KoopmansA small technical service that must behave as a self-improving team.

The Task
The goal was to set up the optimal maintenance organization for Koopmans, in which staffing levels were not allowed to increase in terms of personnel costs. At the same time, Koopmans’ production volume is growing. The Technical Service had to take the step to improve itself and make the organization future-proof.

The Approach
based on a short current state analysis, the basic business processes are implemented based on the Mainnovation Process Map. This ensured a clear division of tasks between the Maintenance Coordinators, technicians and production.
The first steps were the optimisation of the TDO maintenance management system and the switch to working digitally in TDO. The mechanics have started to report back their own work. This is arranged by doing it together with the mechanics. This improved the recording of malfunctions considerably.
There was a good annual planning but the transition to the weekly and daily planning was not made. The long-term planning has been further extended to a planning per day per technician.
The corresponding standard consultation structure was introduced, with the new regular weekly consultation with Production and the combination of the morning meeting and the day closure of the Technical Service, in order to increase efficiency.
Contract management was set up and the inventory of critical materials was started. The performance control was revived with VDM^XL KPI’s in order to monitor and adjust these new processes.
Soon the pile of paper work orders was abolished and the people themselves came up with more and more initiatives to measure better and to work smarter.
The conclusion was quickly drawn that the work processes and activities that were missing had to be summarised in a maintenance engineer position. The job description has been drawn up and the next step is to start recruiting. The function is observed until the moment of transfer.

Added Value Mainnovation
The continuous improvement cycle has been guaranteed in the business processes and in the performance control with VDM ^XL KPI’s. The Maintenance Engineering competence was introduced with the help of Mainnovation’s RE Roadmap. In the first year alone, the number of malfunctions was reduced by 10%, only thanks to better planning and carrying out more maintenance, without too much changes to the maintenance concept. By focusing on high cost items in purchasing, a 3% reduction in maintenance costs was achieved.
The long (but reducing) absence of the VDM Coach has resulted in good adjustments and a better security of the new work processes and methods.

Koopmans is the Netherlands’ largest flour producer and LaCo produces breadcrumbs for fish, meat and deep-frying products.