Process Excellence At Sellafield Ltd Capenhurst Site Case Study

Process Excellence at Sellafield Ltd - PEX Network Case Study

Process Excellence at
Sellafield Ltd
Capenhurst site
Process Excellence Network Case Study

2012 Europe Process Excellence Award Winner

“Honorary Mention - Best Project Over 90 Days”

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CASE STUDY: SELLAFIELD LTD
AWARD WINNING PROJECT – HOW ONE LITTLE IDEA CAN BE WORTH £1.2 MILLION

CONTEXT & PROJECT OVERVIEW:

Sellafield Ltd manages the process of
decommissioning, reprocessing, nuclear waste
management and fuel manufacturing
In October 2010, Capenhurst launched a
activities on behalf of the Nuclear
project aimed at increasing the efficiency of
Decommissioning Authority (NDA).
the process for packaging uranium prior to
The Capenhurst site is split into two, one shipment to a secure storage facility.
owned by the NDA and the other by Urenco
This project generated £1.2 million in savings
UK Ltd. The NDA site is operated by Sellafield
and has accelerated the rate at which the
Ltd and consists of available internal and
radioactive material can be disposed.
external storage space.
Sellafield Ltd’s award winning Waste
Capenhurst also stores safely and securely the
Management Operational Improvement
bulk of the UK's inventory of depleted
Project came about as a result of the
uranium and uranium hexafluoride, products
‘Capenhurst Idea generation scheme,’ a
that are potentially reusable in the nuclear
scheme that is based on the principle that the
fuel cycle, subject to UK government policy.
staff closest to the work are the best placed to
Sellafield Ltd's employees also have valuable identify opportunities for improvement.
skills and experience in waste
For their work and results, the Waste
characterisation, recycling and disposal, which
Management Operational Improvement
have been acquired during Capenhurst's drive
Project won an honorary mention in PEX
to become the UK's first nuclear licensed site
Network’s Process Excellence Awards for Best
to complete it's main plant decommissioning
Project Over 90 Days.
programme.
The Pan-European award recognises
The site is now investigating how it can
improvements in manufacturing or service
maximise these assets - land, uranic materials,
and transactional environments using Lean,
people - in order to accelerate overall hazard
Six Sigma or any other recognised Process
reduction, and generate greater value for the
Excellence tool and was judged on the ability
UK taxpayer.
to prove their operational and business
results as well as clarity in execution
throughout the process.

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THE PROJECT products from the site’s history as a uranium
processing facility - required vast amounts of
In March 2011, changes were expected in the time.
UK around waste disposal permits. What this
In particular, the process for preparing
meant was uncertainty around whether and
uranium for shipment to storage sites located
how the company could send waste to the
in other parts of England was identified to be
normal disposal facilities.
a bit of a bottleneck. A lot of time and manual
handling was required in order to prepare the
containers for shipment – every container
needed to be grouted both before and after
the materials were loaded, with additional
time spent waiting for the concrete to dry.

In all, it took nearly eight full working days to
get one container ready for shipment.

The company urgently needed to find a way
to safely speed up the efficiency of this
process in order to meet the March 2011
Disposal containers deadline. “We’re like a small family here at
Capenhurst,” explained Gerry. “So when
management came to us and said that they
wanted us to ship as many ISO’s [containers]
As Gerry Mullen, Sellafield Ltd Operations
as possible before March 2011, we looked at
Manager, explains: “The changes would mean
it as a challenge and said ‘we don’t know if we
changes to what we could send and how we
can do it, but we’ll try.”
could send it.”
It was a stiff challenge as time was tight and
Depending on how the permit was changed, it
regulations around the disposal and storage
could mean large amounts of radioactive
of hazardous materials are strict.
waste would have had to remain on site.

The problem was that the existing process for
packaging of uranic materials – the by-

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A fishbone analysis had identified that the
biggest problem was the time spent waiting
for the concrete to dry. But the solution to the
problem didn’t come from either Six Sigma or
Lean tools. It came from an observant
Operations Team Member who knew the
AN INSIGHT WORTH A MILLION:
process inside and out.
INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL
“We were using Bentonite in a small part of
the process and I thought that it was MAINWARING
something that would take less time to use
than grout,” said Michael Mainwaring, an Michael Mainwaring is an Operations Team Member
Operations Team Member who has worked at Sellafield Ltd’s Capenhurst Site. He works primarily
for Sellafield Ltd since 2008. to prepare the hazardous waste for shipment. It was
his idea to use Bentonite in place of grout to prepare
Michael submitted his idea to use Bentonite the containers for shipping, which helped contribute to
to the Capenhurst Ideas Generation Scheme, over £1.2 million in savings.
an employee suggestion scheme.
What gave you the idea to use Bentonite instead of
grout?

