Workflow and TAKT Time Management
Company Fleets Going Biodiesel
Henry Beeland, CEO Team Development Group
How do you maintain that balance between a healthy workload and acceptable labor costs? How can you maintain profitable building projects without over stressing your team or spending valuable resources on overtime? The answer is workflow and TAKT time management.
One of the biggest buzz words or catchphrases in lean thinking is workflow. Often times we think of workflow as how smooth the transition is between steps in the building process. We get confused and think the way we need to make workflow happen is for us to work faster or bring more people onto a job to get more things accomplished. Workflow however, is more about leveling the workload, having the right amount of resources or man hours available to do the job required. It’s not about working harder or faster, it’s about working reliably and predictably within the time available.
TAKT time is a measurement of the available man hours or resources we have and the output required from those man hours.
Total available production time
TAKT Time = --------------------------------
Total production requirements
By managing TAKT time and understanding the job requirements, we know when we have adequate resources that can be reassigned to move a project along more quickly with a higher quality of work. If we don’t manage TAKT time, we have a very difficult chance of creating a profitable workflow.
In a nutshell, creating a positive, proactive workflow that moves as fluidly as possible will allow for a smooth transition through tasks so that the workload is leveled. In this way we are not creating bottlenecks or excessive work demands on one group while another group is sitting around with nothing to do. The way to do that is to manage your TAKT time. To simply manage the available labor you have versus how much output is required. Don’t overburden the man hours you have with impossible outputs to reach and at the same time don’t under burden them so there’s nothing for them to accomplish. Instead, level that workload and you will have a consistent flow of quality that is reliable, predictable and profitable.
The idea is to be as efficient as possible so that we understand where our labor is going, what it’s building and, therefore, what we have available for capacity, commitment, and control.
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By Aaron Lindstrom, Enterprise Fleet Management
In early March 2010, the United States Senate restored the $1-per-gallon biodiesel tax credit. Assuming the House and Senate reconcile their versions of the bill, the legislation will provide a one-year retroactive extension of the tax incentive. The National Biodiesel Board believes the decision reflects an increasing understanding that this “incentive will help America realize the job creation, energy security and environmental benefits associated with biodiesel.”
Biodiesel is a clean-burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources such as plant oils, animal fats, used cooking oil and even new sources such as algae. Designed for use in diesel engines, with different properties and benefits, biodiesel is distinctly different from ethanol, which is a renewable biofuel made primarily from corn and intended for use in gasoline-powered vehicles such as cars.
Although it can be used alone, biodiesel is usually blended with diesel fuel according to strict industry specifications approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. The most common blends are 5 percent biodiesel/95 percent petroleum diesel, known as B5; and 20 percent biodiesel/80 percent petroleum diesel, known as B20. Biodiesel is legal for use at any blend level in both highway and non-road diesel vehicles.
While the tax incentive is important, most companies that switch to biodiesel are driven primarily by a sense of corporate responsibility and environmental stewardship. In addition to reducing reliance on fossil fuels and depleting our supply, the benefits of biodiesel include reducing emissions of carbon; particulate matter, which has been shown to be a human health hazard; and hydrocarbons, which contribute to the localized formation of smog.
Although no new equipment or equipment modifications are necessary, switching to biofuels requires some advance preparation:
o B20 biodiesel fuel can be stored in existing diesel fuel tanks and pumped with diesel equipment. However, companies with their own tanks must clean them to remove sediment and water. Guidelines include checking for water and draining regularly if needed and monitoring for microbial growth, treating with biocides as recommended by the biocide manufacturer.
o When used for the first time, because of its superior cleaning capability, biodiesel can release deposits accumulated on tank walls and fuel lines from previous diesel fuel, causing the fuel filter to clog. Therefore, the fuel filter should be changed after the first tank of biodiesel has been used. Over the long term, the cleaning properties of biodiesel will keep the fuel tank and fuel system cleaner.
o In very cold weather, particularly northern climates, biodiesel can cloud up. Therefore lower blends of biodiesel are recommended to avoid starting and drivability problems, such as B5 instead of B20. Local area fuel providers are the best resource for this information.
Hundreds of fleets use biodiesel coast to coast. A guide for fleet managers created by the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and available at www.biodiesel.org includes locations of distributors and retailers in the U.S., handling and use guidelines, warranties and OEM standards, fuel quality and performance troubleshooting, user testimonials and links to additional resources and tips. The NBB is the national trade association of the biodiesel industry and the coordinating body for biodiesel research and development in the U.S.
Earlier this year, Enterprise Holdings, the parent company of Enterprise Fleet Management, announced plans to start using biodiesel for its entire fleet of more than 600 airport shuttle buses for Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental across more than 50 North American markets. In addition to embracing biodiesel and other alternative fuels as they become commercially viable, Enterprise Holdings provides strong support for leading–edge renewable fuels research.
Aaron Lindstrom, senior account executive for Enterprise Fleet Management in Washington, can be reached at 206-423-3958. Lindstrom is supported by an experienced team of veteran mechanics and accredited Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) technicians to serve the fleet maintenance needs of businesses with mid-size fleets. In addition to maintenance management programs, Enterprise’s services include vehicle acquisition, fuel management and insurance programs, as well as vehicle registration, reporting and remarketing. Visit the company’s web site at www.efleets.comor call toll free 1-877-23-FLEET.
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