VGK saved over RUB 140 million as part of the TOP programme

“We place a key emphasis on staff motivation, including on their participation in creating the optimal form of work. More than 1200 employees are involved in the programme for improving production processes using kaizen proposals. By offering their ideas, they not only affect the production process as a whole, but also the work of their subdivision,” explained Roman Katsay, Head of the Project for TOP at VGK.

To date, 66 projects are being developed to varying degrees of development aimed at improving production and management processes in the company. Many of the kaizen proposals are already being implemented in practice at the production sites of the Solntsevsky coal mine and the Shakhtersk coal seaport.

For example, to reduce the time spent on repair work to replace electric motors, BelAZ developed a new scheme for using replacement electric motors. The use of preprepared and complete engines has reduced the downtime for replacement to 500 hr/y. As noted by one of the authors of the idea, Chief Engineer of the Transport Department of the Solntsevsky coal mine Sergey Mishenin, the time spent on repairing one machine has decreased by 4 hours and is on average 7 – 8 hours. Previously, it took at least 11 hours to complete an electric motor replacement cycle.

Also at the mine, they began to implement the idea to reduce the time and cost of annual maintenance of forklifts. Now the process is taking place at a base located at a distance of 5 km. At a regulated speed of the loader of no more than 15 km/hr, the journey to the place of repair takes 40 mins. With 9 loaders in the fleet and the need to service each machine once every two weeks, the total downtime was 52 weeks a year. The implementation of the idea of the head of the tractor-bulldozer section of the RMS Semyon Korolev will allow the maintenance of machines directly next to the place of work of the loaders. It is noteworthy that this kaizen proposal has no analogues.

Semyon has already developed a project for a mobile room where equipment for conducting inspections will be installed. In the near future, the mobile base for maintenance will work, which will reduce the process of monthly processing of equipment with lubricants by three times, up to 10 mins., since it is equipped with a pneumatic pump for carrying out daily lubrication operations. Previously, the process was performed with a manual blower and took up to 30 mins. Also, the time for moving the bulldozer to the place of maintenance will be reduced by 10 times, which will lead to additional savings in fuel and lubricants and an increase in wear resistance. Semyon said that he had the idea a long time ago, but it was the start of the TOP programme in the company that allowed him to put forward this proposal, calculate the economic effect and start implementation which will reduce the process of monthly processing of equipment with lubricants by three times, up to 10 mins, since it is equipped with a pneumatic pump for carrying out daily lubrication operations.

Employees whose proposals are accepted to work receive financial rewards. The amount of payment is influenced by the economic effect that the company will receive from its implementation. Tracking the economic effect is carried out on a monthly basis by the specialised departments of the company.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/handling/15022021/vgk-saved-over-rub-140-million-as-part-of-the-top-programme/