The quest to increase industrial productivity is something constant among owners and managers, regardless of the segment. By implementing actions that simplify processes and streamline the delivery of results, companies increase efficiency as a whole, directly impacting the quality of products and services, and, of course, business profits.
In 2017, according to the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), growth was 4.5%. However, with the covid-19 pandemic, the scenario changed considerably: a drop of 2.5% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to 2020.
In 2022, the indicator rose after six consecutive quarters of decline, however, productivity in industry fell by 2.1% in the third quarter of the same year, the main reasons being the lack of inputs and investments in the sectors.
In order to adapt to market needs and consumer demands, which change year after year, it is necessary to implement actions to improve industrial processes. It is not an easy task, as it is a sum of efforts from different areas. That’s why we’ve listed 5 tips to improve productivity in your company. Check out!
What is industrial productivity?
Productivity in industry is related to the improvement of processes, making better use of available resources such as raw materials, labor and equipment, with the aim of optimizing and increasing production in less time, without compromising the quality of services and products. .
That is, the greater the volume of goods and the lower the number of hours worked in production, the greater the productivity. To increase productivity, industries need to invest in more modern equipment, new technologies, qualified labor, training, inputs and raw materials.
Example: An assembly plant has 100 employees who work 8 hours a day and produce 400 cars per day, that is, each worker has an average productivity of half a car per hour or 4 cars per day. In order to increase productivity, the automaker decided to invest in the qualification of its workers, since, by knowing better the technology and the production systems, the employee is able to produce more in less time.
In addition, the company also purchased new machinery and equipment that helped increase production and improve processes and factory management. With the changes implemented, the automaker started to produce 500 cars per hour, increasing productivity to 0.6 cars per hour or 4.6 cars per day. In this case, worker productivity grew by 15%.
In short, productivity is doing more with less without losing quality! Therefore, increasing productivity is good for everyone: companies, workers and the country. By producing more in less working time, the company reduces production costs and can lower product prices.
How to measure industrial productivity?
To measure industrial productivity, it is important that the company has its performance indicators, according to each objective to be fulfilled and the specificity of the company. The main indicators are:
idle period;
Achieving goals;
Amount of goods produced in X time;
Level of satisfaction of customers and suppliers;
Average repair/maintenance time for machinery;
Productivity of each employee per hour;
Turnover;
Profitability, average ticket, net margin, etc.
Therefore, it is very important that owners and managers have a 360º view of the company, knowing the business and its objectives, the activities of employees, among others.
What factors can affect productivity in industry?
There are several reasons that can compromise productivity in an industry, for example:
Unhealthy environment;
Equipment and machinery with low performance or inoperative;
Absence of goals and objectives of the company;
Lack of clarity of production processes;
Lack of workforce training, etc.
How to improve industrial productivity: check out 5 tips
Well, now that you know that productivity is the keyword for any organization that wants to improve its activities, directly impacting the quality of products and services, and of course, the profitability of the business, let’s go to the 5 tips to improve industrial productivity in your company.
- Analyze current workflows
With the advancement of technology, the way of making products and providing services has changed over time. However, before making any changes, it is very important to make revisions, evaluating the current workflows. This goes from the process itself, through the human factor and also machinery.
Procedures and activities: When was the last time processes were assessed and mapped? Do a mapping to understand all inputs, bottlenecks, obstacles and outcomes.
Human factor: Are employees trained and qualified? Do they have the necessary skills to perform these roles? Are they aware of the objectives to be met?
Is there a manager who monitors the entire production line?
Technology: Are the equipment and machines used in good condition? Can you meet customer demand with quality?
- Eliminate bottlenecks and bureaucracy
After reviewing the entire process and mapping your product’s production cycle, you need to analyze the bottlenecks, that is, those unnecessary and bureaucratic steps. You know that phrase “less is more”? So, in the industry it is also valid!
Eliminating bottlenecks helps to reduce costs, in addition to delivering more results in less time.
- Update processes and invest in technology
After the processes are analyzed and the bottlenecks eliminated, it is time to update them. Is it possible to modernize and restructure any sector? Or else optimize processes and optimize tasks?
The interesting thing about this stage is that you can listen to employees who work directly in production, in order to understand their visions for improving the flow and optimizing processes.
Modern equipment can contribute to your production line and also to the quality of life of workers, preventing them from performing such heavy and repetitive tasks.
For example, in the case of heavy industrial processes, it is necessary to invest in technology to facilitate the flow of the product, non-clogging of equipment, flame retardant, among others. For this, you can count on Baron!
In addition, automating processes with systems allows for better monitoring of management processes, helping with performance indicators and decision-making.
- Invest in your team
Speaking of employees, training is essential to increase the company’s productivity. Promote courses, workshops and lectures so that employees are always up to date on market practices and techniques, technologies and equipment. In this way, they can complete their tasks more quickly.
In addition, investing in the team also means offering better working conditions, thinking about everyone’s well-being, in order to reduce turnover. This ranges from an organized and clean environment, to good climate control, ergonomics and repetitive movements, and even better wages.
- Don’t forget about maintenance
Performing preventive maintenance helps reduce machine costs, as well as eliminating employee downtime and, consequently, increasing productivity. In addition, it also avoids accidents at work.
Having equipment that requires little maintenance is also an excellent idea, since the machine will be turned off a few times and the technician’s visits will not be as frequent.
Speaking about the heavy industry market, by not carrying out maintenance and adjustments to equipment, such as lining buckets, the truck runs the risk of tipping over and bursting the hydraulic part. The alternative is to rely on Duramaxx, Baron’s exclusive line of high-performance coatings.
Count on Baron to avoid losses!
Baron is an industry certified by ISO 9001:2015, ensuring that the products undergo rigorous quality control and technical evaluations at each step of the process, thus reflecting in a final product of the highest quality.
We offer products that improve the flow of productivity, with the aim of preventing wear and tear on truck equipment, silo clogging, constant changing of equipment coatings, tire bursts, stones stuck in tires, among others.
Request a quote right now!