How to meet the manufacturing and DC facilities management challenge
In this review of what sets manufacturing and DCs apart in their FM requirements, Steve Wengrow, Business Development Director of TCFM, reflects on how service providers need to adapt at pace, understand the plant inside out and work as silent members of the team.
Factories and DCs are noisy places.
Which is why, when choosing a FM service provider, it’s vital that you find one who can listen well.
This is not an office environment.
It’s critical that the plant operation is understood and worked around. There is precious little in the spectrum of FM services that can be delivered in a generic fashion here.
Factories and DCs are dynamic.
Which is why you need a provider who can listen well and also respond fast.
Just as manufacturing operations have to deliver ‘just in time’, so must FM partners. They must adapt quickly to meet the constantly changing needs of lean production processes.
Here the relentless quest for efficiency sees things changing radically and rapidly.
Often fundamental shifts in manufacturing process or operational procedure will require regular recalibration of FM service provision.
Factories are finely-balanced and sensitive to disruption.
Which is why FM staff, essential though they are, should very much be silent members of the team.
A flexible approach and great communication are essential to ensure that work can be carried out around the scheduled machinery downtimes. It must also complement, rather than disrupt, shift and work patterns.
To respond quickly to complex requirements, you need to call on a FM partner who can act as slickly as a well-oiled machine.
To provide a service that meets your needs, you need a flexible partner who never tries to retro-fit their own established procedures.
Welcome to TCFM
We do things differently because we do things your way.
We offer security, cleaning, catering and a range of specialist services that we can tailor to meet your requirements.
But it’s the way that we tailor our service delivery that sees us consistently scoring above 98% on our audit scores.
It’s not just that we listen – we deliver.
And we deliver what is asked of us, without trying to fall back on the same old routine ways of working.
We aim to be a silent part of your team:
Never visible, never disruptive but always effective.
And we achieve this through listening first, communicating fast and carrying out our services in the way that best suits you.
Being prepared to go the extra mile comes as standard with us
We love a challenge.
We were given just four weeks from contract win to service commencement to supply cleaning, catering, CCTV, manned guarding, grounds maintenance and specialist services for RS Components’ distribution centre of 130,000 electrical component products.
Here’s how we handled it.
We know that maintaining safety and cleanliness in any working environment is critical, particularly in manufacturing plants and places where products are packed for distribution.
Yet, we also understand that achieving these must always enhance efficiency, boost staff morale and never disrupt operations.
Our first port of call was to work with the team at RS Components to gain an understanding of their culture, processes and production optimisation.
A dedicated management team of experts from TCFM was put in place to ensure that all services would be delivered to mutually agreed goals in accordance with operational requirements.
As soon as this was achieved it was time to apply technology, talent and training to realise our promises and deliver everything with maximum impact and minimum disruption.
Our face to face TUPE meetings were used to inform staff of our training, development and performance management processes, while our pioneering Animated Tool Box Talks were used to reinforce pertinent safety tips and review safety practices specific to each day’s events.
A similar blend of technology and excellent customer service was used when we employed IoT to engineer cleaning schedules for washrooms and staff changing rooms.
Results were achieved quickly and faithfully.
There was an almost immediate raising of standards on cleaning and security achieved at greater cost efficiencies.
But there’s more to come.
We’re ready to respond to the changes and challenges that manufacturing and distribution centres so regularly throw up.
Through flexible ingenuity, smart use of tech and a seasoned approach to talent management we hope to complement and support RS Components in bringing to life their commitment to always delivering quality on time.
And we hope to do the same for you too.
To discuss how we can help you overcome the challenges in your plant or DC centre get in touch today.
01737 814 016 info@tcfm.co.uk
