Case study: successful implementation of Prodio software in rubber goods production

Rubber goods manufacturing software implementation – taming chaos

Please read the story of one of our clients from the rubber goods and elastomers industry.

“Before we implemented Prodio, we’d had many problems such as not knowing which percentage of the given order was completed or how many elements need to be produced to finalize the projects,” – remembers Karol Wikło, the owner of WIGUM company. “We didn’t have any control over the norms or many of the details used for proper pricing. We also didn’t know how many elements produced a particular employee in the scale of the calendar month.”

This was also why many operators mixed up raw materials, not benefiting from the precise information flow because the manager couldn’t be present at the production hall to delegate and explain tasks. It was tiring: never-ending questions about how to do something, what are we doing, what are we going to produce tomorrow, what is going to be the following order, etc. An absolute nightmare.

It was very frustrating not to be able to answer simple questions, ex. When the customer phoned to inquire about the progress to learn the final date or check on the deadline, the answer was “created” on the spot without checking in the system.

That’s how the decision to start changes was made because there was no other way to tame the chaos that was progressing with each new order. “There were more and more new customers, but this, instead of making me happy, dragged me down,” – remembers Karol. “I was depressed and unable to plan what was going to be produced; it was impossible to schedule orders and give customers clear information on deadlines. We felt constantly overwhelmed,” – he adds sadly.

What happened in WIGUM after rubber goods manufacturing software implementation

The first thing that impressed us was the clock-in/clock-out system, where everybody uses a personalized card to start and finish their day at work and progress with their tasks, operations, and orders. Thanks to this system, there is a clear working time history, which can be downloaded and saved at any time. “It is an amazing functionality because you know straight away how much time people spent working; you can’t skip it or omit,” –  the owner adds happily.

Another impressive feature is that it is possible to see who is working directly on your smartphone or tablet, thanks to the card system. “I can stay at home, and I am still able to check if my operators are at work, which tasks are they working at, what’s the progress. It is superb!” – comments Karol.

Regarding employees themselves, it is an efficient solution. There are always some operators in the company who can’t remember how to make a particular detail or the correct production process. Now they don’t have to rely on the memory but rather take advantage of Prodio, where all information is collected and saved.

When the operator starts to work on the order and is not sure of the process’s details, he checks with a few clicks to retrieve the necessary information stored in Prodio. If they follow step-by-step production procedures according to tips from the software, it is impossible to make a mistake. Thanks to this, a company can achieve repetitiveness. 

All details start to look the same because the whole process is identical and follows the same routine. The defects are minimized, especially those resulting from using incorrect raw material because the production is standardized. This, in turn, helps to achieve higher transparency and clarity. The workers know what is happening at the production hall, there is a plan that will be produced this, next to or the following week. They can see work planned on machines, the time needed to complete the particular order, and all critical elements of the master production schedule. They get simple information on whether the machine is occupied, in service, or can use it to complete the task.  

“Judging by the number of orders entered to Prodio, we make a joint decision, together with the whole team, whether we work overtime or have some extra hours on Saturdays because it is clear in the system if it is necessary,” – says the owner. 

The benefits of Prodio are visible for everybody. “I honestly think that they are happy to use it,” – adds Karol.

“My private life has also changed. Maybe I haven’t noticed it straight away, but I know I gained confidence and certainty. There are many questions that I can answer now working from home, just by logging into Prodio from my smartphone. I can check for the piece of mind ex. For example, what happens at 7 pm in the production hall. There are cameras and monitoring systems, but now I can see which detail is being produced, by whom and how long it takes. It offers me a sense of security. I know that when you are on holiday, you are supposed to rest and not think about your business (…) the same when I am away on a business trip; but being a small manufacturer, it is hard to neglect your business; sometimes it is enough to take a sneak peek at what’s happening at the production hall, and you can go back to your things” – tells the owner.

If you want to introduce organization at your production hall and have all production processes standardized and control what is going on in your workshop, try to use Prodio. There will be no more trivial questions about production times, operations, processes. 

 

It is an investment worth making. You will impress your clients or auditors when you show them how smooth things are. This is a kind of “wow” effect. It proves that even a small company can be organized and modernized, and the budget isn’t an issue.

If you want to read more about using Prodio in the elastomer goods industry, click HERE.

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