Casa Sauza is the first company of the world to apply Total Productive Management (TPM) in the agricultural area. Since in my previous blogs I've already talked about the experiences that we've had while moving forward on each stage of the implementation of the TPM methodology, in this blog I want to talk about the outcome and the results that we achieved in the final audit in order to receive the TPM Excellence Award, category A, given by the JIPM.
At the beginning of August 2018, we took the first evaluation needed in order to get the TPM Excellence Award, Category A. The auditors from Japan evaluated:
- Each of the TPM pillar
- The operational staff at Gemba (Place where the activity is carried out)
The result of this evaluation was satisfactory and gave us "green light" to continue towards the second evaluation, the final audit. We approved this first phase understanding that we still had to work in some tasks to which we agreed to comply with before the scheduled date for the final audit. These tasks would of course be taken into account at the final audit and would have a high value in the score. So all of us, the TPM pillars, were put to work as a team in order to fulfill each of the tasks required by the auditors.
The scheduled date for our final audit was January 14th, 2019, for which the our team organized everything in order to have a rehearsal prior to the event, on January 8, 2019.
When January the 14th finally arrived, we started at 9:00 am sharp with:
- The audit process and the presentation of the progress made, given by each pillar leader. We were given the first results for each leader, which gave us good expectations to get this award.
- After this phase, we went to the core part, the Gemba, at where auditors evaluate the operational staff and verify the effectiveness of what was previously presented by each pillar leader. In this stage, major cases of improvement were presented, which help us to mitigate or eliminate the main losses in our agave production processes.
- Later on, some operators explained what they had learned during each step of the implementation of the autonomous maintenance pillar, which is the most important pillar in TPM. They shared what they learned in each step and how it has an impact on their personal life.
In the end, and after several hours of expositions and evaluations, the final verdict arrived. The whole team was looking forward to receive the results of this second evaluation. After having an almost an hour-long private meeting, the auditors returned to the main hall of the auditorium and presented their final comments, some pending tasks and, the results they gave us was that Casa Sauza's team had become the first company in the world to apply TPM in the agriculture area and grant us the Excellence Award, Category A.
This result makes us proud for sure but also challenges us to continue joining forces in order to keep up with the achievements so far accomplished, always seeking excellence. If you want to learn more about our production processes, from the planting of the agave to the final production of the tequila, come to Casa Sauza and take one of our guided tours at our production plant. We are waiting for you!