Company Profile
Seven Seas, part of the Merck group, is the number-one supplier of vitamins, minerals and supplements in the UK and sold in over 100 countries. Through leading brands such as Seven Seas Cod Liver Oil, JointCare, Multibionta and Haliborange, Seven Seas focuses on mobility, everyday healthcare protection, women’s and children’s healthcare. The company was formed more than 70 years ago by a consortium of East Yorkshire trawler owners who had grown up knowing cod liver oil’s health reputation and who saw the market potential. Since then, Seven Seas has expanded from a small, local co-operative to a company recognised the world over.
Background
Seven Seas is the market leader in a range of consumer healthcare products and food supplements. Its plant in Hull provides capsules, tablets & liquids to markets across the globe, but it was recognised that efficiencies were low and stocks of finished products were high.
Project Summary
Lauras International undertook a detailed assessment of the plant and the planning processes. From this they ran a series of three workshops with groups from the production lines and one with the planning team. Each workshop solved different problems which were limiting output and yield. Their “See one, Try one, Do one” approach meant that the factory CI champion was fully trained and has continued to deliver results using the Lauras methods.
Results
Each line’s OEE has improved by 25% and this excludes a number of line speed increases which have been achieved. This has enabled lines to be combined resulting in a significantly lower manufacturing footprint, a consequent reduction in overall numbers and additional group business to be moved to the Hull plant. Operational savings in total are around £1 million pa.
The improved efficiencies and faster changeovers have allowed shorter production runs and faster planning cycles. The work on the planning system has reduced planning cycles from typically monthly to two weekly, whilst maintaining exemplary customer service levels. This has resulted in stock reductions of over £2 million.
Before Lauras came we were facing the looming recession as a premium supplier with huge pressures on our margins from the trade. By improving our efficiencies we have been able to maintain our bottom line over the current ‘crisis’. I would recommend Lauras International to any Food or Pharma business that wants to achieve rapid and sustainable productivity improvement
Andrew Shaw, Supply Chain Director, Seven Seas