To become the most efficient firm in the V4 region was the objective set by the top management of bakery firm, MINIT SLOVAKIA. In cooperation with PwC advisors, they introduced process management to increase productivity to ensure sustainable continual growth for the next generation of the company.
MINIT SLOVAKIA is a family business producing frozen and pre-baked bakery products, based in Dunajská Streda since 1991. The company is growing dynamically, has sales revenues of EUR 23 mil. and has the goal of being a leader in Central Europe. Achieving this objective will increase requirements regarding systematic management, and will require increased headcount, investments in facilities and, above all, an effective use of existing resources. Long-term growth requires sustainability of changes, a culture of continual improvements, technological advances and a generational change.
The assignment of the company owners was to increase production without substantial additional investments, which would have a significant impact on profitability. The current labour market situation and strong price pressures in the food industry has forced the company to use its existing capacities maximally.
“Company departments started co-operating much more intensively than before. A typical example is the cooperation between production and sales, where confrontation from the past turned into a common search for solutions.”
Ladislav Ambrovics, Franchising Director
MINIT SLOVAKIA
“A company transformation requires engagement of people from all company levels and getting the best from them. I have never experienced a company where such human potential does not exist.”
Ivo Doležal,
Consulting Leader
“More precise planning narrows the space for uncertainty, and workers can focus on quality, and efficiently perform their tasks.”
Marek Ondrejka, Production and Technical Director,
MINIT SLOVAKIA
Based on a detailed analysis, PwC consultants identified the main problem areas, and estimated the economic impact of resolving them. Then, the PwC team and company management set the project priorities and the implementation time schedule. They also defined a detailed plan of activities, a project team and project management. In the next stages, they created optimal solutions enabled by the international know-how and the high-level expertise of in-house managers.
The joint team presented the solution proposals to employees trained by PwC consultants, the solution proposals were implemented at all management levels using coaching. The PwC team continuously supervised the implementation, to ensure employees fully understood the project. Finally, the consultants withdrew from the project, handing over management responsibility to the in-house staff. The consulting team continued monitoring the efficiency of the use of new tools, by which continuous improvements are ensured.
The joint team reduced the start-up time for production lines on average from 2 hours 23 mins. to 1 hour 42 mins. For the most used lines, the difference is as much as one hour. The team first introduced a detailed reporting of line utilization and of idle-time causes, and the volume of monitoring of work organization. The joint team also identified the potential for improvements in start-up times of production lines. At workshops, the causes of inefficiencies were identified, and changes in work organization processes and in roles and responsibilities were agreed. Finally, key employees were trained for new work procedures, and were coached at production start-ups.
OpEx Team
The PwC Operational Excellence Team in Slovakia operates under the leadership of Pavel Dvornák, Operational Excellence Director, and helps production companies improve their production processes and make their operations more efficient. During its seven years’ of existence, the team’s assignments have included work for VW, SHP, Johns Manville, Slovaktual, PSL (ThyssenKrupp), Svet zdravia, Minit.
