At FINIDR, we are constantly looking for ways to be better and more efficient.
The year 2024 brought an increase in expenses such as energy, wages and materials.
At the same time, there is constant pressure and a fight for orders with competing printers.
What will help us be one step ahead of the competition this year? In short, we must improve every year.
We have been setting company-wide projects for years. What are the strategic ones for 2024?
Smart shopping
(Project guarantor: Dagmar Kempná)
This project is aimed at reducing our company’s expenses.
1. Reducing corporate costs
By using our resources more efficiently, we will reduce our operating and administrative costs, which will increase our profitability and free up capital for further investment.
2. Making materials consumption more efficient
By managing our materials purchasing, storage and distribution more carefully, we will reduce our material costs, improve our quality and reliability of supply, and minimise our waste and wastage.
3. Competitiveness
By reducing our costs, we will increase our competitiveness in the market by being able to offer our products and services at lower prices or with higher margins than our competitors.
4. Changing employee attitudes towards management By involving our employees in the cost reduction project, we will promote their awareness and responsibility for the management of our resources. This will also increase their motivation, satisfaction and loyalty to our company.
And how are we doing in this project?
We have defined our shopping areas and assigned responsible persons to them. At the same time, we have carried out an analysis in each area and we want to set a clear strategy for each area to achieve cost reductions. At the same time, we need to set up indicators that we can use to check how well we are achieving our plans. Last but not least, we are preparing a communication campaign across the company, where we want to communicate how effectively each of us needs to approach this area.
The “Smart Purchasing” project is an important step towards achieving our vision and strategy. We believe that with your support and cooperation we will achieve our goals and improve our position in the market.
People development
(Project guarantor: Maryla Adamčíková)
This year, we are focusing on an ambitious project – “People Development” – to strengthen the company’s internal structures through a thorough analysis of the training needs of our employees at all levels and departments.
As part of the project, a careful analysis of the training needs of each department was carried out to identify key areas for development and improvement. The aim is not only to respond to current market demands and ensure the highest possible qualifications for our staff, but also to anticipate future trends and prepare our teams for the challenges ahead.
Regular meetings with department leaders during which specific topics and areas for training are specified as key element in the success of this project. This approach ensures that training activities are as tailored as possible to the needs and objectives of each team, resulting in maximum effectiveness and applicability of the skills learned in practice. Emphasis is placed on practical skills, technological innovation and the development of soft skills, which are essential in today’s rapidly changing world.
This project is more than just an improvement initiative for FINIDR; it is an investment in the future. We believe that the key to sustainable growth and success is, among other things, the continuous training and development of our employees.
10% increase in flow rate
(Project guarantor: Vladimír Vlk)
The project “Increase flow rate”, i.e. product quality and flow rate, which is divided into two parts, namely first-time production and planning.
First-time production includes root cause solutions and shopfloor management.
The aim of root cause management is to prevent the recurrence of quality non-conformities and the subsequent setting and evaluation of corrective measures that will lead to a reduction in the occurrence of poor-quality during production, i.e. a reduction in reprints, repairs, external and internal complaints.
Through an effective and regular process of communicating information on quality, performance, maintenance and continuous improvement, we want to introduce shopfloor management, while also encouraging the active involvement of operators in the operation of the shop floor. Through visual management, we want to ensure awareness across shifts, sites and different levels of management.
Since the beginning of the year, the planning department has been reviewing and changing the way production is planned and evaluated. We have started at individual workstations in the print department and are progressing to individual workstations in the bindery. In this way, revisions and measures for better planning will gradually be made in all departments so that we can increase the throughput by 10%. We want to have individual workstations well scheduled so that we can see on which machine or workstation and how we are meeting schedules or overflowing work, so that we can avoid delays in delivering the job to the customer.
Company-wide CSR project
(Project guarantor: Jakub Jurczok)
We are entering an era when corporate social responsibility and its approach to sustainability are not just empty words, but concrete steps that shape not only our corporate culture, but also our relationship with the community and the environment.
