Lockdowns became a dreaded word for many manufacturing company owners and managers during the long months they dominated the market due to COVID-19. The additional stress of sourcing raw materials and parts, added with worries about decreased demand and concerns about logistics, made it a challenging time to be a manufacturer.
While many companies were tempted to put manufacturing audits on the backburner, most recognized that to do so would be to compromise quality. Here are reasons why these audits remain crucial, even during a lockdown:
Every cent counts
During an economic slowdown, the margin for error in a manufacturing process becomes even more important as it affects production and a company’s ability to keep its doors open.CAPA software solutions from ETQ allow companies to identify, define, remediate, and monitor root causes of manufacturing problems to prevent them from recurring.
At first, minor problems in a manufacturing process might not cost a company too much. However, it does not take much time for them to grow into significant obstacles that could paralyze a manufacturer’s operations.
The consequent machine downtime has profound implications for a company’s future and its ability to keep employing to the staff relying on it. Therefore, early intervention is necessary and only possible when all eyes are on the production process to implement corrective action before a small problem becomes insurmountable.
No one is perfect
Companies that maximize production without compromising safety whilereducing waste perform at their peak. This is impossible without regular audits to ensure that all processes run as they should. Even so, an audit can reveal a new challenge for a manufacturer to address.
Having a mindset that encourages continuous improvement will ensure a manufacturing company keeps growing and commanding a more substantial market presence. Regular audits involve management and employees working at the coalface of a production process. It encourages collaboration, a platform where workers provide input on how to maximize productivity by streamlining processes.
Companies need new business
Many manufacturers lost contracts during lockdowns as their clients ceased operations and could no longer pay them. Consequently, several thousand companies are not operating at full capacity and are actively seeking new clients. During negotiations to get contracts, discussions of manufacturing audits could seal the deal.
Clients need to know that a manufacturer has the capacity and ability to meet their demands on time and at an agreed-upon price. A manufacturing audit provides them with background information, including production capability, machine capacity,quality control practices, and management systems.
Companies that work to a high standard in every aspect of the manufacturing process are likelier to secure contracts than those that do not bother with such audit procedures.
Adaptability
COVID-19 taught individuals and businesses many valuable lessons. Among them is a need to be adaptable. The world and how we live and work in it changed almost overnight, and those who were ill-equipped for the necessary adjustments found it a challenging prospect.
Manufacturing audits allow companies to explore and examine options for adapting their operations proactively when faced with an unprecedented emergency. These contingency plans may never come to fruition, but their presence acts as a reassurance to management, workers, and clients alike.
Defining CapEx requirements
Without a manufacturing audit, owners or managers might decide that new equipment is necessary when the existing machines are more than capable of handling production requirements. This leads to unnecessary capital expenditure that puts a dent in the company’s bottom line when few can afford it.
With audit outcomes at their fingertips, companies can make informed decisions about capital expenditure that do not risk their financial future. This creates financial security in uncertain times.