THE TUBE & BRACKET COMPANY
PRESS RELEASES 2006
TAB06/09: NORTHERN BRANCH ENHANCES SUPPORT AND SUPPLY...(24
November 2006)
TAB06/06: BAXI HEATING UK SAVES 33% OF ASSEMBLY LINE
SPACE...(2 November 2006)
TAB06/08: ADAPTABLE FRAMES MAKE BANNERS BETTER (28
September 2006)
TAB06/07: THE TUBE AND BRACKET COMPANY ADDS TO TEAM (14
September 2006)
TAB06/05: HANDLING LUXURY IS EASY WITH MODULAR TROLLEYS
(21 June 2006)
TAB06/04: EMCO WHEATON ADAPTS TO CHANGE WITH LEAN TEK
(26 April 2006)
TAB06/03: SCOTSMAN CUTS LEAD TIMES WITH LEAN TEK (16
March 2006)
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PRESS INFORMATION (TOP)
Issue Date: 24 November 2006
Ref: TAB06/09
NORTHERN BRANCH ENHANCES SUPPORT AND SUPPLY CAPABILITIES OF THE TUBE AND BRACKET COMPANY
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A new supply and support facility in Nelson, Lancashire will enable The Tube and Bracket Company to provide an enhanced service for its growing customer base in the north of England. The company will offer the complete range of modular LeanTek products that enable customers to introduce lean manufacturing handling, storage and workstation solutions into their production areas. The new branch will allow The Tube & Bracket Company to respond much more quickly to its customers in the automotive, electrical, engineering and other manufacturing sectors than is currently possible from its main site in Banbury. This will help the company to maintain its commitment to support lean manufacturing customers with overnight and same-day delivery of additional components.
“Rapid response is fundamental to the lean concept and we have a number of major customers in the north that expect quick delivery and efficient support from us,” says Paul Boyce, Operations Director at The Tube & Bracket Company. “This additional base will allow us to reduce costs for our customers north of Birmingham and enable us to respond more quickly to their requirements.”
The Nelson facility also adds to The Tube & Bracket Company overall manufacturing, workshop and storage capabilities as the business continues to grow. It will be managed by Dave Hall who has joined the company from Baxi Heating UK where he was most recently senior production engineer at Baxi Heating UK’s boiler assembly site in Burnley. He has extensive engineering and lean manufacturing expertise.
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PRESS INFORMATION (TOP)
Issue Date: 2 November 2006
Ref: TAB06/06
BAXI HEATING UK SAVES 33% OF ASSEMBLY LINE SPACE WITH TUBE AND BRACKET COMPANY’S LEANTEK
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Leading central heating boiler manufacturer Baxi Heating UK has reduced the floor space occupied by two of its assembly lines by 33 per cent by switching to modular Lean Tek workstations and lineside storage supplied by the Tube & Bracket Company. The new assembly lines have been introduced as part of Baxi Heating UK’s lean manufacturing programme which is enabling the company to improve overall production quality and introduce highly flexible manufacturing to respond to changing market and business requirements.
“We can build workstations and lineside storage to exactly the size we need and so far have saved around a third of floor space which can now be used for other tasks,” says David Hall, Production Engineer at Baxi Heating UK’s boiler assembly site. “We have also made other savings in terms of productivity by going lean and quality has improved so we have greatly reduced defects on finished products.”
Baxi Heating UK is part of the international Baxi Group Ltd, one of Europe's leading heating groups. The company has recently started to restructure the production processes at its Assembly Operations Plant in Burnley to introduce lean manufacturing. It aims to streamline processes, reduce costs and enable greater flexibility and responsiveness to changing market requirements.
The company approached The Tube & Bracket Company, which then devised a prototype workstation using its modular Lean Tek system of tubes, brackets, wheels and other components. Baxi Heating UK trialled the workstation before deciding that the modular approach would provide an ideal solution for its lean manufacturing assembly lines.
In the first phase of its programme Baxi Heating UK has reconfigured two of its conventional boiler assembly lines for lean manufacturing. Existing fabricated workbenches have been replaced with new workstations created using Lean Tek. The assembly lines are identical with each comprising twelve unique workstations designed and configured for a specific task. The workstations are on wheels so that they can be repositioned easily if a change in assembly line configuration is required.
A static “parts supermarket” has been built with Lean Tek alongside the assembly lines to hold boiler components until they are needed for production. Stock is replenished from the main warehouse when it falls to predetermined levels, which helps ensure that components are always available but the space used to store them at the lineside is minimised.
