2019Case13Alucraft

52 L EAN C ONSTRUCTION I RELAND A NNUAL B OOK OF C ASES 2019 company and they were tasked with the objective of developing an annual leave policy which met the needs of the individual and the business. As part of the analysis and benchmarking activity, the CIF and other companies of similar size within the industry were contacted to get an understanding of annual leave practices elsewhere. A cost comparison analysis was then carried out and a mock annual leave schedule was set up for a specific department to show the feasibility of flexibility of annual leave. The proposal was created and presented to management for approval incorporating a number of guidelines for the change of policy. Management agreed to a year trial for 2019. Standardised Estimating Practices While carrying out a Gemba walk of a project lifecycle, we identified the handover process from the estimating department as being an area where significant value could be added. The current handover system did not cover all the requirements of the individual departments that relied on this process to fully set out their scope of works. There was also a need to reduce post-handover queries. The project commenced wi th a review of each department’s requirements. Brainstorming sessions were held and requirements were defined and prioritised. The tendering procedure was al so reviewed in order to streamline information for the handover document. When the various feedback was collated, the resulting new handover document was trailed on a medium-sized project. Further tweaks were made to the layout and information, and a final handover document was rolled out for a large- scale project. Feedback from the brainstorming team has been very positive and post-handover queries have significantly reduced by 70%. Review of Residential Market Opportunities We identified this project as being business critical during the CI process as we recognised the need to have a more balanced business portfolio of residential and commercial projects. The following steps were carried out: 1.The project commenced with a review of the market growth and also required a better understanding of both the Irish and UK market, suppliers and their offering. 2.We defined a specific number of screens that would be most likely used on high-end to mid-range residential and industrial projects. 3.From there we chose several system suppliers who we requested to complete a questionnaire based on a performance matrix. The evaluation criteria included both technical and commercial criteria along with the accompanied support provision from the suppliers. On analysing the residential market, we identified: • the differentials associated with this sector compared with commercial projects; and • si te requirements , instal lat ion t imel ine, contract management , approval processes and legi s lat ion differences between Ireland and the UK. We are now in a position where we know the exact type of project we want to tender for in the residential market and our preferred supplier network. Alucraft CWTC (Centre for Window and Cladding Technology) Tested Rainscreen System While process mapping the manufacturing stage of a project’s l ifecycle, we identified the outsourcing of rainscreen cladding to be disadvantageous to our business in terms of cost, control, and the time it consumed in terms of procurement and contract management. We therefore began the process of designing and completing our own tested rainscreen system which would meet all CWCT, relevant standards , and per formance specifications. This involved the design and engineering of prelim calculations and detailed drawings of the system which was then manufactured in our facility and sent to Building Envelope Technologies (BET) for testing. The rainscreen system successfully passed testing and we are currently working on increasing the range. LEAN INITIATIVE IMPROVEMENTS & IMPACT This programme brought the entire leadership of the Alucraft Group through a programme that has been truly transformational. It helped them understand how to analyse and improve their system performance. It gave them the aids to be in a position to behave as Lean Leaders in providing direction, driving performance and developing people. Throughout the workshops, the Senior Leadership Team experienced a diverse number of Strategy, Lean, and Change Management tools, and in the latter workshops facilitated a number of breakouts with the extended leadership team using some of those tools. The programme challenged their current thinking and delivered a clear leadership accountability to deliver CI initiatives and a cascaded set of metrics and targets that tells them whether they are winning or losing. The CI process brought together representatives from each of the departments around the company who identified the roadblocks in the way of delivering on our key pillars: People, Growth, and Delivery. This collaborative method meant that Lean thinking was implemented into each department in a holistic manner. The tactical improvement plan which grew from this meeting of minds aligned to our business strategy and ensured that we were focused on the correct projects. The onboarding of Lean thinking within Alucraft began in 2017 and the following outcomes were delivered: • Vision Statement that generates excitement and aligns the organisation around a common future state was reviewed and confirmed. • A 2-year Strategy Roadmap was developed with the input of the organi sat ion so that there i s a common understanding of the critical issues facing the organisation and what needs to be done about them. • Tangible Tact ical Plan that translates strategy into measurable and meaningful projects that can be delivered on the ground. • Prioritisation and sequencing of improvement projects that ensure the organisation does not become overwhelmed by the pace of change • Clear leadership accountability to deliver improvement initiatives.