Introduction

Lean Production at Portakabin

Introduction

Portakabin Ltd is a global company that is mainly engaged in designing and manufacturing portable, modular and temporary buildings for different applications. Today, the company is offering a range of services including customer support services, project management, surveys, and professional development seminars. The products offered by Portakabin are used in offices, healthcare, education, construction, and events globally. It is producing advanced building systems for its clients. The company has registered is name as a trade mark and no other organization can’t use this name. Donald Shepherd was the founder of the company. The building produced by the company called Portakabin buildings. The company is use advanced and innovative technologies, tools and instruments. The company uses the concepts of modular buildings.

The main examples of Portakabin building are schools, hospitals, offices, nurseries etc. Moreover, Portakabin buildings can be accessed anywhere in the global world. It is also found that, the company has ability to provide same high quality of buildings because it is monitor processes and standards during the production at sites. In the current time, the company is delivering high value to its customers by manufacturing of high quality advanced products as per the expectations of customers. This main objective of this paper is to analyze and address how Portakabin use lean production methods and strategies to given value to customers.

Lean Production at Portakabin

 Lean production is a specific approach or method to production that focus on minimizing waste and inefficiency. Lean production is based on the principle that any use of resources effectively and properly to create value for the customer. The specific purpose of lean production is to minimize the quantity of resources utilized. Lean production indicates less use of material, labor, time, space etc. Portakabin is utilizing three main methods of production such as: flow production, cellular production and batch production. These methods are helping the company in minimizing the cost and time. The company has received quality assurance certificate: ISO 2002. The company takes very less time to complete a project (ALDANIYAZOV, 2017). These methods helped the company in attaining higher customer rating.

• Flow Production: According to the first method (such as: flow production), the production of the modules flows from different stages in the factory. In the same way, value is added as per the expectation and need of customers. The company is able to fulfill the need of its clients on the given time because of its capital investment techniques in the machines. It is highly depends on innovative and advance technology in order to improve productivity (Yamamoto, Milstead, & LIoyd, 2019).
• Batch Production: As per the batch production, large quantity of production is done. Along with this, it should also be noted down that, this technique is utilized by the company to produce different products with less cost by utilizing the machines in effective manner. Skills, abilities and knowledge of workers are improved in the area of their expertise.
• Cellular Production: This method is used by the company in the changing environment. As per this method, pending work inventories are kept low to enhance the output and reduce the time of production (Chiarini, Baccarani, & Mascherpa, 2018).

The company is fully committed to eliminate waste in each of these areas. With the help of lean production, the company is able to eliminate waste by overcoming defects. This allows company to deliver right product at the right time to the right customers.

Quality Management

Maintaining the quality is the top priority and objective of Portakabin so the company is using quality management system. The specific purpose of this is to provide quality products as per customer needs, wants and expectations. Kaizen process is followed by the company to maintain the high quality. This allows company to bring improvements within the production process on the regular basis. New, advanced and unique ideas are applied at the every stage of production for the high quality. Portakabin is produce its product as per international standards ISo 9001 & 14001. Such specific standards are used to meet the needs of customers. ISO 9001 standard reflects that the company has a quality management system. It is also ensure that a number of documented procedures are used in the key processes. On the other hand, meeting ISO 14001 shows that, the company has a well-organized environmental management system. This allows the company to reduce the impact on the environment (Bakaraju, Ehrmann, & Ho, 2018).

Use of Just-In-Time (JIT) Technique

Portakabin is pays too much attention on enhancing overall benefits by focusing on quality. For example, Lilliput Children’s centers are developed to be child focus. The main objective is to provide safety and care standards. The primary purpose of the company is developing a more protective environment. The company is use JIT approach in designing these centers. This approach has allowed the company to manage all the resources in a best possible manner. This helped the company in utilizing goods by avoiding wastage of time and money. As per this, a computerized system is used by the company to deliver the product on the time. At the same time, it is also analyzed that, this approach is used by the company in the lean production environment to reduce cost, and time (Erkayman, 2019).

According to the JIT technique, the company produce product as per the demand. It means, as per the market demand and wants, new buildings are developed. It helps the company in reducing the cost of holding the buildings. Along with this, detailed IT systems and tools are utilized by the company in order to effectively and properly manage the flow of production. The company is also focus on developing strong and positive relationships with the suppliers. JIT is also allowing the company to bring innovation and development within the internal production process by reducing costs.

Conclusion

On the basis of above analysis and findings, it can be concluded that, it is very essential and valuable for a company to manage resources in best possible way. Along with this, a company should focus on quality management, JIT and other waste management approaches in order to save time & cost and gain competitive advantages over others in the market. At the same time, it can also be summarized that, a company must also focus on reducing wastage in order to attain effective result by promoting growth and development. On the other hand, it can also be said that, the company is using a number of specific process, and methods to make the manufacturing process more effective and efficient. Finally, it is summarized that, a company should use effective techniques to improve the manufacturing process. It is because; they can gain effective and better outcomes by implementing efficient methodology in the production process.

References

ALDANIYAZOV, K. (2017). Factors and Ways to Reduce Product Costs. Espacios, 38(46), 37-37. Retrieved from: https://www.revistaespacios.com/a17v38n46/a17v38n46p37.pdf

Bakaraju, R. C., Ehrmann, K., & Ho, A. (2018). Extended depth of focus contact lenses vs. two commercial multifocals: Part 1. Optical performance evaluation via computed through-focus retinal image quality metrics. Journal of optometry, 11(1), 10-20. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1888429617300365

Chiarini, A., Baccarani, C., & Mascherpa, V. (2018). Lean production, Toyota Production System and Kaizen philosophy: A conceptual analysis from the perspective of Zen Buddhism. The TQM Journal. Retrieved from: http://journals.mountaintopuniversity.edu.ng/PROQUEST%20DOWNLOADS/logic%20and%20philosophy/Lean_production,_Toyota_Produc.pdf

Erkayman, B., (2019). Transition to a JIT production system through ERP implementation: a case from the automotive industry. International Journal of Production Research, 57(17), pp.5467-5477.

Yamamoto, K., Milstead, M., & LIoyd, R. (2019). A review of the development of lean manufacturing and related lean practices: The case of Toyota Production System and managerial thinking. International Management Review, 15(2), 21-90. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Robert-Lloyd-13/publication/340449306_A_review_of_the_development_of_lean_manufacturing_and_related_lean_practices_The_case_of_Toyota_production_system_and_managerial_thinking/links/5f970170a6fdccfd7b7fe1c8/A-review-of-the-development-of-lean-manufacturing-and-related-lean-practices-The-case-of-Toyota-production-system-and-managerial-thinking.pdf