It's possible to make a 25% improvement in yield in the food and beverage manufacturing by monitoring and using a combination of "time-honoured methods" and statistical analysis on a repeatable basis, according to the writers of the article, "Uncovering New Ways to Improve Yield in Food & Beverage Production."
The authors say, "Huge gains in yield have been achieved through Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma and Kaizen — so much that it may seem no more can be done, particularly in the waste-intensive, fast-paced food and beverage industry." Yet, the two case studies they carried out and which they based the article on, indicate otherwise.
Introducing... Five key advantages to monitoring yield
- Develop a shorter problem-solving cycle: Bigger improvements in weeks, not months
- Engage deeper deployment of process-improvement skills and tools
- Gain a wider embrace of continuous improvement philosophy by your production team
- Increase sustainability of results over time: Ongoing improvements can be made beyond one-off or single projects
- Establish a shortened production time: Decrease time-frame from defining a problem to controlling and improving the outcome from several months to several weeks.
By monitoring yield and adopting these "powerful new processes [companies] can dramatically improve their margins," the authors write, "companies can dramatically improve their margins." "It’s essential to find ways to ensure that you hold onto those gains through ongoing engagement and standardization of best practices."
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