Desmond T Chari

• Lead Process Optimization: I oversaw the design, implementation, and improvement of processes to enhance efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness.
• Lead Process Optimization: I initiated and led a Kaizen Forum with the mandate of bringing managers, supervisors and operators from the different departments within our supply chains to come together and bring out any problems we may have and tackle them one by one as projects to eradicate waste.
• Team training: I conducted a 5S Housekeeping workshop to foster the Lean initiatives to develop our operators to understand the benefits of an organized working environment.
• Project Management: Plan and execute projects, was involved with the several projects to date and some of them included (new workbenches in machine shop, assembly tables cladding project to upgrade the look of our workshop).
• Data Analysis: Analyze production data to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, or quality issues and develop a streamlined process. I conducted a feasibility study to explore other options available on SAP to reveal and reduce variations. Explored the use of personnel numbers to realize value and accountability of time claimed by the operators versus the time worked to establish operator efficiencies.
• Process Design: I was instrumental in developing and refining process flows of products and materials with the use of VSM. Initiated and led the one bin flow exercise to try recover non-value adding time lost in picking and putting away of parts after receiving them and then picking them again for production.
• Development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Having done a SMED event on one of the WorkCentre and seen several opportunities that we could apply to improve our setup time, one of the opportunities was to create a standard way of setting up the same product family parts. I worked on this with the help of the Operations Manager, Production Manager, Supervisor and Operator on (work center) conducted a work study on the impellers and drew up an SOP for Setting Up of all Impellers on that machine.
• Equipment Specifications Designs: I was involved with safety concerns brought up by the painters when it comes to painting baseplates, with that information I helped design a Painting Rotor Jig which reduced the time taken to paint baseplates of various sizes and weight. I used the DFMA tools during the conceptualization phase and conducted the FMEA analysis before the manufacturing of the jig began.
• Equipment Specifications Designs: I designed and implemented a Gasket Holder for the Standard Pumps assembly line this was after receiving several concerns from the Warehouse people on the number of breakages they had on Gaskets for Volute Casings. Used the PFMEA model to look at the current picking process and all the possible failures and effects in designing a Gasket Holder stand.
• Fostering a Continuous Improvement culture: Implement methodologies like Lean, Six Sigma, or Kaizen to drive operational excellence and also drive the change into the company culture.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Worked with departments like Production, Quality Control, Technical and Warehousing to align our processes to work together towards meeting our business objectives.
• Compliance and Safety: Ensure processes comply with industry regulations, safety standards, and environmental guidelines. I developed templates for the IMS department to assist in ensuring we are always working in a safe and environmentally friendly environment that is always looking out for an incident and drawing up toolbox talks around that to raise awareness amongst everyone working at KSB SA.
• Cost Management: Identify opportunities to reduce costs through process improvements or resource optimization. I was involved in a project for external balancing of impellers, the volumes and the amounts spend over 3 years, using the CBA
• Cost benefit analysis
• On our expenses on subcontracting balancing of our impellers as compared to doing it inhouse, we have bought these machines and are currently awaiting delivery.
• Technology Integration: I evaluated and suggested implementing new technologies, such as automation or process enhancing tooling, to increase performance. I conducted time studies on the pedestal assembly (sub assembly) for the ETA C &D pedestals and designed and implemented a Vertical Hydraulic and Pneumatic Press which optimized the subassemblies processing time and improved our throughput on pumps.
• Reporting: I prepared a standard template to document our Kaizens and present it as a report to show our before and after improvement states, and project these Kaizen reports to senior management in our Green Area and the Global Operations team.
• Substance Preservation: I was tasked to update and maintain the production database for our machines in KSB SA. This global platform is also used to replace and restore machines and to also monitor degradation based on the age of the machine.
• Fostering a Continuous Improvement culture: I led the setting up of a Green Area, with all the boards and trained people on how to conduct a Green Area meeting. Also designed the IMS Incidents board as well as the Kaizen Wall of Fame.
• Led Root Cause Analysis (RCA) on major equipment failures using 5 Why, Fishbone, and FMEA to eliminate recurring breakdowns.
• Developed and optimized preventive and condition-based maintenance strategies to improve asset reliability and reduce unplanned downtime.
• Improved MTBF and reduced MTTR through data-driven reliability initiatives and standardized best practices for critical plant equipment.
• Performed asset criticality assessments and implemented risk-based maintenance strategies to mitigate production and safety risks.
• Monitored and analyzed KPIs (OEE, availability, reliability, maintenance cost) using CMMS systems (e.g., SAP PM / Maximo) to drive performance improvements.
• Reduced maintenance costs through optimized spare parts management, breakdown cost reduction, and repair vs replace evaluations.
• Led continuous improvement projects and substance preservation CAPEX projects aligned with Lean and reliability best practices.