Using Lean Tek ensures that facilities can be built to precise dimensions to occupy the optimum floor space, no more, no less. This has resulted in a 33 per cent reduction in overall floor space required for the two new assembly lines. The significance of the new approach is exemplified by a workstation created to test a new boiler valve assembly. An existing fabricated bench measuring 1800 by 800mm was replaced with a Lean Tek workstation that was just 600 by 600mm and occupying a quarter of the floor space. The new workstation was designed so that equipment and jigs surrounding the test piece were supported and positioned correctly for optimum performance.
Lean Tek components are also reusable and interchangeable which means that modifications can be made at any time to make incremental improvements to overall assembly performance and accommodate changes in a specific process.
“Using Lean Tek we were able to modify the workstations and storage areas while we built the assembly line,” says David Hall. “With fabrications we would have had to finalise the design before we started and it would have been difficult to make changes.”
Although The Tube & Bracket Company designed and built the initial workstations and storage racks Baxi Heating UK soon had the confidence to start using the components on its own. Now the company keeps enough components in stock to build or modify its own installations. The Tube & Bracket Company supplies replacement components overnight from its warehouse and provides advice and support whenever required.
A further benefit of using Lean Tek is better housekeeping. Baxi Heating UK realised that airlines used to power tools could be run inside the tubular components to create a tidier working environment, eliminate the risk of snagging and remove potential dust traps. When a workstation needs to be repositioned the airline is simply disconnected and reconnected at the nearest available supply point using a short piece of tubing which protrudes from the bottom end of the frame. Optimising the working area also ensures there is no space to leave unwanted items lying around.
Baxi Heating UK plans to extend its lean manufacturing programme during 2006 and 2007 to include additional sections of the Burnley plant including more assembly lines and fabrication areas. As part of this process the company intends to introduce uniform modular workstations, trolleys and storage racks that can be used in the majority of applications with little or no modification. These will be supplemented with bespoke modular workstations to support special projects.
The company is still assessing data on the overall impact of its lean manufacturing programme and cannot quantify improvements achieved so far except for the saving in floor space. However, it has already noticed that the optimised working areas and new production processes have led to an increase in overall quality and reduction in defective finished products.
“Our aim is for a totally universal workstation to make any product we want,” says David Hall.
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PRESS INFORMATION (TOP)
Issue Date: 28 September 2006
Ref: TAB06/08
ADAPTABLE FRAMES MAKE BANNERS BETTER
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The stylish new adaptable banner frame from The Tube & Bracket Company is a simple, reusable and cost effective way to support and display any shape and size of vinyl banner. The modular system is completely adaptable and reusable which means that customers can modify their existing installations whenever they want to use a different banner without buying another frame. Banners can be displayed free-standing or mounted on walls, fences and posts which means it is ideal for all types of indoor and outdoor use including exhibitions, events, promotions and temporary signage. The initial cost is lower than conventional banner frames and the system’s adaptability and reusability ensures low maintenance and replacement costs. The first customer to use the new frames is Bristol Street Motors which has two units to display banners at its Peugeot and Hyundai franchise in Banbury.
“These frames are ideal for displaying banners on the forecourt and at the roadside to make a stylish impact,” says Simon Ellis, New Car Sales Director at Bristol Street Motors, Banbury, Northampton & Oxford. “They can be adapted very easily whenever we want and moved into new free-standing positions to help us promote different parts of the business. It’s affordable and highly effective.”
Each adaptable banner frame is assembled from interchangeable coated steel tubing and metallic bracket connectors to create a rigid and durable but lightweight support for the banner. The frame can be mounted on a wall, fence, post or exhibition stand using inexpensive brackets or built as a free-standing unit by adding tubular support legs. The banner is held in place using ordinary bungee straps, cable ties or clips.
Existing adaptable banner frames can be modified to support almost any new shape and size of banner using basic tools. Smaller banners can be accommodated by simply reducing the length of the tubes with a hacksaw and then reconnecting them with the brackets using an Allen key. Larger banners can be used by introducing longer tubes. Damaged components can be replaced very easily in the same way. In each case the changes are far less expensive than buying a completely new frame or modifying a conventional welded unit. This adaptability means that users are no longer bound by the standard industry banner and frame sizes. It also means that wall mounted frames can be converted to free standing units, and vice versa, quickly and easily by the addition or removal of support legs.
“These adaptable frames an affordable way of displaying any banner neatly and safely to promote a professional image,” says Nick Tyler, Managing Director of The Tube & Bracket Company. “Untidy banners slung on walls and fences are everywhere but with these adaptable frames it’s easy to keep everything neat and the risk of damage to the banner is also reduced.
