Citrus Producer - Packing Operations Improvement
We developed a plan to improve equipment reliability, increase throughputs and reduce labour cost
Citrus Pre-Grading
Situation
A major citrus packing facility was suffering from poor efficiency and reliability, limiting their capacity to process the incoming harvest. Packing lines were operating far below target efficiency, driven by breakdowns and slow running speeds, while a congested layout was impacting flow. As a result, revenue suffered, costs climbed and the business faced mounting financial pressure. Compounding the issues was a custom built legacy ERP system that could not provide the data and reporting necessary for planning and control.
The client engaged Westbourne to identify the key issues impacting reliability, efficiency and cost and to develop a plan to lift performance.
Our Approach
Westbourne undertook a comprehensive operational review across all areas of the site, from receivals, bin tipping and pre-grading to packing and palletising. We assessed equipment reliability, material flow, production scheduling, and site leadership structure.
What We Delivered
The team developed a plan to improve planning and control, increase equipment reliability, optimise layout and flow, increase line speeds and enhance management capacity. This included:
A performance measurement and reporting system covering throughput, downtime, labour, and yield
A standard cost model to improve visibility of product-level profitability
Development of a periodic maintenance plan
Scoping of a modern, fit for purpose ERP system
A shift from “make to order” to “make to stock” and simplification of the SKU range
Introduction of an external 3PL solution for warehousing, order picking and dispatch to remove double handling and create space within the facility to enable layout changes
A revised organisation structure introducing five new site-level roles in quality, maintenance, and operations