Achievements:

• Led teams in Lean manufacturing or World class manufacturing thinking and how to see value and manage waste.
• I conducted a week-long SMED Events where we established a team to carry out observations on each other's machines then seat down after to discuss opportunities.
• I mastered the different Industrial Engineering techniques i.e. Time studies, Method study, Process mapping (VSM), Cycle time, Takt time, fishbone diagram, Spider web diagram, FMEA, bottleneck processes etc.
• I got to meet and network with people, bench mark and brainstorm on processes when I attended the Global Operations Conference in Brazil.
• I grew my network in suppliers that can offer solutions to our problems within our manufacturing processes at cost effective prices.
• My confidence in project management skills grew and I can say I can handle CAPEX projects and have a good understanding for the time value of money or ROA.
• My team engagement skills and team role management also grew over time, I still like winning but I appreciate the team winning even more.
• Was involved with a team in implementing Heijunka (production levelling) through the application of the Glenday Sieve technique.

• In charge of scheduling and confirming new orders delivery dates for the Omega, Etanorm &MegaCPK pumps.
• Sort string the big components in a new order for buy buyouts to presume to the scheduled timeline.
• Analyze the workflow of planned and scheduled orders based on the materials and constraints.
• Convert planned orders for material (usually the sort strings) to purchase requisition and liaise with buying about deliveries of those buyouts from suppliers.
• Generate rework orders from a nonconformance report thus reworks on an X3 NCR.
• Monitor the daily orders that the Engineering department have finished working on and change the status from 6 to 1 (once turned to 1 they can be released for assembly or baseplate fabrication).
• Check for shortages and liaise with the planner for machine shop about parts needed for machining.
• Read through the QCP for the different jobs under my product line and start inputting the operations into the route cards.
• Read through the sales text and QCP's to put all the relevant milestones into the route card operations.
• Weekly feedback given to the contract department about orders in my product range that are due that week and the following week.
• Check the capacity in the work shop and release the orders as scheduled.
• Arrange with the contracts department for all the customer inspections and also chase assembly to always meet those dates set in each milestone thus Hydro tests, Performance tests and Final Inspection.
• Check the holding area for the Warehouse and update manager if picking has not been done for a particular pump.
• Check on the NCR tasks and resolve the action plan as per the countermeasures.
• Close off all the NCR's completed tasked under my username on SAP.
• Assist with issuing of parts not in the BOM, after the NCR is done I would release the shortages listed by Quality Inspector having liaised with the Engineering/ Technical team.
• Expedite the buyers for the shortages within the orders due in two weeks.
• Compile DMAIC for the monthly meetings and see our OTD for that month and areas we can improve for better delivery.

Achievements:

• Gained knowledge in a variety of the different pump ranges KSB manufactures, was responsible for the Omega's, Etanorm's, MegaCPK.
• Gained engineering specifications knowledge mostly stated in the QCP's and Sales text.
• Managed the different project lags and project leads, basically running a project in its entirety with all the milestones and certifications documented.
• Learnt about the project schedules and how to manage the timeline on a daily basis on SAP.
• Explored and applied the use of a Gantt chart when scheduling the orders on SAP, how you schedule your succeeding operations and preceding operations was very important.
• Coordinated material procurement efforts, ensuring on-time availability of components for uninterrupted production cycles.
• Created new production processes by analyzing current workflow and coordinating customer orders based on material availability and production capacity.
• Customized SAP production planning and detailed scheduling tools to support factory production initiatives.
• Reduced material waste, conducting thorough inventory assessments and implementing precise ordering practices.
• Monitored production metrics to identify trends and areas for improvement, implementing corrective actions as needed.
• Developed and maintained production schedules to meet customer delivery requirements, optimizing resource allocation.
• Forecasted production schedules and adjusted plans to accommodate changes in demand.
• Worked directly with production personnel to resolve production scheduling issues and conflicts.