“The frames can be modified for any size of banner unlike other products on the market. Customers can change their displays whenever they want without the additional cost of buying a completely new frame.”
The Tube & Bracket Company creates adaptable handling, storage and display solutions for customers using the modular LeanTek system. This comprises coated steel piping, joints and fixtures that can be assembled into a variety of installations which can be modified or reconfigured quickly and easily using basic hand tools as requirements change. The company offers a complete range of consultancy, project management, design, build and component supply services.
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PRESS INFORMATION (TOP)
Issue Date: 14 September 2006
Ref: TAB06/07
THE TUBE AND BRACKET COMPANY ADDS TO TEAM
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The Tube & Bracket Company has expanded its sales and support team to strengthen its ability to deliver highly effective handling, storage and order picking solutions. Phil Jenkins has joined the company to fill a new role of contracts manager to liaise with major accounts customers and provide support for their continuous business improvement programmes using The Tube & Bracket Company’s range of modular LeanTek lean manufacturing storage and handling products. Rachel Burke has joined as a sales consultant and will concentrate on customers who want to improve their lineside and warehouse handling and storage productivity using lean techniques.
“Phil has extensive experience and expertise working with manufacturers to improve their business operations,” says Nick Tyler, managing director of the Tube & Bracket Company. “Rachel has worked with numerous companies to help them implement highly effective solutions to their production storage and handling requirements. They will add to our existing capabilities and enable us to provide new insight for customers across a range of sectors.”
With more than twenty years of experience in the automotive manufacturing and engineering sectors, Phil Jenkins has worked with a number of leading organisations. Most recently he undertook a series of projects at Jaguar to implement improved logistics operations based around lean manufacturing concepts.
Rachel Burke joins The Tube & Bracket Company from a competitor where she was responsible for implementing handling and solutions based around modular components.
The modular LeanTek system comprises coated steel piping, joints and fixtures that enable manufacturers to build live storage, carts, trolleys and ergonomic workstations matched to their business and process requirements. Manufacturers can optimise handling and storage to support the lean manufacturing and Kaizen concepts. They can reduce and optimise the length of the production line to minimise costs and improve productivity with enhanced ergonomics. The modular component nature of the product also allows easy and rapid configuration and rebuild of the work area to suit changing operational requirements. This results in low cost of implementation and ownership.
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PRESS INFORMATION (TOP)
Issue Date: 21 June 2006
Ref: TAB06/05
HANDLING LUXURY IS EASY WITH MODULAR TROLLEYS
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Lineside component handling flexibility and performance has been improved by luxury car maker Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited following the introduction of modular adaptable trolleys supplied by The Tube & Bracket Company. The new trolleys have reduced space occupied by lineside storage while enhancing the ability of the manufacturer to handle an increasing number of components to support more options as its range of models continues to grow.
The Rolls-Royce Phantom is currently produced in two versions, standard and extended wheelbase, at the company’s Goodwood manufacturing plant. Customers can choose from a huge number of options which allows them to specify a vehicle which meets their own exacting requirements. This presents a logistical challenge on the assembly line because the combination of components required to build and finish each vehicle is always different. Rear door glass, for example, can be specified with clear or tinted finish while the shape will depend on whether the vehicle is the standard or extended model.
Hardware used for delivering parts to the lineside has to provide flexibility without constraining the overall assembly process. Components had previously been handled using carts sourced from catalogues, purchased through parent company BMW or fabricated to order. None of these offered a long term solution because the standard carts were generally designed for the components used in volume production rather than the slightly larger items associated with a luxury marque while fabricated units were heavy and cumbersome. Neither option supported adaptability or flexibility.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited approached The Tube and Bracket Company which has extensive experience in working with customers throughout the automotive sector to deliver modular handling and storage solutions that support lean manufacturing. All of the trolleys devised by The Tube & Bracket Company were created using the modular Lean Tek system of tubes, brackets, wheels and accessories. Components are interchangeable and reusable which allows trolleys to be reconfigured and ensures they are more flexible and cost effective than comparable devices fabricated from welded steel or similar materials.
The first trolleys were delivered by The Tube & Bracket Company in mid-2005 in time for the launch of the extended wheelbase version of the Rolls-Royce Phantom in September. Eighteen were supplied for handling a range of components. This included trolleys configured specifically for items such as front door protection, rear door protection, rear window glass and roof lining as well as general picking and handling. Each trolley is designed for a specific application and matched to the dimensions of the components it holds which means it occupies the minimum floor space. Many of the units have been supplied with foam coverings on the tubing and carpets on the platforms to provide additional protection to the extremely high finish quality of the items they support.
