Vogue Laundry Logistics & Production Process Re-engineering Project

Vogue Laundry Service Limited (abbreviated as "VLS"), a subsidiary of the Cathay Pacific Airways operates a major commercial laundry plant in Hong Kong serving airlines, hotels, club houses and institutions. VLS planned to relocate the laundry facilities from Tuen Mun to Yuen Long Industrial Estate by the end of 2016, and invited BPS to provide consultancy service on logistics and production workflow optimization together with new laundry machines & material handling system implementation. Also, BPS helped to fine-tune the new layout design and operations workflow to fit the future requirements.

Project Challenges

• Lack of scientific tools to quantify the operation performance of different layout options developed by the potential equipment suppliers
• Previous design planning options were based on empirical experience. This may cause potential and latent bottleneck problems that will cause risk in implementation and practical operations
• The operation key performance indicators (KPI) measurement is not fully implemented
• Synchronization of human/machine utilization rates are one of the key concerns in the new design
• The redundant manual logistics operations flow in buffer storage, sorting, processing, temporary staging and loading shall be improved
• The logistics implementation management in the new facility shall be included to make sure the new design is properly executed

Project Summary

• As-is Process flow analysis and to-be Process flow design
• bottleneck problem solving, including operation, machine layout, human/machine balancing and resource allocation
• Establish of operation key performance indicators (KPI)
• Distribution and route planning
• Streamline transport equipment design including truck fleet and shipping containers
• Re-alignment of collect & delivery and production schedule

Project Results and Benefits

• Optimize and streamline logistics and production process with a process map to improve operation efficiency and shorten process lead time
• Design new distribution routing, truck fleet and shipping containers to improve transportation efficiency and reduce transportation cost
• Construct transportation, production and resources allocation plan according to daily actual demand
• Analyze new facility layout and provide recommendations to ensure new design is properly executed and successfully setup