Chicken breast manufacturer Foster Farms is currently facing a product recall after mislabeled meat products were recently discovered on retail outlet shelves. The labels, which typically warn consumers that the meat product contains wheat and soy, were distributed without proper notification—endangering consumers, as well as the reputation of the Forest Farms.
This latest food related recall shows the importance of creating visibility and traceability in manufacturing facilities. While there was nothing wrong with the actual meat in this instance, only the label, all it took was one hitch in the supply chain to compromise the name of an entire company. A company that is trying to build credibility, for that matter, must take appropriate measures to protect itself. And while no injuries have been filed as of yet, the fact that problems like these are still happening to consumers is troubling enough.
The InfinityQS Handbook for Quality Metrics demonstrates the importance of creating a manufacturing environment where all members of the supply chain take equal responsibility for the end-result of a product. Rather than pointing a finger and placing blame from the top down after a faulty product is discovered, it is now possible to see exactly where along the process problems are occurring--at the time they happen.
One section of the free e-book describes why an entire organization must take responsibility for product quality. This chapter focuses on the “quality quandary,” which is what happens when employees begin to feel separate from the production process rather than as an integrated member of a much larger whole. Product quality, as it is shown, is everyone’s concern.A holistic approach to monitoring manufacturing quality is made possible through the use of quality metrics, which are generated through manufacturing quality control software. These metrics, which appear in real-time, grants authorized employees the ability to see problems as they occur in real-time—as well as their locations. This method of quality control can transform a disorganized or minimally regulated factory into a single working machine. Using this system, individual employees can be held accountable for the actions. Make sure to check back for part three of this series, which will address how you can increase performance, profitability and productivity in your organization.