Use Case 5- Secondary Steel Plant Productivity Improvement
Driving Measurable Productivity Gains in Secondary Steel Manufacturing
Turning operational insight into sustained performance improvement
Secondary steel manufacturers operate in a high-pressure environment where margins are tight and operational efficiency directly shapes competitiveness. Even small improvements in productivity and manpower utilization can translate into significant financial impact.
A leading Indian steel manufacturer engaged us to identify productivity improvement opportunities across three plants while benchmarking its operations against global peers in the coated steel segment.
The challenge: Improving productivity without disrupting operations
The client faced growing pressure to improve plant output and manpower efficiency while maintaining operational stability. Although individual improvement initiatives were underway, leadership lacked a comprehensive view of how productivity varied across plants, where bottlenecks originated, and how performance compared with global standards.
Without a structured, fact-based assessment, prioritizing improvement initiatives risked being incremental rather than transformative.
Our approach: Combining on-site insight with global benchmarking
We conducted a detailed operations and manpower study across the client’s plants, anchored in on-site visits, process walkthroughs, and data analysis.
This hands-on assessment was complemented by extensive benchmarking research across more than 300 operational parameters from the global coated steel industry. Throughout the engagement, we worked closely with plant leadership and operational teams to validate findings, build alignment, and translate analysis into actionable recommendations.
Identifying the levers that matter most
The analysis examined productivity across core processes including pickling, galvanizing, and cold rolling. It assessed line speeds, downtime drivers, manpower deployment, and process variability to pinpoint improvement opportunities.
By viewing operational performance through both an internal and external lens, the study surfaced practical levers that could be pulled without large capital investments ranging from workflow redesign to targeted capability enhancements.
What changed: From insights to measurable results
The engagement delivered clear, prioritized improvement actions across more than 75 operational areas. Implementation of these recommendations resulted in:
- A reduction in manpower costs of approximately 10 percent
- An overall plant productivity increase of around 12 percent
- Improved line speeds and reduced unplanned downtime across key processes
These gains were achieved while maintaining operational continuity and workforce alignment.
Impact: Building a foundation for operational excellence
Beyond immediate productivity improvements, the engagement helped embed a more disciplined, data-driven approach to performance management.
The benchmarking framework and insights continue to support ongoing operational excellence initiatives and workforce optimization across the client’s plants.
Engagement snapshot
Industry: Steel Manufacturing (Secondary & Coated Steel)
Geography: India
Engagement type: Productivity improvement and operational benchmarking
Expertise leveraged: Manufacturing operations, workforce productivity, benchmarking
Metals | India | Manufacturing Excellence