Uratex Philippines, represented by the Inject-able-DO team from Uratex Alabang, received the Gold Award under the QC-Production Category at the Quality Circles Regional Competition Convention. Held at the Crimson Hotel, Filinvest City, Alabang last August 2 to 3, 2018, the winning team competed against different groups coming from 27 companies, most of which come from Japanese businesses that have high regard for productivity programs.
Quality Control Circles are composed of small group of employees working in a common area or field. They voluntarily group together to identify common work related problems and define possible solutions that would improve their productivity, reduce cost of production, improve the quality of the product, or maintain a safe working environment. This productivity program also encourages better communication and mutual trust, greater sense of belongingness, and increases synergy to create better teamwork.
Aside from the Inject-able-DO team from Uratex Alabang, other teams from RGC Group of Companies were also recognized at the competition. Roberts AIPMC bagged the Silver Award for the same category, while the team from Uratex Valenzuela brought home the Silver Award for the Non-Production Category.
“It’s not the competition that matters most, what’s important for us is we have our Quality Control Circles (QCC). We are taught how to work as a team, as a family, that aims to solve problems within our area of responsibility,” said Mr. Rodel Domingo, Engineering and Maintenance Manager and adviser of the Inject-able-DO team.
The winning project
The Inject-able-DO team, led by Mr. Aureada along with Mr. Honesto Dollison, Mr. Clemar Pabua, and Mr. Felixberto Villoria, presented a comprehensive study which identifies the root cause of the downtime of the injection machines and moulds used to produce Ready-wrap Containers. The study also classifies the means on how to reduce loss in productivity and revenue.
The team drafted precautionary plans and preventive measures to prevent machine and mould downtime. Some of the ideas presented were acquiring proper maintenance tools, conducting trainings from the machine makers with the machine operators and manpower involved in the production, creating work instructions and making reference standards. When executed, this project can generate approximately P45, 000 of potential savings every month.
“It took us almost one year to make the study and draft the project,” said Mr. Edwin Aureada, Mould Maintenance Engineer and the leader of the Inject-able-DO team. “Every second counts, every second has an equivalent value,” added the rest of the team.
This achievement makes them qualified to join the national competition of Quality Control Circles this coming September.
Building a global brand
As Uratex celebrates its 50th anniversary and aims to be recognized as a global brand, Mr. Domingo emphasized that “If we don’t improve internally, we can’t be globally competitive. Innovation is an essential factor for us to be at par with the other global brands. The quality circle is one platform to make innovation and development possible.”
“We still have many things to improve in our process and every day is an opportunity to progress. This QCC helps our people develop the skill on strategic planning, problem solving, and enhance the level of thinking,” shared Mr. Honesto Dollison, Alabang EMD Supervisor and a team member of Inject-able-DO.
The RGC Group of Companies has productivity programs which include the Small Group Activity (SGA) that encourages all the employees to create simple yet helpful activities to improve and eliminate usual problems in the workplace; 7S to organize an efficient and effective work space; and Quality Control Circles, which encourages employees to collectively work on solving work-related problems.
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