“There’s none of this notion of ‘it’s We were already using Bentonite in a small part of the
process and I thought that it was something that
not my problem. Everyone who works
would take less time to use than grout and it would
here is part of process improvement.” also mean less manual handling and fewer man hours.
– Gerry Mullen It seemed like a good idea, which is why I submitted it
to the Capenhurst ideas generation scheme.

What impacts have you seen in your area as a result
The idea was identified to be sound and the of the improvement?
project team decided to move quickly
Apart from the benefits of making it faster and more
forward. The team had to involve
efficient to package up uranium, it’s been really great
representatives from not just the operations
for staff morale. We really feel like we’ve been
team but several other departments –
listened to and it was also nice to be rewarded and
including procurement in order locate
appropriate levels of supply to fulfil the recognized for our idea.
process. Do you think Capenhurst Ideas Generation Scheme
“Using the Capenhurst Workout process every has been successful?
department was focused on this I think it’s been a very successful programme. It really
improvement,” said Gerry Mullen. “The real helps us feel involved and I think it also shows us that
key to success in what we achieved was that management believes we have really good ideas.
everyone really rallied around and did what
they had to do to make it happen.”

Gerry attributes the fact that so many
different departments were able to come

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together to the culture at Capenhurst. The
site is relatively small, with around 90 full
time employees and an additional 45 agency
workers. The company has also been using
Lean methods for the last couple of years with
an aim of really involving all employees in
process improvement.

“Since we’ve been using Lean we’ve seen real
improvements and we’ve really been able to
involve everybody employee in improvement.
We really try to ensure that every really
understands the big picture and the problem.
And when they can see the benefit to
The project had to involve many different departments as
themselves it really makes a difference,” said
well as the supply chain.
Gerry. “So when we’re faced with a challenge
everyone really pulls together because we can we’ve approached Lean improvements,
all see the impact and benefits of working everyone who works here is part of process
together. There’s none of this notion of it’s improvement,” he says.
not my problem.”
RESULTS:
Gerry adds that the additional benefit of
creating a culture where all employees feel The waste management project was
involved is that it helps make his job easier. completed to scope and to deadline and
achieved the following key results:
“While I may only have ten full time
Operations Team Members plus the  Contributed £1.2M towards site
Operations Team Leaders, with the way that efficiencies target of £2.1M

 Created a new streamlined process

 Removed waste off site – reducing
operational waste storage foot print

 Increased safety across site through
the reduction of site hazards

 Improved learning of processes
delivering LFE to similar operational
projects on the site both now and in
the future

 Recognised by management
organisation as a company benchmark
The project generated over £1.2 million in savings for operational improvement projects

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 Demonstrated the value of managing
a site wide Ideas Scheme

The key point of learning, though, says
Richard Brown, was not about the materials
used or the process improvement techniques
employed. It was about the importance of
involving employees in the solutions.

“If you have a problem, the people who have
the best ideas on solving it are the ones that
are closest to it. It’s not the people sitting up
in an office somewhere that are going to
dream up a solution – you have to get out on
Outstanding Results: The team has been awarded Team of
the shop floor and ask the people who do the
the Year at Sellafield and were PEX Network’s European
work what they think,” says Richard. winners of the Honorary Mention for Best Project Over 90
Days.
Michael Mainwaring agrees and adds that the
Idea Generation Scheme gave a boost to staff
morale. “We really feel like we’ve been
listened to and it was also really nice to be
rewarded and recognized for our idea,” he
says.

For the results delivered, the project and
operational team has won several internal
awards at Sellafield Ltd including Team of the
Month followed by Team of the Year and also
became a benchmark standard for other site
operations at Sellafield Ltd.

In April 2012 the company received a PEX
Network honorary mention for Best Project
under 90 days, a Pan-European award judged
on operational and business results as well as
clarity in execution throughout the process
and sustainability of change.

