“Managing Pressroom Efficiencies” Session Makes Debut on FTA’s 2014 Forum Agenda

March 19, 2014—On Sunday, April 27 the “Managing Your Pressroom Efficiencies” session will make its debut on a Forum agenda. The two-hour session, chaired by Ron Henderson, Clopay Plastic Products and Randy Green, Printpack, will share best practices and techniques for Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) in the pressroom

Ideal for flexographic printers, prepress providers and other members of the flexographic supply chain, the session will feature real-life case studies and actual sample audits on how to implement OEE. Specifically, audience members will learn how to:

  • Optimize the performance of existing machinery
  • Increase equipment reliability
  • Lower downtime
  • Improve operator performance
  • Benchmark, analyze and improve productivity

“The majority of our speakers are printers who are extremely knowledgeable and who live OEE day in, day out,” said Henderson. “Their jobs are all about embracing this philosophy. They teach and drive operational excellence on a regular basis so attendees will walk away with a solid handle on how to go about implementing OEE in their own plants.”

Adrian Pask, Vorne Industries will open the session with a look at how OEE contributes to increased output without increased cost. He’ll furnish attendees with three audits to use to test their existing process. Following, Hank Welter, Coveris (Exopack), will reinforce the importance of these practices through real life experiences. James Seal and Galen Croxton, Tetra Pak, will take the audience a step beyond OEE to illustrate that a comprehensive system of loss intelligence, operator engagement, maintenance integration and daily management is essential to avoiding unnecessary cost. They will share their application of a world-class manufacturing program, TPM (Total Productive Maintenance), which includes OEE as a foundational concept.

Henderson summed it with this, “With ‘Breaking New Ground’ as the theme of Forum 2014, our look at Total Quality Management, specifically OEE, ties in very closely. This Forum is being grounded behind getting back in touch with the printers. People are going to be able to take away something and go back and work on it. Presentations are rooted in giving strong tools to the industry to continue to strengthen flexography.”