"Everyday we enjoy the economies of an efficient plant layout."

Robert Gallagher

President, ACE Graphic Services
Lenexa, Kansas

Webinars

	Five Basic Principles of Plant Layout
	View the multimedia webinar
	By Hal Ettinger

Consider this: Your existing layout is either your silent partner or your worst enemy. As a silent partner it’s working behind the scene 24/7 to make your plant operations efficient and make you money. If it’s your worst enemy, your layout erodes your bottom line 24/7 and makes working at your plant an employees’ nightmare. Silent partner or worst enemy? Not a difficult decision to make knowing you can directly influence the decision.

The primary objective in any plant layout is twofold: 1) to move materials and people in the most direct and efficient manner and 2) to allow for growth—i.e., new production equipment, new or expanding departments—without altering established material-handling aisles and practices (assuming they’re working) or reducing existing square footage of work-in-process and staging areas.

Movement of product and potential for growth determine if your plant layout is a silent partner or your worst enemy. These two standards should guide you in evaluating your existing layout or when expanding or moving operations.