The “Great Recession” has forced lean living on every company. Before the recession, industries talked about it. Now we’re all doing it. But we’re not out of the woods yet, and smart production practices can help position your company for future growth. If your production lines are aging, new technology can bring them up to more profitability while maintaining lean labor.

For manufacturers, controlling labor costs is paramount, and most are looking at further automation to achieve leaner production. While some manufacturers have automated their processes as completely as possible, most have only partially automated, and have significant savings potential ahead once they introduce the next phase of automation.

Poorly Performing Lines
Although slow line performance is not high on the minds of manufacturers during a slow economy, it is wise to diagnose low performance now, when demand is lower. Low performance is caused by two major issues. One, the automation is outdated or incorrectly designed, and two, the line suffers from excessive downtime as a result of poor installation, poor design, or poor equipment quality.

Outdated or Incorrect Design
Slow line performance reduces labor efficiency. Depending on which manufacturer built your equipment, your line could be a combination of off-the-shelf equipment creating slower or inconsistent performance, or your line might have exceeded the manufacturer’s intended life cycle. There is a significant difference between vendors, and once the paint is no longer shiny, equipment begins to show its true worth. It may be time for a performance evaluation of your process.

Downtime— the Thorn in the Side of Every Manufacturer
When lines fail, labor stands idle and costs rise. Because we have nearly 40 years experience with automated material handling and processing, we know that getting equipment running again is critical, so we have a vast parts array and excellent relationships with our own vendors so your parts needs are met- often shipping the same day. And for custom parts, our shop ships custom-made parts quicky—often the same day.

Before the Economy Strengthens
Now is the time to take inventory of your processes to see what opportunities are available for increased efficiency and controlled labor costs. Call Creative Automation today at 715-223-6321 to discuss how smart automation increases productivity and reduces overhead.