• In charge of receiving and confirming customer orders to be scheduled for daily production.
• Analyze the workflow of planned and scheduled orders based on the materials shortages and capacity constraints.
• Review and analyze monthly production plans against target turnover and expedite parts shortages.
• Convert planned orders for material to purchase requisition and liaise with buying about deliveries of those orders from suppliers.
• Plan, organize, direct and control daily operations.
• Monitor and evaluate productivity.
• Coordinate requirements for subcontractors according to customer orders be it parts machining or buyouts based on availability.
• Analyze and review the bill of materials against actual usage to ensure accuracy of stock.
• Schedule jobs and send forecasted material requisition to buyers to get the material JIT.
• Encode and analyze data on SAP for reasons we were late in our monthly DMAIC Report.
• Perform capacity planning and inventory planning for machine shop for a two week lead worth of stock for the orders on the system.
• Release shop floor orders or job cards thus make to stock pumps then also load the BOM and operations for the make to order pumps and pump-sets.
• Manage efficiencies of the assembly lines.
• Make sure delivery dates given are met, thus I liaise with the assembly line supervisor to make sure pumps are picked and assembled as per my promised dates.
• Monitor the Kanban for pedestal assemblies and release accordingly.
• Check for shortages and liaise with the planner for machine shop about parts needed for machining.
• Identify and eradicate bottlenecks on the assembly line to try get the pumps out to the customers on time.
• Receive and release returned pumps for re-work or for stripping of parts.
• Release machining of spares that go into our different pump ranges, we keep stock of most spares in our Spares branch.
• Release baseplates for fabrication and welding thus they are machined or galvanized as per customer requests.
• Compile reports and graphs for management meetings.
• Liaise with sales department about orders and give them delivery dates.
• Compile DMAIC for the monthly meetings and see our OTD for that month and areas we can improve for better delivery.
• Https://www.ksb.com/en-za/company
• Achievements: Managed the end-to-end processes in the Standard Plant thus how to prepare, schedule jobs according to target plans set for the company, chase parts for machining, assemble pumps and get them dispatched.
• Grew my relationship skills to ensure work is done and coordinated with employees.
• Analyzed problems and continuously improved the assembly line for better delivery to customers.
• Performed line balancing to improve line efficiencies and train operators on the A3 Thinking template.
• Spearheaded monthly meetings with departments involved to iron out problems we have to make sure we improve on our daily deliveries.
• Applied industrial engineering tactics on production planning and how to increase efficiencies.
• Learnt of how dispatch works after they receive completed pumps, thus from running shipment to running delivery notes after pumps are packaged and marked for the customer.
• Learnt of the theory of constraints in any manufacturing environment.
• Reviewed inventories, tracked production statuses and ordered materials to foster consistent availability and production schedule adherence.
• Worked directly with production personnel to resolve production scheduling issues and conflicts.
• Presented updated order and production status reports to sales staff and management.
• Developed production schedules according to deadlines for existing orders and sales forecasting.
• Analyzed capacity constraints for optimal resource allocation, maximizing throughput while minimizing costs.
• Managed change requests effectively, balancing priorities while minimizing disruptions to ongoing operations.
• Conducted regular reviews of demand forecasts, adjusting production schedules as needed to maintain optimal inventory levels without compromising customer service standards.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to identify process improvements, resulting in increased productivity levels.
• Improved on-time delivery rates with diligent tracking of orders and proactive communication with stakeholders.
• Worked with engineering, production, and testing departments to implement corrective actions for missed milestones.
• Planned and established production schedules and optimized control levels for diversified manufacturing operations.
• Directed materials planning and team performance to support company initiatives and goals.
• Participated in root cause analysis exercises to address quality concerns, fostering a culture of continuous improvement among team members.
• Engaged in both long and short-term project planning, strategizing for on-time, high-quality deliverables.
• Developed comprehensive production plans to ensure timely completion of customer orders and minimize stockouts.
• Supported new product introductions by collaborating with engineering and quality teams during prototype development stages.
• Contributed to cost reduction efforts by identifying areas for potential savings within the production planning process, leading to increased profitability.
• Employed accurate forecasting to increase efficiency and reduce waste.
• Oversaw integration of new technology into production process, significantly boosting output.
• Optimized production schedules for peak efficiency, reallocating resources as necessary to meet shifting demands.
• Led cross-functional teams to address and resolve production bottlenecks swiftly, minimizing downtime.
• Collaborated with engineering team to refine product designs for manufacturability, enhancing production efficiency.
• Enhanced operational transparency with comprehensive reporting on production statistics, challenges, and achievements.
• Enhanced team collaboration with regular coordination meetings, leading to more cohesive production strategy.
• Streamlined communication between production department and upper management, ensuring timely updates on production progress and issues.
• Planned production schedules, taking employee production rates, company needs and seasonal changes into account.
• Prepared and maintained comprehensive production reports to highlight production developments for management review.
• Researched and compiled information on variety of planning issues from multiple sources, prepared thorough reports and presented findings in [Type] meetings.
• Coordinated material procurement efforts, ensuring on-time availability of components for uninterrupted production cycles.
• Customized SAP production planning and detailed scheduling tools to support factory production initiatives.
• Reduced material waste, conducting thorough inventory assessments and implementing precise ordering practices.
• Developed and maintained production schedules to meet customer delivery requirements, optimizing resource allocation.
• Monitored production metrics to identify trends and areas for improvement, implementing corrective actions as needed.

