(The Department of Trade and Industry; and National Productivity Institute)
Webroy, based in Pietermaritzburg, employs 102 staff. The company manufactures wire products (such as springs) for the automotive industry, and has been operating for 25 years.
Challenge
Prior to its involvement in the Workplace Challenge programme, Webroy was a marginal company with a short-term future. Profitability was a major constraint, and the initial request to the Workplace Challenge consultants was to turn the company around in the shortest possible time.
Clean and tidy shop floor after implementation of housekeeping policy Production meeting without the involvement of the Production Director.
Production performance information on display in the team meeting area
Solution
Webroy decided to appoint consultants that promoted Mission-Directed Work Teams (MOW) as an improvement technique to assist the company on its journey to becoming a world-class manufacturer. Webroy also decided to obtain ISO accreditation.
Results
Webroy made a remarkable transition from a top-down-directed management style to true shop-floor empowerment. The team-based framework tasked the teams to focus on daily productivity issues.
The production floor was divided into ten business units, each with a democratically elected team leader, to facilitate the empowerment drive on the shop floor. Each business unit was responsible for aspects such as costs, quality, output and delivery.
This platform allowed the company to achieve the strict ISO 16 accreditation for the automotive sector. This is the first company in KwaZulu-Natal to achieve this accreditation and only the second South African company to do so.
As a direct result, new contracts were awarded to Webroy, including a five-year manufacturing and supply contract to a leading South African car assembly plant, and large export contracts to Germany and Australia.
Each business unit controls its own destiny. Improvements included 246% in the output of seat frames, attendance improving from 70% to 98%, improved service and quality, and 1 260 improvement suggestions from employees in the first year.
This initiative helped Webroy to become profitable and to increase employees' job security. The company is now rated a world-class supplier.
