Page 31 - Altogether Magazine Issue 4 English

31 Qatalum achieved a 1.6m USD cost reduction from January to August, smashing its monthly targets as much as five or six times over How has this been achieved? The programme Improvements were evident in support functions too. encompassed hundreds of improvement initiatives The logistics team recorded unprecedented on-time- across all areas of the business from core smelter delivery levels, achieving an average of 94 percent in operations through to various support functions. The 2013 YTD compare to average of 82% in 2012. This is improvements included a broad range of initiatives, critical to ensure that Qatalum’s brand is synonymous from major business cases with direct impact on with quality and dependability. cash cost through to enablers – process or system improvements that improve workflow effectiveness and Meanwhile the Engineering department has introduced efficiency. Regardless of their impact, all improvements a number of changes in the way they handle and had one thing in common – a heavy focus on Qatalum process complex engineering projects to help ensure Production System (QPS) to help define improvements that projects are executed on time in full and optimal and execute them. QPS is Qatalum’s common platform workflow helps ensure that the engineering team for change and a major part of our identity. Based on the delivers “right first time”. original Toyota Production System, QPS helps install a culture of continuous improvement through application The programme is replete with individual success of lean tools and methodologies. stories. The Paste Plant, for example, despite enduring extreme climatic conditions and with ongoing spare The 5 underlying principles of QPS are directly linked plant and equipment reliability issues, registered an to Qatalum’s values: standardised work processes, extraordinary record-breaking month in August – customer supplier agreements, optimised flow, achieved without a single injury or accident. Through dedicated teams and visible leadership. effective team-work, systematic application of Qatalum Production System (QPS) principles, tools There is an array of success stories where teams from and methodologies, and above all, a strong sense of different functions delivered impressive results in ownership, the team achieved new heights in green terms of efficiency and effectiveness in the way they anode production, plant uptime and overall equipment work, which in turn had a significant impact on various efficiency. components of the cost. Consider one important example: the cost of Casthouse maintenance, a vital Progress has already been remarkable, but Qatalum fixed cost which was identified as one of the key shows little sign of slowing down in its efficiency opportunities in Casthouse cost improvements in 2013. drive. By September, QIP had achieved a 73 USD/tonne By putting into place a range of improvement actions cost reduction, well ahead of its target of 47 USD/ton. and leveraging QPS, Qatalum achieved a 1.6m USD cost With a culture of continuous improvement continuing reduction from January to August, smashing its monthly to mature, the organisation is coming up with new targets as much as five or six times over. and innovative ways of becoming cost efficient and improving techniques, processes and productivity to Improvement activities included reducing maintenance meet the world class standards,, it seems just a matter material usage, collecting and analysing data on of time before Qatalum takes its place among the global equipment failures, repairing and reusing spare parts, efficiency elite. and setting up dedicated maintenance teams –.