Colorman Ireland
Colorman Ireland Lean Business Case Studies
Established in 1959, Colorman is one of Europe’s leading full service print and packaging companies. They have a wide customer base including clients in the UK, Europe, America and Ireland. Through the use of modern technology and e-procurement, they deliver a print management solution to their customers, tailor-made to their requirements.
So much has changed in the print industry since they first started as a silk screen printing company. Now they have a large suite of lithographic presses, book binding, carton manufacturing, secure printing and digital facilities in their 200,000 sq ft campus.
Above all, Colorman are focused on innovation and customer service. Their customers are their first priority and that in turn leads to them continuously improving, reducing inefficiencies and delivering on-time, every time.
We are a big company with personal values. Attention to detail, stringent brand control, on-time delivery and reliability are cornerstones of our service levels.
Lean Project Objectives
Colorman Ireland first engaged with Lean Teams in 2016 through the LeanPlus training programme. While working with them, their employees identified process improvements that could be made within their own work areas.
These projects related to under/over production, lean time management and process improvements. A brief outline of 3 of these Lean projects is described below. You can also read the full case studies below. You may also be interested in our other case studies.
Case Study 1
Under/Over Production
Over-production increases the amount of raw materials (inks, varnish, board) used. In addition, it increases time spent on various machinery used in the process and can lead to excessive scrappage at the end of the line. In contrast, under-production triggers a reprint that involves a complete production run for the deficit in question. A short delivery can also impact on their Customer KPI reporting tool. Read the full case study here.
Case Study 2
Lean Time Management
One of the key challenges for this case study was the stitch line. They had an issue with excessive unnecessary lost production time on the stitch line. The areas of most concern identified by a team member were looking for work, pulling pallets and staff training. The objective was to make savings in unnecessary lost production time. In short, the cost saving would be made by substituting unnecessary lost time with production time. Read the full case study here.
Case Study 3
Process Improvement
A Colorman employee wanted to focus on the current method of production and connection to the Warehouse. To clarify, there was no communication from Production to the Warehouse when jobs were completed and awaiting delivery. In addition, there were issues with the time delivery from Production. Management and staff saw an opportunity to improve overall customer satisfaction. Read the full case study here.
“I think it opens your eyes when you step back and look at the process unfold from start to finish. It helps you understand the wastes and the non-productive side of business. It shows you the rewards that can be achieved and makes everybody’s job better for the future.”
