In continuation with the competitiveness drive in the Pakistan region, Fairtrade NAPP organized a comprehensive result-oriented training cum consulting Lean Management project on “Reducing machines downtime using GIZ’s Dialogue for Sustainability (DfS) Approach” from 25th Oct-25 Nov 2022 targetting 07 sports ball producers in Sialkot, Pakistan.

The Lean Management Project was designed and customized in-accordance with the Fairtrade requirements to strengthen and achieve sustainable production and to reduce machine downtimes of the selected manufacturing units.

The main objectives of the program were to identify improvement areas/gaps, especially with respect to machine maintenance and its accuracy, and to introduce various international best practices and success stories in-order to change the mindset of the employees.  In the previous phase of similar training, the target was to eliminate all Non Value Added (NVA) activities which directly impacted the cost of production thereby reducing the profitability of the manufacturing units. In the current phase new action plans were developed for effective implementation.

The live assessments during the project also helped participants in learning various techniques to identify issues and problems related to machine breakdowns with a focus on the selected model machines in each factory. The trainer incorporated a practical approach to introduce team building culture among employees, and to enhance the competencies and capabilities of employees by using various techniques such as brainstorming sessions, team building games,  group participation, and live assessment competitions.

Post the completion of the project, the participants have developed the ability to address the problems/issues pertaining to machine breakdowns and to give solutions to the identified problems.

Hasan Haider CEO, Asian Competitiveness Institute (ACI) was the “Lead Trainer” for the said project with 25 years of Lean Implementation experience in Asia. He introduced ACI endeavors in building institutional capabilities through extensive result-oriented capacity building programs on Lean applications across Pakistan. He highly appreciated the efforts of Fairtrade for such initiatives which will further strengthen the skills and competencies of the participants so that they can identify continuous improvement gaps prevailing in their respective factories

Approximately 20 employees participated from 5 football manufacturers representing different departments. The core purpose behind organizing this training cum consulting project was to help participants in learning and improving their existing organizational processes through the implementation of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) practices using lean manufacturing principles.

The whole project was divided into 3 phases:

1st phase of 2 Days workshop, 2nd phase of live assessments and the 3rd phase for presentation on the  Implementation plans by the groups to the Lead trainer/consultant

The participants were able to learn Japanese methodology/techniques for the identification of problems and continuous improvement gaps, TPM implementation methodology, and how to address machine issues using various assessment tools.

After 2 days of workshop, all the participants executed practical live assessments in their respective factories and presented formal Action plans for effective implementation, they also designed a comprehensive checklist based on the 2 days deliberations. Each team conducted a detailed assessment and took photographs as objective evidence of the improvement areas/gaps.

In the 3rd Phase of the project, participants gave the final presentations along with the “Recommendations for Improvement” in their respective companies. They were very much satisfied with the content and assured their commitment to implement such practices in their respective departments with the mandate to achieve zero machine breakdowns.

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