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WHY THE MOST SUCCESSFUL IDEAS
COME FROM THE SHOP FLOOR
INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD BROWN, SITE OPERATIONS TECHNICAL AUTHOR, SELLAFIELD
LTD

Richard Brown is a Site Operations Technical Author at Sellafield Ltd’s Capenhurst
site. Richard has worked in a number of roles across many of the former plants.
This knowledge helps him provide the operations team with the support they
require. As well as this Richard is one of the sites Lean Champions. The lean
champions are drawn from across all areas of the site who have taken the step to
develop their Lean knowledge and are the driving force behind the sites
improvement plan.

WHY DO YOU RUN THE CAPENHURST
IDEAS GENERATION SCHEME?

We really believe that those employees
closest to the process have the best ideas on
how to improve it. That’s really the main
reason that we run the Capenhurst ideas
scheme – to make sure that the brilliant ideas
that the shop floor workers have, are able to
get heard and implemented. We also wanted
to make sure that employees feel empowered
to identify those opportunities for
improvement and be able to get them heard.
Again, it goes back to the fact that those
closest to the work have the best ideas on
how to improve it.
Making sure employees know the result of suggestions
is an important part of the Capenhurst Ideas Generation
HOW DO YOU KEEP THE CAPENHURST
Scheme
IDEAS SCHEME FROM DEGENERATING
INTO NOTHING MORE THAN A
SUGGESTION BOX?
done as a result of them. That’s an important
We evaluate all the ideas and through our part of the process – to make sure that people
“You Said, We Did” scheme we make it clear are recognised when they submit a good idea,
where ideas have come from and what was but also ensure that they

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know what their suggestion leads to. It really FINALLY, IF YOU HAD TO SAY THERE
helps to encourage even more ideas. WAS ONE KEY LESSON LEARNED FROM
THIS PROJECT - WHAT WOULD IT BE?
When we decide to run with an idea we also
give ownership over making it happen to the
The biggest lesson is that if you have a
employee themselves, that way improving the
problem, the people who have the best ideas
way we work is not something that’s done
on solving it are the ones that are closest to it.
“to” employees but done with them, and by
It’s not the people sitting up in an office
them.
somewhere that are going to dream up a
When we started up the scheme initially, we solution – you have to get out on the shop
encouraged employees by offering to donate floor and ask the people who do the work
money to a selected charity if an idea was what they think.
selected. Now, though, I think employees
really see the benefit to them of submitting
ideas – and they realize that if they see a
problem or have an idea, they’re able to make
a difference and help improve things.

CAN YOU TAKE ME THROUGH HOW THE
CAPENHURST IDEAS GENERATION
SCHEME WORKS?

We have boards set up all over the plant
where employees are able to submit their
ideas. Those ideas are reviewed regularly by
the Team Leaders where they are evaluated
and it is decided which ones to follow through
on. This can happen as often as weekly.

“If you have a problem, the people with the best
ideas on solving it are those closest to it. It’s not
the people sitting up in an office somewhere that
are going to dream up a solution – you have to
get out on the shop floor and ask the people who
do the work what they think.” – Richard Brown

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ABOUT PROCESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS

The Process Excellence Awards have been established to
honour, recognize and celebrate projects that
demonstrate true best practices. Entrants are assessed
on the use of methodology, business impact, and
excellence within the practice of Lean, Six Sigma &
Business Process Management (BPM). Judges for the
PEX Network awards are assembled of experts and
business leaders working in industry.

All full list of European award winners 2012 can be
obtained on PEX Network.com.

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PEX Network Fast ABOUT US
Facts WHAT IS THE PROCESS EXCELLENCE NETWORK?

PEX Network is an online, free to join, membership portal providing
process professionals with exclusive access to a library of multimedia
resources from top executives on Lean Six Sigma, BPM, Operational
DIVISION LAUNCHED: 1999 Excellence, Continuous Improvement and other process excellence related
topics.
WEB PORTAL LAUNCHED: 2008
The Process Excellence Network has a membership of 80,000+ process
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Total Membership: 88,000+ In addition to online resources, PEX Network organises 30+ targeted face-
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Telephone: +44 (0)20 7368 9300
EVENTS
ABOUT THE EDITOR
30+ globally per annum

Diana Davis is editor of PEXNetwork.com and follows trends in process
excellence including Lean, Six Sigma, and BPM. She worked previously as a
TOPICS COVERED producer with Associated Press Television News and she has also worked
in marketing and business development in the software industry. Davis
BPM holds a Master's in International Journalism from City University, London
and a BA in English from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. She
Lean
can be reached on diana.davis@pexnetwork.com.
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Process Excellence At Sellafield Ltd Capenhurst Site Case Study

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