Page 39 - FoodFocusThailand No.227 February 2025

SMART PRODUCTION

4. Non-utilized Talent: If employees in an Production Process Management with the Lean
organization were asked, “Are you fully utilizing your Approach
knowledge and skills?” many would likely respond From the concept of managing the production process and
negatively. This waste not only results in missed reducing the 8 types of waste, the two key factors that must be
opportunities for organizational development but also efficiently managed are ‘quantity’ and ‘quality’. Tools used in
hinders employees’ career growth. Consequently, this lean manufacturing management include 5S for organizing
leads to a lack of opportunities for suggesting work physical workspaces, Total Quality Management (TQM) for
improvements, learning new skills and technologies company-wide quality control, continuous process to reduce
that could enhance productivity, and fostering inventory level, small lot production, standardized work to establish
motivation in the workplace. work standards, and visual management to identify errors
5. Transportation: The movement of raw materials quickly.
into storage, through production processes, or In addition, the main resource in most food manufacturing plants
the transportation of finished products, machinery, is machinery. Therefore, operators should understand the types of
tools, and equipment—all of these activities, if not waste associated with machinery, such as machine breakdowns,
directly contributing to the transformation process and loss of production speed, setup time, and maintenance, to address
added value of the product, are considered waste under and reduce these wastes.
the lean manufacturing concept. Examples include The lean approach is a process that requires continuous
inefficient workspace layouts, storage locations that development through the committed application of principles and
are too far from the production area, multiple collaboration with all stakeholders to reduce waste, increase value,
unnecessary movements of materials (e.g., moving and ensure sustainability in businesses.
from point A to B to C without processing), product
damage during transport, and improper handling or
maintenance of equipment during movement.
6. Inventory: From raw material storage to work- More Information Service Info C005
in-progress inventory and finished goods awaiting
distribution, inventory must be managed according to
the lean manufacturing concept. This involves
minimizing inventory levels to only what is necessary.
Every activity in the production process—receiving,
storing, and distributing—incurs hidden costs. Wastes
include long-term storage, leading to deterioration or
expiration and excessive use of storage space, all of
which increase management costs related to inventory.
7. Motion: Even though many food manufacturing
facilities utilize automated systems, there are still
numerous steps that rely on manual labor. Any
unnecessary movements that do not add value are
considered waste. Examples include searching for
materials or tools stored in an unorganized manner,
leading to inconvenience and wasted time. Additionally,
tasks that cause unnecessary health issues or fatigue
due to poor processes or work environments—
such as unsuitable temperature, lighting, or humidity—
are also considered waste. The discipline addressing
these issues is ergonomics.
8. Extra Processing: This refers to unnecessary
or inefficient steps in the workflow and tasks that
valueless or exceed customer requirements. Examples
include designing and using packaging with features
that are higher than customer needs or trimming raw
materials in ways that the customer does not value.
Inefficient processes include the wasteful use of
resources during production, such as water, energy,
ingredients, or raw materials, and using tools unsuited
to the specific type of work.

FEB 2025 FOOD FOCUS THAILAND 39

23/1/2568 BE 15:48
36-39_Smart Produc_Kritchai.indd 39 23/1/2568 BE 15:48
36-39_Smart Produc_Kritchai.indd 39