Lavendon Access Services, the UK’s leading supplier of Powered Access, has just announced its first branch to successfully achieve full accreditation to the Technical Excellence programme. The Panther Luton depot was the first to do so being awarded with the standard on 23rd June.
The Technical Excellence or ‘TechX’ project was launched following a UK group-wide survey of customers in late 2006. Lavendon Access Services’ Chief Executive Andy Wright explained: “One of the crucial pieces of feedback obtained from the survey was that when making the decision to hire access equipment, the key factor was the reliability of the equipment at site. To this end, Lavendon Access Services will continue to differentiate themselves from other powered access providers and benefit customers by striving to improve the current high levels of reliability.”
A TechX project team was formed from people across the UK group of businesses to identify where improvements could be made. The team, along with the assistance of business consultants set a benchmark of practices across all UK depots in a number of key areas, including engineering and equipment maintenance, environmental management, procurement, housekeeping and health & safety. The TechX Team is also being supported by JLG Industries, the world’s leading manufacturer of access equipment, who will be delivering a series of seminars covering manufacturing standards and what’s involved in achieving and maintaining them to the highest level.
An important factor in the TechX project was the implementation of the ‘5S’ programme: A system of steps and procedures that are used by individuals and teams to arrange work areas in the best manner, therefore optimising performance, comfort, safety and cleanliness. The short and long term benefits of the programme are clear as Lavendon Access Services’ UK Operations Director Mick Ledden commented: “Through following the 5S procedures – sort, set, standardise, shine and sustain, each depot will find that improved organisation will lead to improved health & safety, working areas and better all round performance. The 5S programme is tried and tested by other major companies such as Boeing and Hewlett-Packard, and as results so far have been so positive, it is an initiative we are certainly set to continue.”
TechX status is achieved following a comprehensive audit by the Lavendon Access Services TechX team, and upon successful accreditation, status must be retained through annual reviews. The process, depending on the size of the depot, takes between 12 to 20 weeks to complete.
With many more depots hoped to attain accreditation before the year is out, the TechX programme is expected to be fully rolled out across all company branches throughout Lavendon Access Services within the next 2 years. |
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