Articles

By Louis-Philippe Morin, Director of Expertise and Partner at Progima

Industrial facilities development is a major investment that can bring multiple risks to your business equation. It can be tempting to handle the project internally, distributing roles and responsibilities left and right, and hoping the project will move in the right direction. However, without a good definition of the needs and without a project structure, you risk heading straight into disappointment and chaos. Planning your project correctly and working with experts can prevent you from falling into numerous pitfalls, limit many risks and save a ton of money.

The impact of refitting your factory layout

The design of a manufacturing facility has a major impact on the production process, as well as your employees, customers, equipment and the business as a whole. A well-planned, well-designed layout improves workflow, information exchanges and on-site materials handling. If a plant is not designed around a valid industrial strategy, it can adversely affect your company’s overall profitability.

If your production lines are poorly laid out, if your equipment is not in the right place, if the factory workflow is badly planned, for the next twenty years you’ll be paying people to work around a bad design. That’s why efforts to improve processing and productivity must be done right from the start.

Good planning is at the heart of any successful development project

To avoid wasting time, losing money and experiencing unpleasant surprises during such projects, companies must embrace a solid industrial strategy. When designing or optimizing your facilities, you need to consider the people, materials, space and equipment.

The keys to a successful project:

• Clarify roles and responsibilities as early as possible to create an effective project team
• Establish a detailed plan and make it known to all: define your needs and follow them meticulously
• Encourage employee participation
• Design a structured plan: carefully choose your project manager according to the project’s unique characteristics

Properly planning and orchestrating your refit project is the best way to maximize investment, diminish risks and reduce operating costs. As a general rule, this approach also generates significantly better performance and increases your productivity, which will ensure the competitiveness and sustainability of your business.

To learn more, contact Progima's industrial strategy experts:
(514) 337-6662
[email protected]