30 | Regulars / Continuous improvement“The best strategy is lower cost and more aggressive capacity improvements that strengthen competitiveness in this dynamic market”requirements that are yet to be solved. also know that in downturned economies, specialty market label New industry studies indicate equipment purchasing trends demands decrease signifcantly as well.will be positive over the next few years. Reviewing market trends supporting the study’s purchasing plan data for small, medium Simplify frstand mid-size converters, I see a real opportunity to seize the Our continuous improvement focus reminds us that we must moment and overt another super machine cycle as described by simplify before we automate. Automate repetitive process Dr Richard Schonberger in the book World Class Manufacturing. operations and buy capacity for eight to 12 months of projected A much more palatable low-risk equipment investment strategy demand growth. A smart continuous improvement strategy is to begins with a detailed evaluation of the current capacity that support the production growth plan by adding simple equipment can improve with more straightforward equipment. Achieving every year. For example, many single factory operations have legacy operational improvements can be quick, speeding up the beneft to 4-, 6-, or 8-color fexo equipment. Jumping to new technology the organization. like digital could strain the organization, but replacing old fexo Large multi-facility roll-ups by private equity will face equipment with unencumbered new fexo equipment provides equipment acquisition decisions to determine the most logical a step change in productivity with known technology. I just course of action with their older feet of equipment purchased. completed a facility study with a location with fve 10in and Privately held small, medium and mid-size converters segments 13in fexo presses that were more than 20 years old. The presses typically have a feet of equipment designed and built in the had very little ancillary equipment other than a turn bar and an 1980s and 90s. Now 30 years old, this equipment often performs occasionally used sheeter conveyor. Assessing the products printed, well, but replacement parts and maintenance are becoming the workforce capability, and building on the success already being increasingly problematic. Many converters with older equipment recognized drove my recommendations.have considered purchasing new equipment several times but held It was more advantageous to purchase a wider fexo press but back on the decision because the equipment they specifed was also with the ability to accommodate the existing smaller print extraordinarily costly and overly complex. plates library. Still, it could begin a transformation to a more There is no doubt the graphics in the industry continue to expansive, more advantaged width. We could prove a fve-month impress, but it is also a fact that conventional low-end labels payback with its existing book of business. The new fexo press had and prime labels account for the lion’s share of the market. We no extra alternate printing capabilities. Still, it was straightforward labelsandlabeling.com