Their customer demanded price reductions so they had to find ways to reduce direct labor costs on their flexible packaging lines.

Work sampling, delay studies and time studies were performed on different packing configurations for one specific line. The line is flexible enough to handle a variety of customer packaging requirements, each requiring a different number of people. Six different packaging configurations were observed. Solutions such as combining jobs, line balancing, simple machine modifications and minor layout changes were developed to save direct labor. The line was previously staffed with anywhere from 21 to 28 people depending on the packaging configuration. With the proposed changes, the staffing was reduced by 5 to 6 people per shift, depending on the packaging configuration.