• Was responsible for setting up a process that controls our purchasing department as well as develop systems that govern our internal supply chain i.e. movement of raw materials.
• Visual management of the factory as well as the store rooms thus I developed the Factory tools shadow wall for convenience of the operators as well as to reduce the down time.
• Visual Management of the factory, I developed and put up a Reworks board or Snag list. This identified our customer mistakes, design department mistakes as well as quality defects and outlined it in the factory for everyone to see as well as plan and track all our reworks till they are shipped out to the customer.
• To setup Lean concepts in our manufacturing processes thus I developed a 5s Store room thus a well-organized store room with everything in place and a place for everything. This also reduced the time we spend at issuing out raw materials since everything was clearly marked out and easily identified.
• I developed process flows in the Purchasing department after doing value stream mapping and root cause analysis I came up with a system for receiving materials, rejecting defected material as well as dispatching final products.
• I developed a Kanban PULL system for any internal dispatch of material, thus a signal to initiate the need for material from the factory operators. This made it easy to account for everything we used from the pop rivets to the vinyl wrap that was applied.
• Was responsible for encouraging operators to come up with ideas for processes continuous improvements (Kaizens). This simplified work and raised the operator's awareness of waste and ways of eliminating it.
• Carried out Gemba walks in the factory and observed the work being done as well as the work area. These allowed me to bond with the operators as well as learn the processes more as the work was been done. These walks impacted valid areas of improvements.
• Also responsible for Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) more on the preventative maintenance of the machines.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining standard operating procedures (SOP's) at the different work stations.
• Responsible for liaising with our suppliers on a day to day basis to facilitate the day to day deliveries of raw materials used in the factory i.e. pop rivets, vinyl rolls, Posey screws etc.
• Managing in-house ongoing projects in the factory thus the ongoing Business improvement projects that furthered the vision by management to commit to simplifying the Work methods used by operators to get more throughputs and thus in turn realize more products within the daily availability.

Achievements:

• I learnt the fundamentals of Operation supply chains or value streams i.e. Lead times, Transportation, Distance, Quantity, Price, Quality and supplier after sale services.
• I learnt how to implement 5s successfully in an organization that never had Lean concepts in their processes.
• I learnt about the Order winners and Order qualifiers from the different suppliers I met thus the requirements our organization considered for a viable competitor in the market.
• I learnt of our manufacturing strategy vs. other suppliers and how it played a part in production planning as well as delivery thus there's make to stock, make to order, Engineer to order, assemble to order. We used the Make to order model which was Just in Time.
• I learnt how to manage inventory (material) within the factory and optimize inventory to its full use and not just throw away inventory without any accountability.
• I grew an eye for waste and worked on ways of always encouraging operators to eliminate waste (Muda).
• I implemented a process called Shop floor control which is any action done to ensure that the material requirement plan always meets the production plan thus one looks at the time, process, product, quantity and plant equipment and labor availability.
• I also learnt of the Priority and Capacity relationship in Production Planning.
• I learnt of the challenges in small manufacturing firms, their KPI's and how they can make or break the organization.

