Iron Ore

Iron Ore Producer Cuts Rail Cycle Time and Ups Shipping Volume

CHALLENGE

One of the world’s largest iron ore producers faced supply chain constraints because of sub-optimal rail yard cycle times. While the company knew there was significant potential for improvement, they could not quantify and achieve it themselves due to poor operational discipline, a risk-averse culture, lack of performance transparency and a reliance on manual processes.

SOLUTION

A diagnostic assessment by dss⁺ identified the potential to reduce yard cycle time by 40%. To achieve this, dss+ pursued two approaches. The first focused on the people and processes involved:

• Re-designing planning & task allocation processes to eliminate non-value-add tasks.
• Developing & deploying a playbook (operating strategy & tactics), TARP (Trigger, Action, Response Plan) & SIC (Short Interval Control)
• Re-designing a 100-year-old process to set up & test trains prior to departure.
• Coaching of frontline leaders and operators.
• Updating & embedding scheduling assumptions and KPIs.

The second phase targeted technology and automation to sustain changes and included:

• Automating granular timestamps for key activities & developing self-serve KPI dashboards.
• Automating & standardizing delay accounting system.
• Designing & introducing digital mobility solutions (tablets & custom-built app) for task allocation & completion.