposals worked out?
At Transcarbo, Europrovyl and Kumij alike, floor tours were set up. Vocum designed checklists with various targets, giving the shift leaders more insight into production. Through the floor tours, crucial input reaches the production manager more efficiently.
Kay Verkoulen, Production Manager at Transcarbo: “Vocum's people took the shift leaders on a floor tour to show them what to watch for in order to ensure a good flow on the production line.”
Johan Laanstra, Production Manager at Europrovyl: “Part of these floor tours involves steering on figures and quality. How much did a department produce? What is the buffer level? And do I need to adjust by moving someone to another department? This gives us more insight and lets us react more quickly.”
Henk Bleeker, Production Manager at Kumij: “Thanks to the floor tours, we received more specific input from our shift leaders. This means we can intervene more quickly, for example when we see that production is lagging in a certain department, and find out the cause.”
It is not about the staff having to work harder. It is about being able to work more efficiently through better management.
Vocum also introduced a daily start-up meeting at the three companies.
Kay Verkoulen, Production Manager at Transcarbo: “We now have a daily start-up, a meeting with various departments — the warehouse, the technical department, planning and the production leader — to look at what was done the previous day and where we want to go today. As a result, we agree realistic targets with the shift leaders.”
Henk Bleeker, Production Manager at Kumij: “Our daily start-up begins at 9 a.m. Together with the shift leader and the head of work preparation, we go through whether everything is running smoothly.”
Through training, we can deploy our employees more flexibly across different departments.
What results have you achieved?
Kay Verkoulen, Production Manager at Transcarbo: “We see that output has ultimately risen, and of course we are very pleased with that. This is because we now have better management. That is good for the working atmosphere, because employees now know more clearly what is expected of them, especially now that they have clear targets. There is also more structure in our work processes.”
“We are now better able to steer on hours. We know more precisely how much time is needed to carry out a particular operation. If something goes wrong, we can now see more quickly exactly what is causing it. We have more grip on our production process.”
Johan Laanstra, Production Manager at Europrovyl: “Through our collaboration with Vocum, we have a better view of our figures during the production process. Together with the shift leaders, we keep close track of a department's figures, so that we are in control all day and can switch quickly when needed. This really adds to the communication between the shifts and management.”
“The collaboration with Vocum was an intensive but very instructive journey. We have gained more focus on our process improvements. And last but not least: we are very pleased with the results.”
We see that output has ultimately risen, and of course we are very pleased with that. This is because we now have better management. That is good for the working atmosphere, because employees now know more clearly what is expected of them, especially now that they have clear targets. There is also more structure in our work processes.
Through our collaboration with Vocum, we have a better view of our figures during the production process. Together with the shift leaders, we keep close track of a department's figures, so that we are in control all day and can switch quickly when needed. This really adds to the communication between the shifts and management.
Thanks to the floor tours, we received more specific input from our shift leaders. This means we can intervene more quickly, for example when we see that production is lagging in a certain department, and find out the cause.
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