Page 35 - Plastics News October 2021

technology. We bring new & innovative And in 2021 (this year) we were fully of a small part, causes disruption in
products and technologies to deliver prepared. We were beginning to get the entire machine delivery timelines.
cost efficiency and high productivity in full force in Jan / Feb 2021 and we Our planning department was quick
to our customers. This pandemic also had record production too. However, enough to account for these changes
it was no different. While our factories as a part of ever learning attitude, our and make sure that the production
were running at low capacity, our teams had planned for another wave schedule stays on track without much
design engineers were busy innovating disrupting the production schedule. disruption.
the machines with higher speeds, The multiple shifts, less manpower,
low wastage and better efficiency sanitization between shift change, Q: Do you plan to revise
especially required by the customers temperature checks, had been planned your inventory norms
in medical and packaging industries. well in advance. Social distancing has
We have launched our new product been followed religiously and is being and sourcing policies?
ranges namely eQ Series (All-Electric maintained until today A: At Milacron, we have always believed
Injection Molding Machine), N-Series in JIT (Just In Time) philosophy.
(Entry level Injection Molding Q: Has there been a It’s a Japanese way of doing things
Machine). In addition to this, we change in your go-to- where the right number of parts
have also developed MonoSandWich arrive at the right place, at the right
technology which is highly beneficial market strategy for time. It reduces inventory costs and
for recycling and weight reduction this period? space. However, with the pandemic
in articles produced. These products uncertainty looming across, we plan
have been designed keeping in mind A: Yes, there has been a considerable to increase inventory of all long
the renewed focus on sustainability shift in the way we approach our lead items, the imported parts and
and conservation. Our quick customers. Face to Face meetings the fast-moving parts. This is being
turnaround times and ability to have moved to virtual platforms. done to avoid disruption to the
adapt to the dynamic world has been Discussions have started happening on production schedule and also to cater
highly appreciated by our customers. videocalls. Exchange of documents, to our Aftermarket services. Our
Our most noticeable launch this year and marketing collaterals have all customers rely heavily of Milacron’s
has been the All-Electric eQ Series moved to online platforms. Milacron Aftermarket services to keep their
machines. It is an apt machine for has invested in the IT infrastructure in production going and Milacron is
the medical applications especially the past and as a result, the shift from always committed to our customers.
for the Clean Room Applications. physical to virtual happened almost As a part of our global sourcing
It has grease free tie bars, almost overnight. norms, we have multiple vendors for
no hydraulic oil, high reliability and Q: This would have the same parts. Hence the dependency
dimensional accuracy. This machine on one vendor is minimized and
is one of a kind being made in India then have changes in hence the unavoidable delays from
at our factory in Ahmedabad. production planning vendor end can be avoided.

Q: So … then didn’t scheduling? Q: W hat ’ s t he way
social distancing A: The planning department at Milacron forward?

norms impact plant had to make few changes in schedule. A: As you are aware Milacron has a
operations? It was not only the Milacron state-of-the-art facility in Ahmedabad,
production schedule to be taken into
A: In 2020, during lockdown, we were consideration. It was the vendor’s having a healthy mix of men and
machines at the shop floor. However
never prepared for anything of production schedule as well. Milacron Assembly line is traditionally a labor-
this magnitude. Nor this was ever has a big vendor base who makes sure intensive task. And thus human
anticipated. We had our share of that we produce 3,000+ machines intervention is unavoidable in such
learnings and experiences. Milacron every year, with consistent quality and cases. Having said so, we need to
was quick to adapt to the new normal. in record times. All this happens like follow the COVID favorable protocol.
clockwork. Any change in delivery

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