Manufacturing Today Issue - 225 June 2024 | Page 79

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Vestre to maximize the positive impact on people and society . And we want to inspire others , to show that it is possible to produce sustainable furniture , efficiently , even in a high-cost country like Norway .”
Focus areas
Ethically conscious production is paramount to Vestre ’ s goal . The company ’ s production network is always being refined , as Erik details : “ The factory in Magnor has only been up and running since the spring of 2022 , so there is a lot to learn and improve upon . Already in its second year in production , the volume output of the facility has grown by about 45 percent compared to the year before . This was a challenge , but with our outstanding production facilities and equipment we were able to manage the growth in a good way .
“ Painting and wood manufacturing are completely new processes for Vestre and used to be sourced from external suppliers . This equipment is technically advanced , and it takes time to establish the right set-up . During the start-up of The Plus facility , we have been focusing on insourcing , up-time and predictability in the manufacturing process .
“ Insourcing gives us greater capability to meet demand from the market , especially regarding lead time and manufacturing cost . This is because it gives us even more control over the production flow . To be able to keep the machinery like new , we are focusing on maintenance performed by the operators , who know the machinery best through firsthand experience . These teams can find deviation in its early stages , before it grows into a bigger issue .
“ During the year , we will install a system for monitoring the overall efficiency of the site and start measuring OEE in some pilot machines . In the steel factory , at Torsby , we
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