Workshop Event in Cefic, November 25th 2004
Thu, 24 Jun 2004 19:37:36 +0300
Benchmarking – How Do You Measure Up?
In a business era focusing on market-place service delivery, such issues as responsiveness and value chain integration have taken on prime competitive importance – with operational excellence becoming one of the key strategies adopted by leading manufacturers.
With this changing business focus, the cost-reduction techniques of Benchmarking, first established in other sectors for addressing the same extended scope, have now become applicable to the process sector. Consultants working in the chemicals sector typically report cost savings of up to 20% and capacity improvements of up to 30% by applying benchmarking-based techniques.
The figures are real and the techniques can be applied in a straightforward manner.
The MAX-SERV virtual institute will be organising a one-day workshop in Cefic on 25th November to provide practical guidance to those in industry wishing to find out more and develop a capability within their own organisations. The event will focus on external benchmarking, in which achieved performance is compared to the best-in-class on a world basis. Experts will describe basic benchmarking parameters, how to apply them in a manufacturing business and how to compare performance against world best.
This comprehensive event will revolve around applications presentations from experts in the field including PICME (subsidiary of the UK, Chemicals Industry Association), EPB (European Process Benchmarks) and VTT (Finnish National Research Centre). In addition, there will be case study presentations from industrial manufacturers.
More information is available at www.max-serv.com and preliminary bookings may be registered with dave.boland@max-serv.com. A nominal charge will be made to cover event costs.
MAX-SERV Test Case Deadlines Announced
Wed, 23 Jun 2004 21:00:07 +0300
MAX-SERV, the EU-backed virtual support centre for manufacturing excellence reports that its programme of funded test case initiatives is continuing to deliver strong results, but warns that time is running out with a deadline for new applications by the end of August.
Designed to demonstrate the power of Benchmarking in improving manufacturing performance, the approach has proved popular with more than twelve applications having been carried out, beneficially, in the last twelve months. The scheme works by MAX-SERV arranging benchmarking activities to assess manufacturers’ current operations and where needed, direction for achieving world-class performance.
With a focus on the Process Industries, recent take-up has included operators in speciality chemicals, plastics, food and paper and pulp. Results have been impressive with six figure savings, allied to short paybacks being the norm.
British collaborator, Mark Lewis, CEO of benchmarking specialists PICME reports that "The Chemical Industries Association is strongly behind benchmarking and in the UK, tangible manufacturing improvements are being made by operators of all sizes”. He urges process manufacturers to make use of the advantages of the MAX-SERV test case approach whilst it is still available.
By the end of the year, the intention is to sever the EU link and move MAX-SERV to a fully commercial basis. To mark this transition a Benchmarking Conference event is planned for November, providing manufacturing excellence insights and reporting on practical results achieved. Please visit www.max-serv.com for further details.
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MAX-SERV Virtual Consultancy Proves its Worth
Mon, 8 Mar 2004 17:03:25 +0200
MAX-SERV, the European virtual centre for manufacturing excellence reports strong take-up of its free web service, providing process manufacturers with a “self-evaluation” benchmarking of their operational performance, against world best.
In this virtual consultancy service, manufacturers respond to a simple on-line questionnaire (www.max-serv.com) which is used to compare their performance against a best-in-class database. They are then provided with a report describing opportunities for improvement in their operational and service performance, with suggestions for possible courses of corrective action.
Introduced early last year, the service has now been used by manufacturers in many parts of Europe, and has proved to be a time-thrifty, first level healthcheck on business competitiveness. Frequently, the self-evaluation results have revealed unexpected problems which have justified more detailed corrective actions. Results at this more detailed level have included finding “hidden” plant capacity; reducing plant set-up times, recovering capital held in stock, improving customer service performance, etc. Recent successful applications include: food manufacturing in Ireland, films production in the UK, pulp and paper in Finland and electrochemistry in Spain.
MAX-SERV benchmarking expert Steve Williamson observes that for manufacturers, “The time invested in a self-evaluation is minimal,” and that “it makes good business sense to take advantage of such a quick and easy procedure.” He is equally enthusiastic that the virtual delivery mechanism is the right way forward for busy operators with conflicting time priorities. “Our internet-based, self-evaluation can be used all over Europe. Where more specialist queries arise, we are able to quickly access the right expert electronically from our extensive network and, on a short turnaround, get out a meaningful response to the customer.”
