South Wales Forgemasters 

Continuous Improvement keeps Forge Firm on its Mettle 
South Wales Forgemasters is a hot metal company which has kept its cool through traumatic times, when markets slumped and many competitors went to the wall.

The Taffs Well based business, which employs 60 people, has put its faith in rigorous management techniques and developing people to their maximum potential - a twin-tracked approach which has paid dividends.

The company has been sharing its experiences with fellow participants in the Inside Welsh Industry programme, run by the Wales Management Council and Wales Quality Centre to promote better management practice.

With the assistance of Peter Wells, a partner in Hunte & Foxley consultants, Forgemasters has introduced a five-year plan of continuous improvement following the Japanese ‘Kaizen’ method.

Within this methodology are Japanese originated management tools, such as Six Sigma or 5S, which have been developed further by British businesses to accommodate the very different working culture here.

Kaizen, running in tandem with a system of regular performance appraisals at all levels, has created the management structures and procedures to facilitate continuous improvement. This culture has given the firm its resilience through a difficult period which has seen its main markets shrink significantly.

Improved management has enabled South Wales Forgemasters to manufacture their products more competitively and achieve the quality targets which have secured its place in the market.

“The results are ongoing,” said Peter Wells. “We have allowed a far more dynamic and efficient company to develop organically. Essentially an environment is being created to improve greatly the firm's data collection, analysis, planning and, most importantly, implementation,” he added.

Visitors who have studied the firm's progress to date include public and private sector businesses and organisations ranging from Gwent Police and Caerphilly County Borough Council to Hitachi and BA Interiors.

To illustrate the ethos which exists throughout South Wales Forgemasters, presentations are made to visitors by the those at ground level, who give practical insights into different aspects and applications of the techniques learned through Kaizen.

The Inside Welsh Industry programme requires each visiting company to complete feedback forms outlining the relevance and value of their visit. The results often benefit the host company also.

As Peter Wells explained: “When you open doors and share ideas, it is inevitable that new information comes back through those open doors”.

Caerphilly County Council for example was quick to acknowledge the benefits it would gain from contact with the company. They believe their study of South Wales Forgemasters will help them establish an organisational ethos that makes better use of the expertise of staff at every level.