Molson Coors Brewing Company has under a year of operation yet. But, perhaps due to the economic slump and stiff competition, the technicians of the company realize that there is a better way to make beer: to be leaner, operationally.
If employees were to work 10- to 12-hour shifts for four days straight (and earn Fridays off), they found there would be at least a quarter less time wasted starting up and winding down operations, allowing brewing to take place 24-7.
“They’ve come back and said if we were to run our brewing operation with two guys, around the clock for the amount of time it takes to brew, then we would be more productive than if we were to do it with eight-hour windows,” said Tim Farley, packaging team leader at the Moncton brewery.
“The decision making and empowerment really came from the shop floor.”
