Today we live in a competitive world. Global economy keeps
expanding and we need to realize that with the low productivity
levels prevailing in local industrial sector it is extremely
difficult to compete globally. It is worth looking at how
the industries in other competing countries have achieved
high productivity levels? How the manufacturing companies
in our neighbouring country, India are winning world awards
for quality and productivity. How our own apparel sector has
achieved excellence? On careful scrutiny one would realize
that all of them have employed very effective management techniques.
Ironically many local industrialists do not think that these
management techniques are that important and would make such
a big impact in ones industry. It has been proved beyond doubt
that to achieve highest levels of quality and productivity
and to achieve excellence, proper management techniques should
be implemented.
CNCI has come forward to assist you in this
endeavour and has selected two very effective Japanese management
techniques for this purpose. They are the 5S system and the
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) technique. These are the
techniques most of the world-class companies in Japan, India
and even in USA companies such as Xerox have employed. After
implementing 5S very successfully the major Apparel Manufacturing
Companies in Sri Lanka very confidently say, not only they
would survive but also they would increase exports by two
folds once the Multi Fiber Agreement which expires in 2005
takes effect because of their high quality and productivity
levels. They have achieved world-class status with 5S being
the major contributory factor.
CNCI wish to commence the programme to assist
the local industrialists initially with the 5S concept. Trying
to implement any new management technique without the commitment
and the participation of the top management would be a futile
exercise. Therefore, CNCI intend to commence with a programme
designed for the top management under the title “Introduction
to Japanese 5S technique and CEO and the Senior Managers’
role in implementation”. This will be held towards end
September 2005 and the dates and venue will be notified shortly.
Thereafter training sessions for the 5S implementation committees
of the companies will be held and followed up with progress
meetings and factory visits, till the concept is implemented
successfully. The time frame for the 5S programme would be
around 6 months. Taking part in national awards schemes on
productivity, quality. Safety and also Taike Akimoto 5S competition
would be a good motivating factor for company employees.
Once the 5S system is implemented at a satisfactory
level, the Chamber plans to get into a more advanced technique
namely Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) with the help of
foreign experts from India and Japan. One day introductory
programme will be organized in India with visits to world
class Indian Companies who have excelled in TPM. An Indian
Expert will conduct training programmes in Sri Lanka for the
local Industrialists. Chamber also plans to get a Japanese
expert for the evaluation process. Time frame for the TPM
programme would be approximately one year.
CNCI is very much confident that 5S &
TPM techniques would definitely help our Industries to become
high performance entities.
Nimal Perera
Immediate Past Chairman |
