Our storage helps boost GKN driveline's productivity

Driveline is a leading manufacturer of automotive driveline components. The storage needed to stand up to use in a heavy duty manufacturing environment and in particular in the maintenance areas. The company previously used various steel topped wooden workbenches, but found they were often disorganised and it was difficult to manage inventory. In contrast, the new bott systems provide GKN Driveline with a means to managing stock levels more efficiently and keep areas tidy.

Mark Steenton, site maintenance co-ordinator from GKN Driveline explains the set up: "The first maintenance zone is positioned at the front of the factory and is the initial impression visitors have when they enter the facilities, so it was really important to us that the area looked professional. Also, for visual purposes the cabinets couldn't be more than one metre high, otherwise they would obstruct the view of the factory floor when people walk through the door. Working with GKN Driveline's preferred suppliers Buck & Hickman and bott, we opted for bott's bespoke sloped worktops on the majority of the units to ensure that engineers couldn't leave items lying around. We also created a display area on the sloping surfaces to place project timing plans, KPI charts and planned maintenance schedules, which has helped to reinforce efficient working practices and visual management."

Within the maintenance zones, each skilled engineer has dedicated mobile and fixed drawer cabinets to house basic tooling such as spanners and screwdrivers provided by Buck & Hickman. Each unit is lockable, with different shifts having access to specific storage. There are also shared cabinets containing bespoke tooling such as drills and specialist measuring equipment.

As well as considering the practical use of the storage, health and safety also played a part. To ensure the units complied with health and safety standards, larger items are contained within cupboards that feature sliding shelves, so that workers can pull out the item and retrieve using correct posture.

For easy inventory management, the drawers feature labelled dividers to allow easy retrieval of contents such as bearings, pneumatic items, filter elements, pumps, couplings, cylinders and proximities. The main store in the factory is now being used for back up supplies.

Mark explains: "With the old storage, it was really difficult to keep track of stock levels because it was a problem to find items and identify when we were running low. To compensate we would end up buying in too much to avoid stock-outs, whereas now, the engineers can clearly see what's available and flag up when items are low." In addition, some drawer units hold products specific to electrical or mechanical engineers' roles, further aiding quick reference and improving the company's OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) targets.

Mark comments: "bott's storage has made a real difference to the engineers' reaction times. Whereas before it might have taken them up to 10 minutes to locate a spare part, they can now easily find what they're looking for in a fraction of the time. This has really changed the internal perception of the maintenance department as it is now seen as a professional, organised outfit. We have also observed that there is a greater ownership among individuals to look after their tools and the overall workshop area."

The other two maintenance zones also feature mobile and fixed cabinets, however, as there are no height restrictions for these areas tall cabinets have also been specified. In addition, there is a dedicated 'strip down' area for the engineers to carry out work on oily assemblies before they are taken into the workshops. The drawers used for smaller or round items are lined to help grip the parts and keep them in place in transit.

Mark adds: "Working with both bott and Buck & Hickman was a really simple process. They were able to instantly identify what we required and provide designs for each area to fulfil our needs. Their product range looks really good and it's a well respected brand so we knew we were buying from a name we could trust. Also because many of the cabinets have to cope with holding heavy objects, we needed to know the storage was at a high quality and would last for a long time."