Maximizing efficiency in the synthetic rubber industry

Company Overview
The company is a global leader in the synthetic and chemical rubber markets, ranking among the top ten manufacturers worldwide. Established in 1999 following the merger of two well-established organisations, it operates production facilities in Spain, Mexico and China.

With more than 55 years of accumulated experience in the highly competitive synthetic rubber industry, the company manages a portfolio of over 100 products. Its solutions serve a wide range of sectors, including the chemical, agrochemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and automotive industries, supporting customers with high-performance and specialised materials.

The Challenge
Despite its strong market position and extensive expertise, the company was facing a number of operational challenges that were limiting overall efficiency and increasing costs.

Energy waste was not fully visible at shop-floor level, and the organisational culture lacked a strong focus on workplace organisation and standardised routines. At the same time, finishing lines were generating high levels of waste and out-of-specification products, leading to extended changeover times and frequent unplanned stoppages caused by equipment failures.

In addition, deviations in chemical usage and packaging material consumption were common. These issues were further exacerbated by limited communication between departments and natural work teams, making it difficult to address problems in a coordinated and sustainable manner.
As a result, operational inefficiencies increased, costs rose, and overall plant performance was negatively affected.

The Approach
To overcome these challenges, the company launched a Global Lean Project, built around a structured and comprehensive continuous improvement strategy.
A key pillar of the programme was the implementation of Daily Kaizen at Levels I, II and III, creating a systematic forum for teams to identify inefficiencies, escalate issues and drive continuous improvement on a daily basis.

Process improvement initiatives focused on products that generated the highest levels of waste or required equipment adaptations. In parallel, structured problem-solving projects were deployed to reduce out-of-specification products by addressing root causes such as colour variation, packaging material inconsistencies, moisture and contamination.

Energy and resource optimisation was another critical element of the approach. By revising technical specifications and operating parameters, the company significantly reduced water and electricity consumption across several stages of the production process.

To improve operational stability, teams worked on standardising reliability at cell level, targeting line availability issues such as breakdowns, process inefficiencies and production delays.

The programme was reinforced through a series of Kaizen events, including:
•SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Die) initiatives to reduce product changeover times
•Kobetsu Kaizen projects addressing specific issues such as chemical consumption, warehouse layout optimisation and line productivity improvements
In addition, a structured safety system model was developed and implemented, and the warehouse layout was redesigned to improve material flow, accessibility and overall logistics efficiency.

Results
The Global Lean Project delivered substantial operational improvements and significant cost savings, all achieved without capital investment, resulting in immediate payback.

Key outcomes included:
•An 8% reduction in product changeover time
•A 30% decrease in energy consumption
•A 9% increase in plant availability
•A 3% reduction in chemical and packaging material consumption

Beyond these measurable results, the project delivered important intangible benefits. The introduction of a structured continuous improvement model strengthened cross-functional collaboration, improved problem-solving capabilities and embedded a Lean culture throughout the organisation, creating a solid foundation for sustained operational excellence.

Contact 
Kaizen Institute