DIGEST

More documents

Recommendations

Info

news Business Stream 1 In this Digest feature we showcase the exceptional capabilities of the various sites that make up DSG which completes our ever increasing capabilities offering to provide an end-to-end support to the equipment life cycle to our Armed Forces customer. DSG structures its sites into three streams. This particular feature focuses on Business Stream 1 (BS1) which is based on the Donnington site. It is the largest DSG site with approximately 620 employees working on various platforms including light and medium armoured vehicles such as Warrior, CVR(T), BV206 and a portfolio of over 160 other product lines. DSG Donnington has the in-house capability to deliver a wide range of services from assembly repair services to upgrading platforms, general engineering support, carpentry and textile repair. DSG strives to deliver best value for Defence and introduced a number of transformation programmes including Operational Excellence to improve efficiency and this is clearly evident in Donnington. Over the years the site has L-R, Gill Cherry, HR manager with Pete Williams rebuilding an SA80 as part of Donnington’s back to the shop floor programme in response to feedback from the CSPS results undergone various transformations to improve its processes, investing not only in equipment but also training. The site strips down platforms to every last nut and bolt and then meticulously repairs and rebuilds them. The introduction of a pulse line in the vehicle strip section made a significant improvement to the depth repair programme carried out on Armoured Vehicles. The employees embraced the positive effect, which includes the control and throughput of vehicles, improved working environment and health and safety conditions. Adoption of new methods of working including strip, survey and stop have led to managers and team leaders gaining greater control by understanding what is required for the job, visibility of hours booked and better, tighter controls on material. It is anticipated that the improvement will help deliver the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP), where working with Lockheed Martin (UK), DSG will align base overhaul with a major upgrade programme. For now the site is working with Lockheed Martin designers and engineers on the prototype in the modification of the turret and hull and assembly of the test vehicle, with the possibility of upgrading further development vehicles and involvement in the programme when in production. The site also evaluated the processes and procedures in its Light Weapons workshop. The adoption of lean Donnington pulse line principles saw significant improvements, with throughput time on one particular line dropping from ten days to four days and the available capacity more than doubling. Other significant investments include the provision of a new Ultra High Pressure (UHP) wash facility. The site acquired two new buildings to accommodate the in-house wash and UHP facilities. The investment provides a modern facility equipped with a new UHP unit operating at a lower pressure therefore reducing health and safety risks to the operators whilst still achieving efficient turn-around times. An important internal resource in Donnington is the work of the Tech Services team. The team formed from amalgamating several different business functions to provide a more centred and structured approach to technical engineering support and technical solutions. They are the first point of contact to provide the appropriate and most up to date approved source information to deliver the services the technicians require on the shop floor. 8 <strong>DIGEST</strong> October/November 2013 www.dsg.mod.uk
news Before – The Light Weapons workshop before the transformation journey After – Improvements to the Light Weapons workshop after adopting lean principles Initially acting as a data capture team, Tech Services successfully supported the introduction of Baan into the business stream by creating and managing routes and bills of materials ready for the switch over from the old system in November 2010. Since cutover the department has vastly widened the scope of support it provides including Equipment Lifecycle Support, Engineering Change and Document Control, New Service Provision services, direct project support and local manufacture to name but a few. It has built on its initial success by working closely with operations and other support functions to optimise the flow of work through the business. At the heart of Donnington and all the various DSG sites are our people. Their skill and expertise make DSG a lean, forward thinking business with an impressive pedigree of military capabilities. The site has an established Apprentice Training Centre with an enviable record of turning-out qualified and skilled technicians of the highest calibre with many excelling in MOD’s apprentice competitions. In 2012, Donnington recruited four Supply Chain apprentices and the business has seen them develop both their functional and academic skills and knowledge. This year Donnington expanded this further to include Finance, Tech Services and Compliance apprenticeships who should graduate into functional experts with recognised qualifications. Across DSG, management is taking actions on feedback from the Civil Service People Survey. One particular area employees thought required improvement in BS1 is ensuring that people are treated fairly and poor performance is managed effectively and consistently across the business stream. Working closely with line managers, Donnington implemented Human Resources (HR) surgeries so that managers have in place a structured and confidential forum in which they can raise any people issues and discuss suitable courses of action with the HR team. The advice provided ensures a consistent approach across the business stream and any actions are carried out in a timely manner in accordance with Policy, Rules and Guidance. A major benefit is the knowledge and understanding that lesser experienced line managers are now able to develop, particularly from those managers with more experience, having dealt with many of the issues before. This in turn contributes towards the building of a more proactive culture in which managers feel comfortable and understand what is required of them. In addition, sharing best practice also helps make sure we adopt a common approach, letting employees see the benefits. Following a programme of education and training, Donnington’s absence levels are at their lowest ever level with trigger points closely monitored and medical advice sought early on to help people return to the workplace. The implementation of the new HR Business Partner model to introduce a more modern, strategic, effective and proactive HR approach is now well underway with the team looking forward to their involvement at this exciting time and continuing to support the business going forward. In particular, the focus is developing HR strategies aligned to the business and delivering training and development to support employees who will deliver the capabilities required for the future success of our business. “ In particular, the focus is developing HR strategies aligned to the business and delivering training and development to support employees who will deliver the capabilities required for the future success of our business. ” The new Ultra High Pressure wash facility www.dsg.mod.uk October/November 2013 <strong>DIGEST</strong> 9
Page 4 and 5: DSG Bastion News from DSG Bastion L
Page 6 and 7: sale of DSG Update on the sale of D
Page 11 and 12: Quad Bike 11 © Photographer Cpl Si
Page 13 and 14: news School children visit DSG Colc
Page 15 and 16: news Back to the shop floor Eight f
Page 17 and 18: news Roy provides half a century of
Page 19 and 20: across the country untry Warminster

DIGEST

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?