• Carry out time studies on operations while operators carried out their duties.
• Carry out process mapping on the different processes as well as conduct value stream mapping to separate all the non-value adding elements from the value adding processes.
• Visual management thus updating information on the different green area boards.
• Taking pictures for the GEMBA walks and also the wall of shame / wall of fame (a Visual Management Board used to alert management (operations team) of the progress in our LEAN journey.)
• Fortnight presentations in the Operations Team boardroom meetings on Kaizens for the coming month, thus before and after the Kaizens were completed.
• Weekly presentations on 5s and Housekeeping in the Operations Team meetings.
• Designing of ergonomical jigs to aid operators in meeting their daily tasks and duties. These small improvements are referred to as continuous improvements (Kaizens).
• Formulating elements for new standard operating procedures (SOP's) and taking pictures for them as well as loading them on QPulse, an internal database for all total quality management.
• Updating the Kaizen tracker both soft and hard copy on the shop floor boards.
• Implemented Total Productive Maintenance (TPM's) on the different machines we used in my department and constantly checked and reviewed them. I mostly concentrated on the preventative maintenance to ensure day to day running of the machines.
• Also improve setup time using single minute exchange die (SMED) techniques thus work towards reduction of our setup times/cycle times for different operations. I managed to implement quick release fasteners as compared to using bolts and nuts as a concern and countermeasure in the rubber lining department.
• Monitored and recorded the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) on the green area boards as well as the soft copy, this data would be displayed in graphical form to see our machine breakdowns, machine efficiencies as well as machine productivity compared to their down times.
• Trained operators on 5S Housekeeping, the different LEAN principles and the 8Deadly wastes (Muda). These training sessions were kept on file which came in handy in tracking and updating the Skills Matrix board as well as establishing Good practice in a working environment.
• Trained operators on new SOP's for new equipment as well as old SOP's that I had updated according to the different changes in the processes involved and kept it on file.
• Putting up kaizens for the month on the A3 thinking template as well as present these Kaizens to the operations team before it was put on the Kaizens wall.
• Grading and updating the factory Kaizens wall for all our Kaizens across all departments i.e. Silver, Bronze, Platinum and Gold.
• Managing in-house business improvement projects of the departments I was working under thus all the continuous improvement endeavors we had going on be it long term or short term.
• Liaising with suppliers and getting quotes for our daily consumables as well as any Capital project I was involved in.
• Buying and managing the inventory of our daily consumables in the department thus mostly pop reverts and vinyl wrap rolls.
• Formulating purchase requisitions and purchase orders for suppliers.
• Value stream mapping to always map out our processes to try reduce the non-value adding procedures.
• Process mapping of our operations or methods of manufacturing to realize opportunities by using the 5 why's methodology.
• Conducting Quality audits of the products coming out every day before being dispatched using the 3C's control chart thus I would randomly pick out any rubber lined part and its engineering drawing and conduct a quality audit with the operator who lined it as well as the shift supervisor.
• Conducting dojo training on Quality dimensions and raising awareness on Quality.
• Attending the Slotting room meetings to track our jobs for the week and also check on any material or lot delays as well as the upcoming jobs we have to chase.

Achievements:

• I learnt the Lean manufacturing or World class manufacturing thinking and how to see and manage waste.
• I learnt how to carry out a project till it's finished, was awarded Continuous Improvement Achiever of the month in our SMED kaizens month.
• I learnt the fundamentals of Quality, the Quality tools and its dimensions in a Quality workshop.
• I mastered the different Industrial Engineering techniques i.e. time studies, method study, process mapping, cycle time, takt time, fishbone diagram, spider web diagram.
• I was introduced to Operation leadership strategies and learnt how participation in a manufacturing environment can help you see the challenges the operators face daily which helps you a lot in carrying out root cause analysis.
• Learnt how grasping the basics of Lean Manufacturing thus 5S Housekeeping can have a positive impact on reducing all 7 wastes. A well-organized work center leaves no room for idleness and looking for things thus more time available at adding value.
• I learnt how to train operators and team leaders, such a drive for upskilling and empowering our greatest assets had huge impacts on the organization's success in reaching their goals in world class manufacturing.
• Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Proven ability to learn quickly and adapt to new situations.
• Worked well in a team setting, providing support and guidance.
• Skilled at working independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Managed time efficiently in order to complete all tasks within deadlines.
• Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.
• Paid attention to detail while completing assignments.
• Resolved problems, improved operations, and provided exceptional service.