Oxoid has won the Judges' Special Award in the 2004 Best Factory Awards, organised in the UK by the Cranfield University School of Management and Works Management magazine
Oxoid, a manufacturer of culture media and diagnostic tests used in the clinical, food and pharmaceutical industries, reports that its Basingstoke manufacturing site has won the Judges' Special Award in the 2004 Best Factory Awards, organised in the UK by the Cranfield University School of Management and Works Management magazine.
In presenting Oxoid with its special award, the judges highlighted the clear and structured process by which the company translated its objectives of product excellence, customer service, employee satisfaction and lowest cost into a successful world class manufacturing strategy.
Oxoid began its world class programme in 1999, it now extends across all operations departments through the work of 14 teams coordinated by a continuous improvement steering group.
Fundamental to the programme is the adoption of best business practices and a comprehensive set of performance measures.
John Dunn, Oxoid's operations improvement manager, explains that "continuous improvement in performance is driven by the teams setting their own goals and objectives and also by educating the teams in the use of techniques such as overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and 5S (sort, set limits, shine and sweep, standardise and sustain) for workplace organisation. "In summary we have achieved a real change in culture by creating an environment where all employees can contribute to continuous improvement.
"The results speak for themselves with on-time dispatches up from 85% in 2000 to 95% in 2003, and increased volume output per man-hour up by 44% since 1998". "I was truly delighted to receive this award on Oxoid's behalf", comments Mike Housham, vice president of operations.
"It gives well deserved public recognition, to everyone involved in operations at our Basingstoke site, for the tremendous improvements that they have made, and continue to make, to ensure that our products are the finest in the marketplace."
