The Challenge
How could a leading air conditioner manufacturing company control PPE/safety supply costs and do it cost-effectively?
- Employees had long queue times at the tool crib.
- Employees began hoarding gloves in personal lockers or at their work centres.
- Spikes in demand were caused due to hoarding mentalities.
- Due to demand spikes shortages then occurred leading to stoppages for safety reasons
- Productivity was also being affected to to employees long travel times from their work centre to PPE stores.
The Solution
The customer worked to implement AutoCrib inventory control software and dispensing systems. The company installed over 15 AutoCrib dispensing machines, including a RoboCrib 2000, throughout the plant for 100% secure access-controlled availability to the PPE, around the clock, and the systems are automatically replenished.
The Results
- By decentralising the glove supply, employees are away from their work centres for less time. increasing the businesses productivity.
- As confidence in the system increased, hoarding was no longer necessary and could also be tracked if employees took more than prescribed amounts.
- Reduced glove usage by up to 70%.
- The business no longer needed to raise manual purchase orders as the software was linked to their ERP system allowing for seamless re-ordering, freeing up countless time for the purchasing teams.
The annualised business savings in PPE alone came in at £53,000.
