When it comes to industrial plants, there is a lot of constant activity. The plant managers take on the day-to-day responsibilities to keep the facility running in top shape. The plant manager position is a very hands-on job, as they are being deeply involved in every aspect of the functioning of the plant. Without them, there is no way that a plant would run smoothly, let alone be successful. There are certain success metrics that plant managers should focus on, particularly in the coming year, to really achieve good success.
Why Are Success Metrics Important?
Every plant manager has certain benchmarks they strive to meet as a way of measuring a successful plant. These various benchmarks are measured by specific metrics that play significant roles in the overall operation of the plant. There are metrics at every level, and each one gives everyone involved with the plan a goal to aim for, so they can always improve on what they do and how they function. Metrics cover a wide range of categories, and each is important in its own right.
For 2023, there are three that you should focus on more closely.
Top Three Success Metrics
1. Quality
As a plant manager, one of your top priorities needs to be quality. When considering quality as a metric for success, there are many things to consider. You’ll want to watch and measure the quality of your raw materials so that you can ensure a high-quality final product that your customers will want to buy.
Measuring quality can be difficult, but you can do it by carefully keeping track of where the raw products come from and having strict guidelines to ensure they are safe and meet your standards. It is also essential that you keep track of customer complaints and recalls so that you can maintain an awareness of how you are doing with the quality of the products you are producing. If you have an unusually high number of recalls occurring at any point, it is an indicator that you will need to reevaluate your supplier or how your workers handle that particular material.
2. Maintenance
Another significant metric you should keep in mind as a plant manager is maintenance. There are two categories within maintenance that you should focus on: the first is the percentages of planned vs. emergency maintenance orders. By looking at this ratio, you can gain a clearer indication of just how much of your maintenance work is scheduled as opposed to unscheduled, and therefore more disruptive to the daily working of the plant.
The more emergency maintenance you are required to do within the plant can be an indication of a problem that you need to review. Ideally, you want to ensure that your equipment and overall facility get regular maintenance, to avoid any costly emergency maintenance that could drastically affect your production time.
Another component of the maintenance metric is the ratio of downtime to operating time. This portion of the metric can be an indicator of how well your plant is making use of time for production. It is another area where you can determine changes that you can make to increase production for a more successful year.
3. Efficiency
Of all the different success metrics you should focus on, efficiency may be the top priority. How efficiently your plant runs can affect every other aspect and metric of the facility, from the maintenance metric to the financial gains of the facility. When your facility does not run efficiently, you are less able to meet your customer's expectations, and they may end up finding another company to turn to for their product.
There are several factors within the efficiency metric that you should be keeping track of. You want to keep track of how much product gets produced within a specified period of time, the total output capacity being utilized at any given time, and that the percentage of your target level of production is attained within a set schedule of time.
Another major factor of the efficiency metric is the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). OEE is a multi-dimensional measure of the overall effectiveness of the equipment within your plant. Naturally, you want the best, most effective equipment in every regard so that you can maintain a highly efficient facility. One piece of equipment that shouldn't be overlooked is your drainage system.
The drainage system of your plant is what helps to maintain an overall clean and sanitary facility, free from bacteria and contamination. The Slot Drain System is a highly efficient, modern trench drain system ideal for all types of production plants. Slot Drain has a food-grade stainless steel construction that makes it corrosion-, bacteria-, and odor-resistant. It can handle the extreme temperatures often encountered in production plants, is easy to clean, and can handle up to Class F loads–the heaviest load capacity possible. Best of all, Slot Drain is a grate-free system.
Setting Yourself Up for Success
Being a plant manager is a big job, and there is always room for improvement. You can make your job easier by holding yourself accountable and giving yourself specific benchmarks to aim for. With 2023 just weeks away, you can start planning for a new and more successful year. The best way to do this is by tracking the various success metrics mentioned above.
Maintaining an awareness of these metrics and aiming to meet them, as best possible, will allow your plant to achieve more success for an even better 2023.
