Consolidation Idea Rejuvenates Skid Row

(March 2006) A Madras Plant 8 wall came tumbling down thanks to a bright idea by Jeremy Williams. The wall consisted of hundreds of skids the cut plant used to unitize their many different-sized cutstock products. It took up space, looked unsightly, and caused graders to dig through piles of skids searching for the exact size they needed.

“I was tired of fighting the organization problem,” Jeremy, Plant 8’s lead, said. “I wanted to do something about it.”

The final solution was to consolidate by only using eight standard skid sizes on all the cut plant’s orders. The plant worked with Sales to get customers’ approval on the change since pallets would no longer fit the exact outside dimensions of units, causing product to sometimes overhang the skid by a couple inches.

Once they got the go-ahead from customers, Plant 8 replaced the jumble with eight neat and labeled stacks of skids. They also created minimum and maximum inventory levels for each skid size and painted the back wall to make those levels instantly visible. Anyone can trigger the skid reordering process using a new kanban card system.

Jeremy’s idea saved his plant’s graders valuable search time (not to mention frustration) and reduced the number of damaged pallets. The benefits also trickled out to other Bright Wood departments. The consolidation reduced the number of changeovers in Pallet Building since there are only eight sizes to construct. It also reduced the number of rush orders.

Eventually Shipping may benefit too when all the Madras cut plants are following a new method sheet defining the best way to band units. All outbound cutstock will be prepared for shipping in a consistent manner so that it holds together during transportation.

“I was shocked when I saw what Plant 8 had done,” Jim Sanders, Plant 1 manager, said. “I had to copy their idea to get the benefits. Their system is ten-times more organized and manageable.” Plant 1 whittled their 19 different skid sizes down to just seven.

In hindsight Jeremy’s idea was a good one, but that doesn’t mean it was an easy sell. Jeremy deserves a pat on the back as much for his original thinking as for his tenacity in not letting the idea fall by the wayside. “Jeremy was relentless in making this project happen,” Daryl Booren, Plant 8 manager, said. “He wouldn’t take no for an answer. He continually brought it up, talked to individuals, and promoted it. When he didn’t feel it was taking off on its own, he went home and started thinking of ways to make it happen.”

Other Newsletter Articles:

In-Plant Mill Supplies Keep Drivers Home (March 2006)

Bright People Donate $11,742 to Central Oregon Charities in December (March 2006)

Bright Wood to Close Bend Facility (Company announcement released February 17, 2006)

Hurrah for Jeremy Williams, Plant 8 lead, who took on an age-old problem in the cut plants and wouldn’t let go until a solution was in place. Plant 8 stocked hundreds of skids until Jeremy proposed consolidating down to just eight standard sizes. In the sincerest form of flattery, other plants have rushed to adopt Jeremy’s orderly system of labeled rows, minimum and maximum levels, and kanban cards for triggering reorders.

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