Switching to modular trolleys has also enabled a reconfiguration of the assembly cell areas. With the rear door glass panes, for example, a full pallet of each option component was formerly placed at the lineside. Now only pallets of the standard clear panes are handled this way. Meanwhile daily production schedules are used to pick other glass options from the main warehouse onto one of the new trolleys, each of which can accommodate up to six panes, which is then rolled to the production line. This has reduced the overall space required for lineside storage and helped to create a tidier and more efficient working environment.
Adopting a modular approach allows greater flexibility when handling components. All of the trolleys provide an ideal solution for the current requirements but the inherent flexibility of Lean Tek means that they can also be adapted very easily using basic tools to accommodate components with different dimensions or to enable entirely different applications. This attribute will be useful when new models or options are added to the range because the same units can be modified to cope with new components. It will eliminate the need to replace the trolley as would be the case with fabricated units.
The use of tubular components to build the frame ensures that the resulting trolley is lightweight without needing the same structural surround as a solution fabricated from heavy gauge steel. A number of the trolleys used at Goodwood do not look like conventional handling equipment with their open tubular frames and protruding arms that are designed for a unique component of specific size.
The Goodwood facility is extremely modern, with floor to ceiling windows along one side, and the cars are finished using a combination of modern techniques and the traditional crafts and skills for which the company is famous. The trolleys blend into the overall process to enhance the appearance of the assembly area. Most of the trolleys have been prepared and assembled at The Tube & Bracket Company’s factory in Banbury prior to delivery to Goodwood. On-site logistics specialists have been able to modify the trolleys to make minor adjustments and optimise them for specific handling tasks.
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PRESS INFORMATION (TOP)
Issue Date: 26 April 2006
Ref: TAB06/04
EMCO WHEATON ADAPTS TO CHANGE WITH LEAN TEK
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Switching to modular Lean Tek workstations from The Tube & Bracket Company has enabled Emco Wheaton to introduce highly adaptable production cells as part of its ongoing lean manufacturing programme. The new self-contained production cells can be modified easily and rapidly to support changing manufacturing requirements and priorities and deliver continuous business improvement.
"We are aiming for maximum flexibility in manufacturing methods and what we manufacture so that we can adapt to changes in the market as soon as possible," says Brian Langsdon, Production Controller at Emco Wheaton. "I wanted something that I could take apart and adapt whenever I wanted."
Emco Wheaton has made products for the safe handling of hazardous fluids for over 50 years and is the world leader in design and manufacture of petroleum tank truck equipment. The company, part of Gardner Denver, has recently opened a new facility in Margate where it has been based since 1953. For the last two years the company has been adopting lean manufacturing to replace its traditional batch and queue production. The objective is to optimise the overall production process and implement cellular manufacturing and related concepts such as single piece flow, Kanban and 5S to support highly flexible production processes and continuous business improvement.
When it started its lean manufacturing programme the company fabricated its own workstations by welding steel components. These workstations performed well and provided an interim solution but as the programme developed the company recognised that greater adaptability was required so that production cells could be modified and configured to meet evolving production requirements.
"The key benefit of working with The Tube & Bracket Company is the partnership we have developed," says Brian Langsdon. "We discuss ideas and they come up with a solution quickly."
Working to Emco Wheaton's basic specification The Tube & Bracket Company devised and built ten workstations with modular Lean Tek components. The range of interchangeable and reusable components includes tubes, brackets, wheels and accessories that can be assembled into lightweight and manoeuvrable workstations, carts and trolleys that offer greater flexibility and cost effectiveness than comparable devices made from welded steel and similar materials.
The workstations were designed specifically to be self-contained for use in production cells for two of Emco Wheaton's core products. They include areas for product working and assembly and incorporate ancillary facilities for lighting, power and air supply. Production schedules and other information can be displayed on small noticeboards integrated into the overall design. Each workstation is mounted on locking wheels and can be moved or repositioned easily by one person.
In line with lean manufacturing thinking the workstations have been designed to optimise the working environment and occupy exactly the right amount of space for the process they support. The modular nature of their construction means that they can be modified whenever production requirements change by altering the basic dimensions or by the addition or removal of components.
"The Tube & Bracket Company has given us nice clean workstations which include all the accessories for these production cells," says Brian Langsdon. "It is key to the factory that everything has its place and it becomes obvious when it's wrong."
