99% achievement is usually seen as a good result, however, if that where the case it would mean we had poor quality drinking water 15 minutes each day, there would be 4,500 aircraft missing the runway at Heathrow every year and in the medical world there could be 20,000 incorrect operations a month. At Kimal 99% achievement would mean that, of the 1 000 000 packs produced each year, 10 000 of them would have a defect.

In these instances 99% is not good enough.

Utilising and operating along Six Sigma lines would aim us to achieve a defect rate of 3 in every million that is 99.9997% achievement.

Kimal plc and 15 other companies are taking part in a 7 month Six Sigma programme funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), distributed through The Manufacturing Advisory Service - West Midlands and delivered by Capella Associates. 

Largely used in the manufacturing industry, Six Sigma is a management approach to process improvement, which was developed by Motorola in the 1980's. Six Sigma is essentially a comprehensive yet flexible system for achieving, supporting, and maximising business performance. It is a methodology driven by understanding customer needs, and the disciplined use of data, facts, and statistical analysis to improve and reinvent our processes so that they can, reliably, produce quality products.

At Kimal we are now starting to employ Six Sigma principles in 3 areas that will give us improvements in availability of product, better management of the space we use and reduction in handling activities. All of these are aimed at reducing the opportunity for error to occur and bring about real benefits to Kimal and our customers.

Mark Jenner, Business Unit Leader for Commercial & Supply comments "Kimal are engaged in ensuring that 'continuous improvement' is embedded in the organisation. We have adopted the Six Sigma methodology of problem identification and resolution to ensure any issues identified as an opportunity for improvement are addressed appropriately".

For further information on Kimal's involvement with the Six Sigma programme, please contact Mark Jenner, Business Unit Leader - Commercial & Supply Mark_Jenner@kimal.co.uk .