EPicentre
New Melksham Production Facility for EP2002
The stunning new EP2002 production area at Melksham in the UK, named EPicentre is now operational and was formally opened in May. This new facility demonstrates the future way forward as an example of excellence within Knorr-Bremse and provides sustainable improvement to the KBRS Product Cell concept.
The original EP2002 area was not ideal and had reached the limit of its potential. Processing capacity could not be improved in line with the demand for this outstanding product and something new had to be created.
It was therefore decided to take a totally fresh look at our EP2002 production not only with a view to optimising the assembly process, aligning capacity with current/future demand but also to ensure that quality levels were raised and maintained.
The objective of the new facility was to create a World Class manufacturing facility for a World Class product. Not only was the new area designed and built to be more efficient (with a planned 25 % productivity gain) but also to “look the part.”
The new area had to demonstrate both internally and to our Customers that EP2002 being manufactured in an environment appropriate to the nature of the product. The very fact that the area is so visual demonstrates the pride in the production and preparation of the product before it is despatched to Customers.
In addition to the operating EP2002 area KBRS have planned ahead and have a similar “clean” area ready for the production of the EP1001 wheel slide protection system for freight trains. This innovative system, developed at KBRS, is currently undergoing UK based running trials.
Much planning and effort went into the creation of the EPicentre by a Knorr-Bremse team working together with participation from the UK as well as KPS experts from around the Rail Group Europe.
The move to the new facility from the old resulted in very little disruption to planned production schedules.
During the planning process questions were asked about the key issues in EP2002 manufacturing process. These issues included how to optimise the assembly process, how to deploy standard work and in fully understanding the importance of clearly defined roles and responsibilities at all levels in the EP2002 build process.
“The new EP2002 facility is working extremely well and as predicted quality and production levels are improving, to me although we have a step change in performance this is only the beginning that sets the baseline for improvement going forward”.
Commented KBRS Head of Operations, Adie Webb who was responsible for leading the project and is delighted with the new approach, he added, “I would like to congratulate the team who realised this project and who together have created a facility which we can all be proud of. The EPicentre now far better reflects the prestigious nature of EP2002, a globally successful product. The process we have recently gone through on realising the Epicentre is I am confident, repeatable on other “running” products. This fits with our approach of a programme of development regarding our current Product Cell concept and is in line with our commitment to Continuous Improvement within KBRS.”