The Tube & Bracket Company assembled the workstations at its factory in Banbury and delivered them to Margate. Small modifications were made during installation to ensure that the production cells were optimised for maximum efficiency. Further beneficial changes were made as the production cells went live. Each workstation originally had two locking wheels but it was soon realised that four would be provide better stability. The Tube and Bracket Company supplied and fitted the additional components on site. The workstation noticeboards were also repositioned to make them easier to see.
"We couldn't do this with a welded workstation," says Brian Langsdon. "If a cell is not right we can take it apart and rebuild it."
The new production cells will enhanced Emco Wheaton's lean manufacturing capabilities and help it to introduce single piece flow for its core products. As the company continues its drive towards lean manufacturing it plans to standardise on adaptable modular solutions for its production cell workstations and other equipment.
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PRESS INFORMATION (TOP)
Issue Date: 16 March 2006
Ref: TAB06/03
SCOTSMAN CUTS LEAD TIMES WITH LEAN TEK
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Adopting lean manufacturing techniques supported by modular handling and storage equipment from The Tube & Bracket Company is helping leading drink cooling and dispense equipment supplier Scotsman Beverage Systems to reduce product lead times from six to two weeks. The company has also reduced lineside component stock levels by 85 per cent and factory downtime by 75 per cent while productivity has increased by more than 25 per cent. The Tube & Bracket Company supplied live racking and workbench units created using the modular Lean Tek system for use in a new lean manufacturing production cell at the Scotsman Beverage Systems factory in Halesowen.
Scotsman Beverage Systems is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of drink cooling and dispense equipment and part of Enodis plc, a global player in the food services and food retail equipment. The factory at Halesowen manufactures drink cooling and dispense equipment including bespoke and generic beer cooler/carbonators, soft drink dispense heads and towers, fonts, beer engines and a range of spares and accessories for major soft drinks and brewing companies.
The company needed to reduce delivery times, increase capacity and introduce more product lines. Its conventional batch and queue production system had created inflexibility which led to extended product lead times, too much stock being tied up as work in progress and finished items awaiting delivery to customers. It recognised that adopting just-in-time component supply and lean manufacturing principles would help alleviate these problems and deliver performance improvement.
The company identified an underutilised area of the factory where it could implement a new lean manufacturing environment and relocate production of a number of existing products including coolers. The new area has been configured with four separate tracks or cells covering different product groups selected by type and commonality of components. Changes to production schedules can be implemented quickly and easily because staff are familiar with product types.
The Tube & Bracket Company assessed the storage and handling requirement and helped develop the new area. The Lean Tek system comprises an extensive range of standard components including steel tubing, brackets and wheels that can be assembled into storage and handling solutions matched to the process requirement. Each track in the new area incorporates a number of installations, including gravity fed live storage racking and workbenches, built using these components.
The live racking was designed with the correct dimensions to hold the right number of component bins so that the whole installation occupies the optimum space to fulfil the requirement. The component bins are easily accessible from the working area but are replenished from the opposite face outside the cell to avoid any disruption to ongoing production. The open design of the racking also allows staff to see when any bin is low on stock and requires replenishment.
The workbenches have been also designed with the correct dimensions for the type of products being assembled. All components are reusable and the modular nature of Lean Tek ensures that future modifications can be achieved on site by Scotsman Beverage System engineers using basic tools such as a screwdriver, spanner and hacksaw.
The performance improvement in the factory has been dramatic. The flexibility and efficiency enabled by the lean manufacturing in conjunction with effective storage and handling using the Lean Tek system have helped streamline production and eliminate potential bottlenecks and capacity problems. Production downtime has been reduced by 75 per cent and productivity has increased by 25 per cent.
The changes have also allowed the volume of components held at the lineside to be reduced from three weeks’ worth of production to just two days, equivalent to an 85 per cent decrease. This has saved money and released valuable floor space for production and other value added tasks. It has been achieved by introducing a two-bin Kanban supply system, one bin in the live racking at the lineside and the other in a small storage area on the edge of the cell. Each bin holds enough components for a day of production. When the bin in the live racking is empty it is sent to the warehouse for refilling while a full one is brought over from the storage area.
Another major change has been the elimination of the batch and queue system. Now a product can be introduced to the production line whenever the company likes because the required tooling and components are always close to hand. This has increased flexibility and reduced the amount of work in progress because once an item enters the process it will only leave as a finished product. Scotsman Beverage Systems estimates that unscheduled factory downtime caused by production bottlenecks or lack of components has been reduced by 75 per cent since the start of the lean manufacturing programme while productivity has risen by around 25 per cent.
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