Tqm Case Study

Appor Limited

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Continuous improvement teams Culture change and communication Empowerment and training Redesigned factory cells Alternative raw materials

• The Company

Appor Ltd is part of the Deb Group, which sells soap products throughout the world. Appor moulds and assembles soap dispensers that are sold both to Deb Group companies and to external customers worldwide, with ca.60% being shipped overseas. The range of products, variety of colours and printed logos is continually increasing, and lead times are now measured in days not weeks. Whilst sales are growing, so too are labour and material costs. Appor has been on its present site, near Derby, for approximately 15 years, and employs ca.40 people running moulding on a 24-hour basis, and assembly on one shift. The company was one of the very first to gain the Investors in People (IiP) award in 1991, and has always treated employees well – no clocking, sick pay, and private medical care after 10 years service, etc. This, in turn, is reciprocated by the employees, and demonstrated by their commitment, long service, and flexibility. Peter Arnott, General Manager of Appor since December 1999, explains the company’s more recent dilemma and the continuous improvement activities that are ongoing to address it.

• Background

During the early and mid 1990’s, much effort had been made by both Appor and its employees to achieve these good relationships, but during the late 1990’s, these had, until recently, become somewhat stagnated. All employees had, in the past, been actively encouraged to identify and pursue ideas for improvement, but all too often these ideas did not get implemented, either because of lack of support, indigestion in some areas such as engineering, who needed to be involved in equipment being made or modified, and a lack of motivation. All of this resulted in the employees becoming frustrated. There was clearly a willingness on the part of the employees to become involved, but this...