“With the support of the Lauras team, the Bars business unit has made great strides forward with some exceptional results. It has been gratifying to witness the confidence and capability of the people grow paralleling the rise in plant performance. I look forward with great optimism to the continuing journey and an ongoing partnership with Lauras International.”
Mike Parsons, Head of Manufacturing, Weetabix
“Firstly, Reckitt Benckiser and Lauras pulled together to improve efficiency levels and there was a focus on both external and internal resources. Before Lauras arrived efficiency was not good. Secondly, there was good methodology and training using operators to support its implementation. Thirdly, there was daily and hourly focusing on performance. Since Lauras left, improvements have been sustained.”
Bart Derde, Supply Projects Director (Europe), Reckitt Benckiser
“Before Lauras came I was facing a £2million factory extension project as my only solution for growth… I would recommend Lauras International to any food manufacturing business which wants to achieve rapid and sustainable productivity improvement.”
Graham Whittle, Managing Director, Whitby Seafoods
“Inspiring the people in our business to understand how they can improve and the business can therefore develop, is an important building block in our drive for improving efficiency within our business. Engaging everyone in the business to realise that we can be better and any little improvement drives down to the bottom line. This has been seen both in the way the staff have engaged and enjoyed the experience and the evidence of reduced costs has helped the business to become more efficient. This process never stops but it is the tools that have been developed by Lauras International that has allowed us to deliver this important work at both our potato pack houses.”
Fraser Scott, Head of Farming Operations Arable/Potatoes
“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
“Over the past three months I have been concentrating mainly on changeover reduction, waste reduction and increased throughput. There has also been a challenge to behavioural patterns. All of these efforts have been using the knowledge that you gave me and I am delighted to say that all have been successful, culminating in increased throughput, less waste and an increase in OEE from an average of 78% to around 90%. There has also been a marked improvement with people issues.”
Alwin Waterhouse, Improvement Manager, British Bakeries
“We are pleased with the progress we’re making at the Gweedore site, indeed we’re so pleased that we’re planning to roll out the programme to our other manufacturing sites.”
John Donnelly, General Manager, Largo Foods, Ireland
“I assumed that if the machines were running, everything was fine. It has really opened my eyes. Personally, it has given me a new lease of life.”
Paul McCarthy, Engineer, Dalehead Foods
“Our cooperation with Lauras International has yielded significant improvement across the plants in East Asia and I have recommended the cooperation be implemented across our other regions and suppliers.”
Jose M. Chao Diaz Senior VP Supply – Developing Markets
“I believe that the project has been the catalyst for some big changes in the way we operate and think. Your presence, support, enthusiasm and ability to engage the personnel involved has been integral to this.”
Keith Bassett, Plant Manager, KR Castlemaine
“It must be said that the concept of change management which Lauras were asked to bring in was a very big ‘ask’. Their work on the floor was very beneficial to change management. Lauras try to problem solve by using the workforce. This has to be done tactfully. They achieved it. They had the respect of the people on the floor and the management which is a major credit.”
Peter Barnett, CFO, KR Castlemaine
“Before Lauras came we were a family run company and things had been done the same way for a hundred years. There was a lot of apprehension but the Lauras team had such a great way with people they won us over. People took to them. Lauras were great for our company and the systems they introduced are still in place.”
Lesley Kercheval, Production Manager, KR Castlemaine
“I am amazed at what has been achieved in 5 weeks. I’m very impressed that such an approach can make fundamental changes in a mature environment with a lot of closed thinking. I am now totally convinced…, and will support the rollout across all the businesses under my control.”
Supply Chain Director, Asia Pacific, major Multinational Food & Beverage Company
“We’ve had the best of our best, which are better than most, working on this for years and they have not achieved these results. This has clearly been a significant breakthrough. The results show this.”
Senior Supply Chain VP from International Beverage Business
“What we’re doing is great. I’ve been wanting help like this for what seems ages, the structure for problem solving makes it easy for everyone to get involved.”
Cell Technical Expert, Multi-Site Household Goods Company
“The course has helped me to understand that there are lots of different types of people but you need a good mix to be an effective team and to get the best results.”
Front Line Manager on Aspire Programme
“A key learning for me was that delegation is as much about the development of others as it is removing an action from my list. I now think of delegation as an opportunity for my team to develop and try new things. The more I do it, the more effective it is. Delegation is now one of my key management tools.”
Front Line Manager on Aspire Programme
“The focussed homework, linking the learning to ongoing behaviour and leadership habits, was particularly useful. Excellent 5* training.”
Front Line Manager on Aspire Programme
“It’s brilliant! We used to produce 3 or 4 full bins of waste a day now we’re down to less than ½ a bin! The final bit of work we do should reduce it to virtually nothing!”
Operator – Branded Bakery
That’ll never work [about the modification]…
[2 hours later]… That’s a good idea.
Operative