2001 HERSHEY CHALLENGE #2
Determine an optimal method of mixing, handling and filling Hershey chocolate products into retail mail order containers.Background Information
Determine an optimal method of mixing, handling and filling Hershey chocolate products into retail mail order containers.Background Information
Hershey Direct is Hershey Foods' Mail Order Catalog operation located at 200 East, Hersheypark Drive. Hershey Direct sells and ships mail order gift products from its Valentine's, Easter, and Christmas catalogs.
In 1999, Hershey Direct has created a fun and exciting new Internet site that displays many Hershey gifts that are for sale. The site is very user friendly, and it makes it very easy to shop for these gifts without leaving the home or office. With a couple clicks of the mouse, you can have a wonderful gift delivered to you as early as the next day.
Nearly every product that Hershey Direct produces requires filling an item with chocolate candy. Many of these items call for "mix", a mixture of Hershey Kisses, Hershey Miniatures, and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Each of these components arrive on skids in 25 lb. cardboard boxes. When a batch of "mix" is needed, a worker piles 4 boxes of Hershey Kisses, 4 boxes of Hershey Miniatures, and 4 boxes of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups onto a hand-cart and pushes them about 10 ft. to a mixer (See photo: Mixer used to mix various candies.). The boxes are then manually cut open and dumped into the mixer. The mixer is turned on and rotates the candy for 3 revolutions. The worker pulls a lever and the "mix" flows through a 4 inch hole directly into a 32"x21"x25" bin with wheels (See photos: Mixer emptied into tote and Tote with mix at worktable). The bin with the candy in it is then wheeled about 50 ft. to work tables (See photos:Worker filling a 10 lb tin and Worker weighing mix). Periodically, a worker will scoop the "mix" from the bin into 17"x12"x5" trays on the table where it is more accessible for filling smaller items. Larger tins are filled in the totes as shown in the photo.
Hershey Direct is looking for a new approach in dealing with the transportation of "mix" from the boxes to the work tables. The current method is very time consuming and many workers complain of back pain from scooping the "mix" into the trays. The scooping not only causes low back pain, but also damages the candy. The new method should make ergonomics and condition of the candy a priority. Purchasing new materials or equipment is a possibility if the cost is justified.
· The web site for Hershey Gifts is www.hersheygifts.com
Expectations:
1. