Ideal Standard
Ricoh's business is developing office automation solutions which enable individuals and organisations to improve the quality and productivity of office communications.
Ideal Standard in Rugeley have just undertaken a training programme from the Ceramic Industry Forum, aimed to provide a structure that would develop both Senior Team and Shift Leaders, enabling them to facilitate improvement to their area’s productivity.
During the first week, the team of ten were brought together and had a chance to learn about the lean principles, find out about their personal communication style, and gain the “knowledge” of the CIF CI Toolkit. They also got a chance to visit Ricoh
As one of the largest IT companies in the world, Ricoh's reputation as the total printing solutions provider is becoming well established. The company is one of the world's leading innovators of office equipment technology, with a research and development programme that brought us the first digital copier and a complete range of original engines. Its product range now spans scanners, colour and black & white laser printers, digital connectable colour and black & white copiers, multifunctional devices, network utility software, document management software, facsimile machines, digital stencil duplicators and office consumables. It was a great opportunity for the team to benchmark themselves against a company outside the sector.
As one of the largest IT companies in the world, Ricoh’s reputation as the total printing solutions provider is becoming well established, and proved a great opportunity for the team to benchmark themselves against a company outside the sector.
If you are interested in taking a course to develop your team leaders, please call Paula on 07899 661879 or email paula@ceramicindustryforum.co.uk who will visit you to discuss how the Ceramic Industry Forum can tailor the content to suit your situation.
Festival of Ceramics for Collectors and Connoisseurs
The Potteries will once again provide the perfect backdrop for one of the leading events of its kind in the UK, when it plays host to the 2006 Ceramics Festival over the weekend of October 13th-15th.
Destined to become a major event of international standing, the Ceramics Festival is in its second year. Leading designers, cutting-edge studio potters, experts, celebrities, collectors and members of the general public will be making their way to Stoke-on-Trent this Autumn to celebrate the ceramic art, and to join in a full weekend's programme of events.
As home to some of the world's greatest pottery manufacturers, Stoke-on-Trent is the obvious choice of venue for such an event.
Last year, Mr Ian Dudson CBE, then Chairman of the Ceramic Industry Forum, noted: "It's sometimes easy to overlook the fact that the world's ceramics centre of excellence is here in Stoke-on-Trent. We are still at the leading edge of technology, with a great reputation for design. The Ceramics Festival is modest in its launch, but is very ambitious in its long-term goals."
The first of those will be realised later this year, when the inaugural Ceramics Arts Fair is held at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery as part of the Festival. More than 20 studio potters will gather together to stage a selling exhibition for the public. Part of their exhibition fee will be in the form of a pot donated to the Museum, with five high-profile specially invited potters giving a 'signature' piece to the City's ceramic collection.
Renowned for having one of the finest ceramics collections in the world - which can once again be viewed during special "Wander and Wonder" evenings during the Festival - the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery has also recently opened a brand new Studio Ceramics Gallery. It will be the focal point for many of the key events during the weekend, which include Ceramic Futures, showcasing the work of Staffordshire University graduates. Also, a display of the entries to this year’s RSA ceramic design competition, sponsored by the Ceramic Industry Forum.
Antique Roadshow experts, special menus in cafés, and family events – including Celebrity and Professional Throwing Competitions and a Have-a-Go-Throw-Day - will also be featured in the full mix of the weekend's events.
As well as increasing the profile of the City's artistic and cultural heritage, the Ceramics Festival will also give the public an opportunity to invest in studio pottery and other famous name brands, ranging in price from a few pounds to several thousand pounds.
The full programme of events for the Ceramics Festival will be launched soon. For further details in the meantime, visit www.stokeceramicsfestival.co.uk.
To find out how you or your business can become involved in the Ceramics Festival, contact Stoke-on-Trent Tourist Information Centre, Atrium, Victoria Hall, City Centre, Stoke-on-Trent. (Telephone 01782 236000. E-mail: tourism@stoke.gov.uk).
Download the Ceramic Festival 2006 Leaflet (Right Click > Save Target As) // PDF File
David Richens, Improvement Engineer
David joined the Ceramic Industry Forum in February 2006 as an Improvement Engineer.
David’s engineering career began with an apprenticeship, studying part time at college to gain his HNC. He then went on to study for a Degree in Manufacturing Engineering and Management full-time at Loughborough University and graduated with a B.Eng. (Hons). He then worked for Perkins Engines as a project engineer before moving to Denso Manufacturing as a production engineer, progressing to the position of Production Engineering Manager.
David gained eight years’ experience in this world class Japanese automotive manufacturing environment. To supplement his on-the-job training, he also completed specialist training in Japan on lean processes for the manufacture of heat exchangers for high volume production.
Since joining the CIF, David has visited a number of Ceramic manufacturing companies such as H&R Johnson Tiles, Wedgwood and Ibstock Brick to orientate himself with the manufacturing processes and terminology used.
David has also supported with the delivery of a number of process improvement projects and training to companies such as Armitage Venesta, Baggeridge Brick and American Standard.
David lives in Telford with his partner Kay and their two children – Harry aged five and Mia aged two. In his spare time David enjoys camping and caravanning, motorcycling and scuba diving.
Engineers Diary: Ibstock, Chesterton Factory
Twenty one people, from managers to operators, came together recently at the Ibstock Chesterton Site to complete training workshops in mapping diagnostic techniques and ‘poka-yoke’.
The course, delivered over four days, followed the usual CIF approach of ‘learning by doing’. The course was held to supplement the training delivered to employee’s who were at the company’s level 6 standard of TPM (Total Productive Maintenance). TPM is Ibstock’s formalised structure for continuous improvement team activity within the business.
The aim of TPM level 6 is to expand the use of OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness), to include the third element of the calculation – Quality.
The use of mapping techniques was studied, including value stream mapping, ‘big picture’ mapping, ‘four-field’ mapping, and process mapping. These techniques are used to visualise complex information and transformation flows and to allow the team to identify problem areas. These problem areas can then receive focussed resource by problem solving teams.
At each stage of the course delivery – the team tackled a number of exercises to reinforce the teach points: “Learning by doing”.
A similar approach was followed in the study of ‘poka-yoke’ systems. Poka-yoke is a Japanese term for “error” or “mistake” proofing. Poka-yoke differs from more traditional reactive types of quality inspection methods and statistical process control (SPC). It endeavours to proactively control the process inputs to ensure that a defect part cannot be produced in the first instance. For this reason this technique is often termed “Zero Quality Control” or “ZQC”. Poka-yoke devices are typically pegs, dowels pins, gates or sensor devices which prevent, or provide warning of anomalous process inputs such as missing or incorrectly loaded / mounted parts. These devices are typically inexpensive to install, but rely on the ingenuity of the team to apply their good ideas to the problem.
The teams learning was again reinforced by a number of practical exercises, including a ‘Gemba’ – going to the actual workplace and studying poka-yoke methods already in place at the Chesterton works. The teams also looked at where errors still occurred in the processing stages and looked for ways to introduce further poka-yoke devices taught in the workshop to improve output quality yields.
The course was well received by the level 6 TPM employees, who looked forward to using these tools to further improve yields and consequently machine OEE’s across Ibstock’s sites.
Ceramic Industry Forum announce the award winners from New Designers 2006
Ceramic Industry Forum is delighted to announce the winners of the 2006 awards ceramics and glass at New Designers. Judging for the two-week event took place with leading industry figures picking the winners from the 2,000 dynamic graduates whose work was shown at the exhibition, held annually at the Business Design Centre in Islington.
New Designers, with generous support from leading brands and influential commercial organisations, provides crucial encouragement and support to the graduating designers through its annual awards scheme. The awards include financial prizes, exhibition opportunities, in-kind materials, professional advice and work placements.
The UK’s leading graduate show has an unrivalled record in identifying the most exciting young contemporary talent. Winning one of the New Designers Awards frequently indicates the start of an illustrious design career. This year the Ceramics award went to Patrick Morris for Secret Garden.
The winners were presented with their awards by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown at the opening of the show on 28 June. In his address he said, ‘"In today’s global economy – where capital and labour are so mobile, where goods and often services too can be produced anywhere – for countries like Britain, it is the power of our creativity, the power of ideas and innovation, of design adding value that will enable us to find our comparative advantage and make the difference between economic success and economic failure, between prosperity and falling behind."
Sue Evans said “I am delighted that Patrick Morris was the winning entry for the New Designers Ceramics Award with an exciting and innovative entry to this prestigious exhibition. All the designs demonstrate the wealth of design talent and creativity which is highly valued by the ceramic sector.”
Marketing Makes It Happen
The Ceramic Industry Forum has recently launched a planned series of Marketing Network programmes.
The idea was inspired by the success of manufacturing networks, which have been run for some time by the CIF in conjunction with the Manufacturing Advisory Service.
As the ceramic industry has become more aware of the need for good marketing practice in maintaining a competitive edge, the CIF saw the formation of Marketing Networks as an obvious way forward.
The first of these got underway with the selected participants being treated to some enjoyable and interesting training in the basics of marketing, delivered by the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Each company was then allocated a marketing expert to analyse their current position and potential. A number of the participants in the pilot programme found that this analysis helped unlock ideas and enthusiasm which had been masked by the day to day running of their business.
The analysis stage reveals true business goals and leads to the formation of a marketing plan or strategy, which can be put into effect at an agreed pace to suit the business.
Throughout the progress of the Marketing Network, the companies involved are encouraged to share and learn from each other’s experiences, giving them the confidence to put their plans into action.
If you would like to know more about Marketing Networks or take part in future events, please contact Ken Barnes at the Ceramic Industry Forum on 01782 505523 or email: ken@ceramicindustryforum.co.uk