Press Information: Dave Boland, Max-Serv. Tel: +44 (0) 1947 8971
Latest Results of Max-Serv
Mon, 8 Mar 2004 13:44:37 +0200
Latest Results of Max-Serv Prove Benchmarking a Successful Approach for Manufacturing
Max-Serv (www.max-serv.com), the online centre for manufacturing excellence, is pleased to announce four more successful outcomes from its most recently completed test cases. These test cases confirm the value of benchmarking in identifying performance gaps and demonstrate that cost-effective solutions are available to rectify the problem areas that are identified.
Green Island Foods, an Irish food company, UCB Bridgwater operations, a UK manufacturer of cellophane that is part of Surface Specialties UCB, EGOKI, a Spanish manufacturer and Stora Enso, a Finnish papermaker, all applied Max-Serv’s benchmarking analysis to gain major benefits for their manufacturing operations. Manufacturers can see the results of these test cases for themselves as ‘success stories’ on www.max-serv.com.
For the first time, a free benchmarking assessment is available online through the Max-Serv virtual centre. This allows European manufacturers to check out their manufacturing performance against a set of carefully selected benchmarks. The service enables users to carry out a self-assessment of their performance levels - directly and in complete confidence through the website at www.max-serv.com.
Max-Serv’s free benchmarking assessment is open to all European process manufacturers and is translated into all major European languages, so there are no communication barriers.
The Max-Serv initiative confirms the EU commitment to establishing, easy-to-use, on-line support facilities for European manufacturers.
Press Information: Dave Boland, Max-Serv. Tel: +44 (0) 1947 897196. Email: dave.boland@max-serv.com Internet: www.max-serv.com
From Benchmarking to Best Practice Workshop
Wed, 24 Sep 2003 16:42:40 +0300
Process & Chemical manufacturers looking to raise their operations potential need look no further than this one-day workshop to be held at The Heath, Runcorn, Cheshire on Thursday October 30, 2003.
The workshop is being organised by PICME in association with Max-Serv, on behalf of the manufacturing and logistics group of the Chemical Industries Association (CIA).
The results of the first CIA Manufacturing Improvement Award in July 2003 showed that there are operations in the UK who are achieving substantial gains from adapting best practice ideas. The workshop will include presentations from the award winners in the two categories - Batch/Speciality and Continuous/High Volume - Rhodia Pharmaceuticals, Contract Chemicals, and DuPont SA.
Presentation will also be made by Robert Hall, who as the former Operations Director for BOC Industrial Gases acted as the assessor for the award and will give his views on what approaches are working. Delegates will also hear about developments at Max-Serv; the Europe-wide online resource for process sector manufacturing improvement.
To download a leaflet - please visit: www.picme.org or email: dave.boland@max-serv.com
Free Interactive Benchmarking Assessment Launched
Wed, 26 Mar 2003 16:38:13 +0200
Max-Serv, the EU-sponsored initiative to bring European process manufacturing to World-Class levels, is delighted to announce a new free online assessment which allows European manufacturers to check out their manufacturing performance against a set of carefully selected benchmarks. The service enables users to carry out a self-assessment of their performance levels - directly and in complete confidence through the website at www.max-serv.com.
Max-Serv’s Interactive Benchmarking Assessment is open to all European process manufacturers and is translated into all major European languages, so there are no communication barriers.
The Max-Serv assessment is based on the results of a major benchmarking investigation, involving over 3,500 manufacturers from many world regions. This database has already revealed that the performance of European process manufacturers is only average and that there is a considerable distance to go, in order to compete with the best manufacturers in the world.
In the event that this online gap analysis indicates gaps in performance, then more detailed evaluations may subsequently be carried out, interactively online. Beyond the initial assessment, there are two further levels of assessment which ultimately provide a fully detailed benchmark evaluation of over 100 manufacturing parameters and provision of specialist, practical help in closing off the performance gap to achieve world class.
The MAX-SERV initiative confirms the EU commitment to establishing, easy-to-use, on-line support facilities for European manufacturers and it sits alongside the recently announced SIM-SERV (www.sim-serv.com), which provides e-based supply of simulation capability to manufacturers.
More details at www.max-serv.com
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Press Information: Emma Lee, Menza Communications Ltd, Mallard House, Swansfield, Lechlade, Gloucestershire, GL7 3SF. Tel: +44 (0) 1367 253750, Fax: +44 (0) 1367 253722. Email: emma@menza.co.uk Internet: www.menza.co.uk
New Contracts Prove Online Manufacturing is Best
Tue, 25 Feb 2003 17:15:34 +0200
Sim-Serv and Max-Serv, the EU initiatives to bring manufacturing excellence to European companies, are delighted to announce that nine industrial contracts are now underway. Companies in such diverse sectors as process manufacturing, automotive, piece-part, general assembly, etc are responding enthusiastically to the new services which isolate root manufacturing problems and put operators in touch with specialist solution providers.
