What Processes are Required to Make Your Storeroom Run Smoothly

If you have invested the time to layout the storeroom correctly, and gather the right data, you are on the right track to a successful storeroom.  However, if you don’t take the time to map the various processes in the storeroom, and hold staff to those processes, the work is done so far will be a waste.

When processes are mapped and responsibilities defined, the staff know who does what when.  This eliminates unnecessary communication and work, enabling more time to do what is required.  In addition, when all activities are repeated in a consistent way, it allows organizations to evaluate the process and determine better ways of working. [Read more…]

Using a Kaizen Approach to Improve Your Storeroom

No storeroom is perfect, well at least of those I have seen.  The process of improving is never ending.  A common term for this process of continuous improvement is Kaizen.   The Kaizen activity is often seen on the plant floor, either the form of a blitz, in which a tremendous amount of resources are thrown at an issue or an area.  The other is a systematic approach, in which a small amount of improvement is achieved each day. [Read more…]

The first step to improving the spare parts and storeroom process

Knowing what the best practices are in a storeroom or spare parts management process is not enough.  The best practices need to implemented, and typically it can’t just be implemented right away.  The level of resources, the ability of people to change all prevents the immediate implementation.  In addition, not every organization will be at the same starting point or want to go to the same level of maturity.  This is where an assessment comes in. [Read more…]