As a project guarantor, I am pleased to present our company-wide CSR project package, consisting of four parts that reflect our commitment to be a leader not only in print, but also in social responsibility and sustainability.
This package is a collection of initiatives that have been carefully selected and designed to reflect our values while responding to today’s challenges. Each sub-project is led with the vision that even small changes can lead to significant and positive impacts both in our printery and in the wider community.
1. Certification
The aim of this project is to analyse the opportunities and plan for the expansion of our environmental, energy performance and social responsibility awards. Frequent questions and rdemands from our clients also lead us to focus on selected areas to be able to demonstrate our commitment in the form of certificates.
We are now at the stage where, after a general survey of these requirements, a major decision will be made as to whether we will expand our portfolio of certifications, specifically in which areas and when. Obtaining the relevant certificates is thus not just a matter of prestige but is becoming a necessity in order to meet market and customer expectations.
2. Photovoltaics
This project, led by Kamil Szczurek, not only represents a significant step towards ensuring our printer’s energy independence, but also demonstrates our desire to become a leader in environmental responsibility in the printing industry.
As part of the second phase, we are installing photovoltaic panels on the roofs of our production halls, which allows us to significantly reduce our consumption of energy from non-renewable sources while reducing our operating costs. A third phase of the project is also already under negotiation to further expand our renewable energy capacity.
3. Compostable materials
Under the leadership of Dagmar Kempná, we started a project aimed at finding eco-friendly alternatives to traditional materials used for laminating and packaging our products. This project is not only identifying new suppliers, but also researching and testing new, environmentally friendly materials that can replace conventional laminating materials and films.
The goal is to find compostable materials that reduce our environmental footprint while maintaining or even improving the quality of protection for our books during shipping. As part of this project, a detailed cost analysis was conducted, and potential suppliers were identified. We already have a list of manufacturers with whom we are negotiating the terms of a longer-term cooperation.
The importance of this project is indisputable. We are trying to promote environmentally friendly practices in the industry, but we are also responding to the ever-increasing demands of our customers for environmental sustainability.
4. Energy saving
Led by Michal Strnad, we set about optimising energy consumption. This project is a direct response not only to rising energy prices, but also to the need to think innovatively about the use of our resources. With energy costs this year exceeding last year’s spending by 20 million, any saving is not only an environmental but also an economic necessity.
The “Energy Saving” project is not limited to identifying “energy guzzlers”. It also aims to create an environment where every employee is encouraged to reflect on their own consumption and look for ways to be more efficient. We are piloting measures such as an out-of-hours equipment switch-off schedule. We are investing in new air shut-off valves for air distribution and plan to replace less efficient appliances with models that are more energy efficient.
It’s a comprehensive approach that includes everything from technical adjustments to everyday habits. We want to encourage awareness that even small changes in everyday behaviour, such as switching off equipment that is not in use or paying more attention to machine maintenance and servicing, can lead to significant savings. These savings are now necessary not only to reduce financial costs, but also to minimize our impact on the environment.
Conclusion
Each of these sub-projects has its own meaning and purpose, but together they form a mosaic of our overall commitment to sustainability. We recognize that every step we take has an impact on the world around us and on the generations that come after us.
Together, we are creating a better and more sustainable FINIDR for everyone – our customers, our community and our planet.
Thank you for your support and I look forward to the next steps we take together on this journey.
Fulfillment support: Products For this year, FINIDR has set “Products” as one of its priorities.
(Project guarantor:Martina Stružínská)
Our goal is to expand our product portfolio with at least two new products, which represents a considerable amount of work from the “having an idea” phase, through production testing, programming the products into our internal systems, to the most important part, which is processing in production.
We are also focusing our attention on increasing the production capacity of key products and improving our quotation system so that we can flexibly adapt to our customers’ needs.
This year, we will address areas that help us improve our service in the eyes of our customers, defining our commitment and brand guarantee.
We are taking all these steps not only to keep improving and moving forward, but also to adapt to our customers’ needs to make them satisfied with the service we offer.
