A Lean Six Sigma approach for improving the changeover time on a packaging line at South African Breweries Limited

Abstract

South African Breweries Limited (SAB) is distributer of beer and soft drinks to Southern Africa. Chamdor Brewery is situated in the south west of Gauteng and produces not only beer but alcoholic fruit beverages like Redds, Sarita and Brutal Fruit. Fulfilling the demand of such a variety of products offered by SAB requires flexibility while producing round the clock. Quick changeovers enable manufacturers to be flexible while maintaining high efficiency rates for equipment. The aim of this project is to provide suggestions for reducing the changeover time for a specific packaging line at Chamdor Brewery using a structured improvement methodology called DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyse-Improve-Control). Literature was gathered to help understand the problem and relevant techniques that could aid in the problem solving process. Information was collected during each stage of the project for use in each specific tool which in turn defined the major problems of the process. Solutions to these problems were developed and presented to the management and owners of the process. The implementation of this project is not in the scope of this project but rather left to the process owners to decide if the solutions will be implemented.