From accelerated maintenance to raising the benchmark for haul truck engine life, Continuous Improvement has been a major driver in Teck’s Cost Reduction Program that’s delivered over $1.1 billion in savings since 2013.
As an important next step, Teck’s Continuous Improvement Guidelines have been updated and relaunched to provide the relevant framework for ongoing Continuous Improvement. The update also helps to ensure the savings we have made to date are embedded within our business, something we call “sustaining the gains”. At the same time, we continue to look for opportunities to further reduce costs, and to improve our margins through additional production and productivity improvements under our Margin Improvement Program.
At the site level, a site scan process has been developed to identify the main gaps in their local Continuous Improvement process. The results from the scan will allow sites to define a prioritized work plan to close their gaps and support their own Continuous Improvement.
As part of the relaunch, key aspects of the Continuous Improvement process have been summarized in six Guiding Principles. By asking ourselves how we can do things differently to achieve better results, Continuous Improvement will be a tool that will continue to add value now and in the years to come.
For further information about the Continuous Improvement program, contact Claudio Bustos, Continuous Improvement Lead, claudio.bustos@teck.com.
Continuing and Guiding Principles
- We answer “why” before “how”: we need to understand that a Continuous Improvement process is critical to remain competitive
- We use data and information to make decisions: we use tools to prioritize and focus on the most valuable initiatives
- We use cross functional teams: we run idea generation sessions, bringing together departments to look for opportunities to add value
- We plan before we act: we develop implementation plans upfront
- We close the loop with good follow-up: we embed initiatives in our business and periodically review progress to ensure we sustain the change
- We share knowledge and learn from others: we share Continuous Improvement success stories within Teck and elsewhere, and we replicate solutions where it makes sense