The holding company Virable* reports that its Sim-Serv operation (Simulation Services) has already attracted high profile companies across four different European countries. Amongst these are Robert Bosch GmbH, Decorpart Ltd. and Teknikum Oy. Total contracted value is believed to exceed 100 keuros. The wide geographic spread reflects Sim-Serv’s claim that its e-based approach enables rapid accessing of the right supplier from within its extensive network, no matter how specialised the job.
Whilst Sim-Serv focuses purely on simulation, its sister operation Max-Serv (Manufacturing Excellence Services) provides broader manufacturing perspectives through its world class benchmarking capabilities. Aimed mainly at process manufacturers, the response here is also reported to be extremely positive, with the first four industrial contracts poised to start in three different European countries. The work will involve detailed evaluation of the client’s performance against world standard, bringing in experts from within the Max-Serv network to advise and organise improvements where needed.
Virable emphasises its capability to deploy the Sim-Serv, Max-Serv services in any European country through its e-based regional network. Interested manufacturers should get in touch with the local contact for their region, who will be able to provide detailed advice on services, including currently available EU grants covering costs of ”test case” industrial applications.
Manufacturers are also encouraged to visit www.max-serv.com where they will be able to get a first benchmark evaluation of their own performance against world class. This online self-assessment is totally confidential and also free of charge.
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Press Information: Emma Lee, Menza Communications Ltd, Mallard House, Swansfield, Lechlade, Gloucestershire, GL7 3SF. Tel: +44 (0) 1367 253750, Fax: +44 (0) 1367 253722. Email: emma@menza.co.uk Internet: www.menza.co.uk
Virable* - Virable Oy is a new company established in Finland with a specific focus on providing e-based services to the process industries using online knowledge repositories and accessing an extensive network of expert technical suppliers. It is the holding company for Sim-Serv and Max-Serv.
EU Supports Online Manufacturing Excellence Centre
Tue, 25 Feb 2003 17:14:20 +0200
A new EU-sponsored initiative is announced today which is intended to help European process manufacture gear-up to operate at world class levels in terms of manufacturing excellence.
The initiative, known as MAX-SERV (www.max-serv.com), is based on the results of a major benchmarking investigation, involving over 3,500 manufacturers from many world regions. This database has already revealed that the performance of European process manufacturers is only average and that there is a considerable distance to go, in order to compete with the best in the world.
MAX-SERV intends to set the playing field level by encouraging Europeans to check out their manufacturing performance, progressively against a set of carefully selected benchmarks. MAX-SERV is offering free, online access to its database where manufacturers may carry out a first self-assessment of their performance levels - directly and in complete confidence.
In the event that this gap analysis raises concerns, then more detailed evaluations may subsequently be carried out, interactively online. MAX-SERV’s three levels of assessment move toward what is ultimately a fully detailed benchmark evaluation of over 100 manufacturing parameters and provision of specialist, practical help in closing off the performance gap to achieve world class.
In order to get the ball rolling, the European Commission is offering to cover the costs of the first trench of fully detailed evaluations. Manufacturers are advised to visit the website and carry out the preliminary self-evaluation in order to assess whether there is a case for requesting “test-case” funding (up to 30,000 Euros), to cover detailed benchmarking and specification of improvement measures by a host of recognised experts, also galleried online.
The MAX-SERV initiative confirms the EU commitment to establishing, easy-to-use, on-line support facilities for European manufacturers and it sits alongside the recently announced SIM-SERV (www.sim-serv.com), which provides e-based supply of simulation capability to manufacturers.
More details at www.max-serv.com
Press Information: Emma Lee, Menza Communications Ltd, Mallard House, Swansfield, Lechlade, Gloucestershire, GL7 3SF. Tel: +44 (0) 1367 253750, Fax: +44 (0) 1367 253722. Email: emma@menza.co.uk Internet: www.menza.co.uk
Partnership Strengthens Service Capabilities
Sat, 16 Nov 2002 17:07:21 +0200
Whilst Max-Serv majors on benchmarking manufacturing performance against world class and networking leading edge technology suppliers, its sister service, Sim-Serv, has been set up to deliver specific improvements using the techniques of simulation. As such the services provide important and complimentary contributions into the field of manufacturing excellence. The two work in close cooperation.
Both offer test case applications with EU funding and provide access to networks of specialist suppliers. Manufacturers may take advantage of the full range of services through either website. More information on Sim-Serv is available at www.sim-serv.com.
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