About the company
Imraan Textiles is a weaving and finishing mill based in Mtwalume on the South Coast of KwaZulu Natal. The firm won a lean improvement award in both 2013 and 2014.
Results
Raw material holdings reduced from 60 to 43 days between 2012 and 2015
Executive summary
Imraan Textiles reduced raw material holding by 20 days to increase product flexibility according to demand.
Challenges
To compensate for long lead times on imported, dyed yarn, Imraan Textiles held large quantities of coloured yarn for regular customers.
How the benchmark helped
A firm level benchmark indicated that raw material holdings were 20 days higher than the national average. Imraan responded by negotiating more regular and smaller drops from international suppliers and implementing better stock control mechanisms.
Results and future plans
Imraan Textiles has very recently invested in yarn dyeing machinery. This will reduce the necessity for high raw material holdings and has the potential to reduce lead times for new developments from six months to one month.