Tork Productivity Guide Outlines How Manufacturers Can Implement a Culture of Continuous Improvement

Equipped to Improve is inspired by kaizen, the Japanese management philosophy advocating that all employees are engaged in the improvement of a business.
Mar 11, 2021 10:30 AM ET

March 10, 2021 /3BL Media/ -- Health and hygiene company, Essity, the global manufacturer of Tork® professional hygiene products, today published its Equipped to Improve™ - A Guide to Improving Productivity, a free digital resource with recommendations for how manufacturing facilities can increase productivity by following the principles of kaizen. The guide outlines five areas of focus for how to seamlessly implement a culture of continuous improvement and contribute to a sustainable competitive advantage. 

The Equipped to Improve guide was developed by Tork in collaboration with kaizen expert Jonas Svanäng, who has studied kaizen firsthand and has applied these learnings in more than 100 global organizations. 

“The goal of kaizen is to establish a culture of continuous improvement by changing behaviors. When your company adopts a kaizen mindset where employees are given the opportunity to influence their workplace, it will lead to more motivated employees,” says Svanäng.

Machine operators work closest to the areas where problems or unnecessary obstacles arise. They therefore play an integral part in preventing and improving productivity within the business.

Recent research from Tork shows that 89 percent of machine operators believe that “continuing to improve our preventive maintenance routines is important in my company” and 87 percent agree that “preventive maintenance reduces breakdowns of machines and lost production time”.*

“We want to help companies improve preventive maintenance routines, especially those moving towards autonomous maintenance, by contributing with smart and innovative products that can improve efficiency and reduce waste. Because we know small changes as part of continuous improvement initiatives can have a significant impact on quality, cost and delivery,” says Jenny Turner, Marketing Director for Industry for Essity’s professional hygiene business. 

Tork offers a wide assortment of professional wiping cleaning products as part of the Tork Performance® system, to help optimize autonomous cleaning routines in industrial environments. The system includes both a variety of robust wipers, cleaning cloths and dispensers that offer a range of unique mounting options, which allows them to be placed within convenient reach of the operator. As many as 89 percent of machine operators agree that “having robust, professional industrial wiper dispensers placed exactly where I need them would support efficient cleaning and preventive maintenance”.*

To learn more about how to implement a kaizen way of working, including important tips to help you get started, please visit https://www.torkusa.com/your-business/solutions/overview/manufacturing/challenge-manufacturing and download Equipped to Improve - A Guide to Improving Productivity.

* Source: Tork machine operator research carried out by Psyma (July 2019)

For more information:
Carolyn Batt, Weber Shandwick
wswtorkindustrialhealthcare@webershandwick.com

About Tork
The Tork brand offers professional hygiene products and services to customers worldwide ranging from restaurants and healthcare facilities to offices, schools and industries. Our products include dispensers, paper towels, toilet tissue, soap, napkins, wipers, but also software solutions for data-driven cleaning. Through expertise in hygiene, functional design and sustainability, Tork has become a market leader that supports customers to think ahead so they're always ready for business. Tork is a global brand of Essity, and a committed partner to customers in over 110 countries. To keep up with the latest Tork news and innovations, please visit www.torkusa.com.

About Essity
Essity is a leading global hygiene and health company. We are dedicated to improving well-being through our products and services. Sales are conducted in approximately 150 countries under the leading global brands TENA and Tork, and other strong brands, such as JOBST, Leukoplast, Libero, Libresse, Lotus, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo, Vinda and Zewa. Essity has about 46,000 employees. Net sales in 2019 amounted to approximately $13.5 billion. The company’s headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden, and Essity is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. Essity breaks barriers to well-being and contributes to a healthy, sustainable and circular society. More information at www.essity.com.