Malvern-based injection moulding company, Talisman Plastics, continues its five year-long series of investments which aims to increase capacity, efficiency, and performance of the plant through newer and more advanced machinery.
Talisman Plastics is currently two years into the five year-long series of investments. The company are bringing in brand new machines to the factory floor, while also decommissioning older models. This is to boost product precision, save energy, and reduce time lost to maintenance.
At the start of the investment programme, Talisman Plastics had 32 machines in its factory inventory, with a target to reduce this number over five years to 24. These 24 machines will run for longer times, which should increase overall productivity and capacity. Talisman Plastics have reported that two years into the programme they have already reduced the number of machines to 27, and Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) and production capacity has significantly improved following this.
Additionally, during lower production periods as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Talisman Plastics reorganised the shop floor in an attempt to improve flow rates.
Shaun Champion, managing director of Talisman Plastics, said: “This is a key part of our strategy, combined with reducing the number of tool changes. Two years ago, we averaged 55 tool changes per week, we are now down to an average of 28. This is compounded by running fewer machines for longer, meaning over 60-man hours a week have been saved in setter and maintenance time.
“Investing in more advanced moulding equipment and having less downtime has already provided savings. Proof of the progress made is in a 12% saving in energy costs, despite a 14% increase in the actual number of days worked during the first half of 2020.
“This, combined with a greater level of flexibility in terms of machine options, means we are well placed to provide British manufacturing at a competitive price.”
The most recent machine to be added is a 160-tonne installation incorporating a robot and printer, providing a work cell capable of 24/7 continuous production at a cost of £130k.
Champion added: “The lower work volumes during Covid-19 actually gave us a convenient window to press on with a leaner, smarter business approach. We had some resource freed up which meant we were able to reconfigure the machine layout. In total nine machines were moved, creating more efficient work processes and upping standards across the business.
“We have further investment planned for 2021 to bring in more new machines. We have already implemented software which facilitates a higher degree of control over the machines and maximises uptime, so the combination of these is going to bring more precision and flexibility to our customers in a number of markets, including healthcare, automotive and electronics.”