6
NEWS
Tapping ahead into
the future
By Dineo Phoshoko
Grohe Dawn Water Technology (GDWT) has been through several
changes over the past few years. The company is well known for its
development of water technology products for bathrooms and kitchens.
Despite the challenging times, the company is working on plans to
ensure that products of the highest quality are manufactured.
Transformation and investments
The CEO of GDWT, Henk Suelmann, explained how 2016 had
been an interesting year for GDWT. A priority of the company
was putting measures in place that would ensure the retention
and improvement of the company’s position as a premium
manufacturer in control of manufacturing units and brands. To
achieve this, GDWT had a substantial investment programme
in place that focused on various aspects of the company.
Some of the most important aspects Suelmann mentioned
were the finance structures of the company, production, as
well as manufacturing technology, which is linked to the
production machinery and equipment at the factories. “We
invested in the factory itself, in the way we operate, as well
as in machinery,” he said. Some of the investment went into
having climate control in factories. “There is quite a big project
in buildings to have optimal controls there.”
Kaizen methodologies, known for its focus on continuous improvement,
have been introduced, and implementing these principles will enable
GDWT towards lean manufacturing.
August 2017 Volume 23 I Number 6
He also touched on the significance of having up to date
technology competencies transfer and looking at other operations
and investments of the company as a whole. “We’ve introduced
the 5S Kaizen methodologies.” These methodologies have been
applied at the brass factories in Krugersdorp and Springs, where
Suelmann mentioned that new standards on manufacturing
processes were being considered. In addition to investment, a
great deal of effort was put into transforming the layout of the
factories, with emphasis on the placement of equipment, material,
and inventory.
All the changes made have improved on the factories.
“Personally, the first time I walked around all the factories
was in December 2015. At that moment, I thought I was the
successor of Friedrich Grohe, because the factories were
still the same as he left them when he went back to Europe,”
explained Suelmann. He also added that walking around the
factories today reflects a “complete change” with the factories
being brighter, cleaner, more organised, and better structured
with new machinery.
Due to the factory changes, production has also improved.
“We produce better, we have less scrap, and we have better
quality in terms of the type of production technologies and the
measurements,” he said. In addition, Suelmann explained that the
company is now capable of producing a wider range of products
in a more consistent manner. The consistency in production is
attributed to investing in reliable generators and backup power, to
ensure that potential power outages do not affect production. “If
you save a day or two of production time in a factory, that’s a big
saving.” When combined, the changes and investments made by
GDWT will ultimately lead to efficient production at higher quality
standards. “I’m really convinced that within a period of three years
we will be back to what we were with our factories.”
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