ABOUT HAEMONETICS
Haemonetics’ comprehensive portfolio of devices, software, and services offers blood management solutions for each facet of the blood supply chain. They help prevent blood transfusions to the patient who doesn’t need one and provide the right blood product, at the right time, in the right dose, to the right patient who does. Their customers are primarily blood banks, hospitals, and plasma centers. The company has 140 employees.
THE CHALLENGE:
The Salt Lake facility was new to manufacturing and was struggling with their internal performance management scorecard. Haemonetics management recognized that they wanted to increase their performance on safety, quality, service, and reduce costs. They decided to incorporate an employee-centered approach to improving operations based on Operational Excellence and begin a Transformational Journey.
MEP CENTER’s ROLE:
Haemonetics met with several engineers from Utah MEP (a NIST MEP affiliate) to begin their journey in world class transformation. First they began their Transformation with Lean Principles which taught 5S rules (sort, straighten, shine, standardize, and sustain) and implemented daily audits to sustain plant cleanliness. They also initiated a cultural transformation in safety and quality. Haemonetics management decided to focus on the main areas of Safety, Quality, Service, and Cost. At every shift change, these elements of performance are now reviewed. In addition, every 24 hours the plant leadership team posts at the area Gemba Boards which have daily scorecards – providing visual feedback to each area on their performance. This information is then rolled up and the SLC plant is scored each day in meeting expectations. Another section of the transformation journey focused on leaning and eliminating 8 wastes (defects, overproduction, waiting, non-utilized talents, transportation, inventory, motion, and extra-processing.)
Results:
- 65 new jobs created
- Improved 18 out of 20 categories on internal scorecards
- $800,000 in cost savings
