Financial Times

Unilever first Lankan firm to embrace TPM

Unilever Ceylon Ltd has adopted the 'Total Productivity Maintenance' (TPM) model with considerable success this year, achieving efficiency and raising productivity.

The concept aimed at driving sustainable productivity improvements, was launched in Colombo recently in the presence of Takashi Suzuki, a senior Japanese expert on TPM at Unilever Ceylon. The multinational is the first company in Sri Lanka to follow the (JIPM) TPM model.

The most important factor in TPM is where the suggestion of workers is considered and if feasible they are implemented. Any gains would be rewarded which would uphold the team spirit and their knowledge and experience could be converted into efficiency and productivity and ultimately to profits

Most of the conveyor lines of top factories which were earlier covered making defects invisible are now installed with see-through covers whereby any defects could be identified and rectified forthwith before they result in major breakdowns.

Though Unilever Ceylon embarked on TPM in mid-2002 it has only started improvement activity on selected model lines, as recommended for the initial stage. With the experience now gained, the TPM concept would be extended to other manufacturing areas.

TPM at Unilever is showing results.

The model lines account for about 19,000 tonnes or 25% of the total volume. In these model lines actual delivered capacity has increased by 30% with no additional capital investment. All three sites currently under operation - Grandpass, Lindel and Agrapatana have such model lines. In Grandpass the model lines are the Lux line, Astra line, toothpaste line and the air compressor. At Lindel in Sapugaskanda it is the Lifebuoy NSD plant and at Agrapatana Unilever Instant Tea Factory, it is the Extraction Plant. (QP)