Helen Downes, CEO, Shannon Chamber pictured at the Mid-West Lean Network workshop in Analog Devices, Raheen, with (from left): John Liddy, general manager and Jony Kelly, enterprise excellence manager, Analog Devices Ireland. Photo: Eamon Ward.

A decision in 2015 to adopt the Shingo model is delivering positive results for Analog Devices Ireland, a company that has been in operation in Limerick since the mid 1970s and now employs 1,200 at its Raheen campus on the outskirts of Limerick.

In recognition of Shigeo Shingo, the co-father of Lean, it is awarded to companies who can demonstrate that they operate to world-class and lean standards, attained through Operational Excellence and achieved through making their processes easier, better, faster and cheaper.

This is what Analog Devices Ireland has been striving towards since adopting the Shingo standard; its achievements in the past five years bear testimony to the improvements that can be attained from deploying the Shingo model.

Speaking at a recent Mid-West Lean Network workshop, held on site in Raheen, Analog Ireland’s General Manager John Liddy and Enterprise Excellence manager Jony Kelly gave a very insightful review of their attainments in the past five years.

“We have seen an  increase in methods-time productivity, an increase in Wafer output and a 4.5% decrease in costs. We have also attained ISO45001, reduced our parts  failures to 0.1PPM, which is basically zero failures, and our employee turnover is 1.3%, versus the national average of 4%.

“We have learned that to initiate change of this magnitude a Company must change together, with full site management commitment. It must build its framework from the base up, engaging and involving everyone. Creating a sense of community in a corporate setting where everyone is listened to, their ideas and suggestions respected, and everyone knows what they are working towards is essential.

“Before we set out on this journey, we benchmarked ourselves against our industry peers and other industries and we found that exemplar companies were utilising the Shingo Model to deliver engagement and a culture of operational excellence. While we had excellent systems and tools for quality management and control we knew that we needed to focus on greater people engagement in operational excellence. That is exactly what we have been doing for the past five years, using the Shingo model to utilise and respect the talents of all our employees, understating that improving the job is the job, continually checking our processes to see if we are ahead or behind on site plan and, ensuring that everyone takes ownership of our site’s results.”

Complimenting the company on the great strides it has made in its operational excellence endeavours, Shannon Chamber CEO Helen Downes said: “Analog Devices is a recent, but exemplary member of the Mid-West Lean Network and so eager to share its learning with fellow members of the Network, who are all hoping that Analog will attain the ultimate recognition later this year”.

“Their commitment to empowering their staff is beyond doubt significant, with a Continuous Improvement Academy devoted to equipping staff with lean qualifications from lean white, yellow and green belts to specialist diplomas, Masters and Doctorates. Their leadership culture of acting with courage, building great teams, driving for excellence, respecting employees’ views and giving feedback was a key learning takeaway for our Mid-West Lean Network members.

“We left with a key message ringing in our ears: never sit back and say you’re finished,” added Ms Downes.

The next Mid-West Lean Network workshop will take place in the Gateway Hub in Shannon Airport House on Wednesday, 11 September when lean specialists, LBS Partners, will introduce Kata, which is at the heart of Lean. Kata is grounded in the basis that routines practiced repeatedly help develop proficiencies in a new habit. To reserve a place on this workshop,  log onto www.shannonchamber.ie/events/mid-west-lean-network-workshop-6-kata/