The QIANG Way Forward

Stream Peak International, the largest desiccant converter in Singapore, is one of the organisations that has benefited from the "SME Quality Initiatives to Assist, Nurture and Grow" (SME QIANG) programme SME QIANG is a new customised productivity and innovation training programme under Productivity Initiatives in Services & Manufacturing (PRISM) which is a cluster of productivity-related Continuing Education and Training programmes .

Mr Jeffrey Foo, General Manager of Stream Peak International shared, “At first it was difficult to identify the areas for improvement. But after a few workshops with the Singapore Manufacturers’ Federation consultants , where we did project scoping and data collection together, we realised that the underlying problem was two under-utilised high performing machines that we had.“

Implementing New Tools Of The Trade

From daily dealings with machine tools, the general manager of Makino Asia, Simon Yim, took to productivity tools at the workplace for a change. It was a change that was met with marked success.

Makino Asia is a global machine tools manufacturer with fully integrated operations in Singapore, encompassing Research and Development, Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management and Business Development activities under one roof. So, it was of concern when Simon Yim and his team discovered discrepancies between the company’s assembly elapsed hours and the standard hours. He also noticed that at the middle management level, there was a need to improve the knowledge and skills needed to understand, analyse and implement initiatives to improve productivity and quality.

 

Triumphant In Shaping Service Innovation

The only European brand that produces intimate apparel designed and tailored to suit Asian women, Triumph upped its game with the launch of a brand new, innovative shapewear experience in Singapore through a Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) programme under the Productivity Initiatives in Services & Manufacturing (PRISM).

The ‘Shapewear Cocoon’ concept was born when forty-three executives and managers from its Singapore office participated in a 3-day training module on service innovation called ‘WSQ Set Up and Implement Systems and Strategies that Support Service Innovation’.

 

The Esplanade of his dreams

The Esplanade of his dreams

A former porter and also a pizza deliveryman, Firdaus never imagined that one day, he’d be watching kampung huts flying in and out of a musical from a coveted seat not sold at the ticket office.

The staging technician at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay recalls one of his most exciting work experiences, behind the scenes of Laskar Pelangi Musical in September 2011 held as part of Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of the Arts. “There was a real van, water was used as rain effects and a small kampung hut was ‘flown’ in and out during different scenes of the show.”

Book-Smart and Service-Smart

 

Staying competitive and maintaining superior service standards are challenges faced by countless Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). For Loo Ee Fah, General Manager of Pacific Bookstores, he sought to gain a competitive advantage for his business through training and upgrading his staff.  

He explained why a change was needed in order to be in line with Pacific Bookstore’s positioning. “Rather than just being a bookshop operator selling textbooks and stationery in school, we want to position ourselves as a services provider, by providing convenient services for students, parents and schools.” said Ee Fah.

In wanting to transform his sales staff from being “sales-oriented’ to “customer service-oriented”, Ee Fah was convinced that the most critical factor to help his company succeed was to first change the mindset.  

Changing Mindsets : The Way Forward

 

In many manufacturing companies, manpower is often cited as one of the main stumbling blocks to further expansion. Add-Plus Electronic Pte. Ltd, a provider of electronic manufacturing services for printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), is no stranger to such issues.

 

Mr Jimmy Phee, Senior QA Engineer, and Mr Lee Hong Choon,  Production Controller, from Add-Plus’ manufacturing team, who worked on the SME QIANG programme,

“As a SME (Small Medium Enterprise), we need to constantly reduce operation cost and maintain profits to stay in the business,” Mr Johnny Mok, General Manager of Add-Plus explained.

“But at the same time, we face difficulties attracting locals to our company, and we cannot depend too heavily on foreign workers. Our tight labour situation means we cannot expand our business as fast and as much as we would like to.”

Thus when approached by the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) to sign up for the SME QIANG Lean Six Sigma Programme, Mr Mok saw it as an excellent opportunity to upgrade the skill set of his team as well as re-look at the company’s work processes.