20.08.2008

Lavendon rolls-out UK techincal standard

Lavendon Access Services, the groups UK operation, has introduced a standard of technical excellence for the businesses under its umbrella.

The ‘TechX’ project, as it has been dubbed, came out of an intensive customer survey in 2006 which clearly highlighted the fact that a key criteria to the selection of a rental provider was the reliability of the equipment once on site.

A TechX project team was formed from employees across the Lavendon UK to identify where improvements could be made and assisted by consultants, set a benchmark of best practice in a number of key areas, including engineering and equipment maintenance, environmental management, procurement, housekeeping and health & safety.
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Panther Luton is the first to win Lavendon's TechX status

Once best practice was identified the team devised a programme to implement the standard across all Lavendon’s UK locations. The project is being supported by JLG with a series of seminars covering manufacturing standards and what’s involved in achieving and maintaining them.

Lavendon UK Operations director Mick Ledden said: “Through following the 5S procedures – Sort, Set, Standardise, Shine and Sustain, each depot will find that improved organisation will lead to improved health & safety, and better all round performance. The 5S programme is tried and tested by companies such as Boeing and Hewlett-Packard, and as results so far have been so positive, it is an initiative we are certainly set to continue.”

TechX status is achieved following a comprehensive audit by Lavendon’s TechX team, with annual reviews in order to retain it. The process, depending on the size of the depot, takes between 12 to 20 weeks to complete.

The first location within the group to win TechX recognition is the Luton depot of Panther platform rentals. Lavendon hopes that all of its UK locations will have achieved the status within the next two years.