VULKAN: Is ready for exportations!

The Company  VULKAN, an germany company from Hackforth group, is present in the world market for 125 years and in Brazil for 40 years has three business divisions: VULKAN Couplings, VULKAN Drive Tech and VULKAN Lokring. VULKAN Couplings that develops highly flexible couplings, shafts of composite materials and shock absorbers for naval propulsion and stationary power generation, besides being expert torsional vibration calculations and studies 6DOF (6 degrees of freedom). VULKAN Drive Tech – couplings supplier of diferents types: elastic, blades, gear and hydraulic, industrial brakes and braking systems, backstops, mechanical clutches, and other solutions for power transmission industries. VULKAN Lokring – owner of Lokring patent system to unions without welding tubes and hoses for refrigeration and air conditioning. The plant is located in Itatiba in São Paulo. Results Summary 

• Increased productivity of the machines by 50% and the availability to 85%
• Increased hand labor productivity by approximately 15%
• Increased manufacturing productivity by approximately 20%
• Implementation of Lean tools and shop floor management
• Started the process of continuous improvement
• Reducing the occupied space of the unit by approximately 30%, resulting in a new layout of the machines, a fact that was made possible by the reorganization of the stock through the classification of products in the ABC / XYZ methodology and consequent review of stock volumes.

Motivation The VULKAN Lokring division moved in 2014 from Barueri to Itatiba in a new building. This change opened the opportunity to review and optimize all processes to strengthen this important business unit of VULKAN. Learn new methodologies, tools and procedures to make the business more effective and efficient, was the goal. In early 2015 it was clear to Mr. Klaus F.Hepp, new president of VULKAN Brazil, that the growth of the company only happen with the increase in exports and the development of new applications. In order to prepare VULKAN to increase exports and gain more competitiveness Lean transformation began. Tasks and Goals 

• Establish an infrastructure / layout capable of robust products and processes.
• Increase the availability of machines.
• Reduce direct and indirect costs, improve productivity indicators and delivery to increase the short and long-term competitiveness.
• Increase the capacity and quality of the structure troubleshooting process, ensuring speed and assertiveness to the client.
• Qualify the team for the development of the necessary activities.
• Improving the floor management process plant and production in support areas.
• Develop leaders to support the culture change.

Method The project methodology follows the following principles: 1. Development of a Lean vision as a principle for the company development. 2. Lean knowledge and qualify developed skills at all levels. 3. Visible and fast results on projects with the employees. 4. Processes, management and organization system are developed in parallel. Three success factors are essential:

• Full integration of management: Active participation of each manager in the project and an open information policy for employees
• Implementation has priority: The results compiled in the workshops should be implemented immediately.
• Organization for active improvement: Experts should be released from their activities for this purpose. Each employee and manager should commit to the implementation of the new management model.

Tools Implementation of Lean tools such as 5S, TPM, SMED, Kanban and Shop floor management brought easurable results. Sustainability  Sustainable results that will follow due shop floor management and systematic view of the management implementation. The Shop floor management requires the development of key factors such as Go & See.