The best does not mean the largest, nor does it mean the fastest growing in a particular time period.
We believe it means balancing profitable revenue growth, cash generation and the appropriate risk profile for the Group to deliver strong returns and a steady increase in profits year on year. It is also about ensuring that across our operations we excel commercially and operationally, and that we secure the long term future of Rexam by developing a sustainable business model which will stand the test of time.
speed counts
Cycle time is a key measure of operational excellence in injection moulding. Our plastic packaging operations target improvement in this measure using training and education to optimise injection process techniques. If the results of a pilot exercise at Healthcare’s Brookville, Pennsylvania, facility are any indication, the programme is bearing fruit. Upon completion of the training, which included best practice sharing of improvement techniques and process development software, the Brookville team delivered a 10% reduction in overall cycle time on 27 of their moulds. In addition to faster machines, they are seeing improved quality and reduction in waste, which also supports our key efficiency and sustainability objectives.
focus on cash
Cash optimisation is a main focus in Rexam. It requires teamwork across the entire company. In 2010 Plastic Packaging established a financial shared service centre to handle all aspects of cash management for its US business which has about 2,600 customers. The centre teamed with sales, customer service, finance, supply chain, operations and SAP to deliver significant improvements in accounts receivable and accounts payable and achieve cash generation objectives. On accounts receivable, there was a 33% improvement in receivables current, a substantial increase on the previous year. The centre also went through a lean business process to drive efficiencies in accounts payable, with the aim of increasing the number of invoices that could be handled per month. Value Stream Mapping was used to review existing procedures and identify areas for improvement. The result was a more simplified, efficient, procure to pay process and uniform training for everyone involved. The teams continue to share best practices to drive additional successes across the organisation.
industry winner
The team from our plant at Chatsworth won the US nationwide industry Aluminium Can Council recycling programme. The team collected the most aluminium cans per employee of all the industry's plants in the US, collecting a total of 6.1 tonnes per employee. This winning total was made possible by the close partnership the plant has established with the local company Valley Recycling. Together they generated community activities including recycling drives at local churches, colleges and charity events.
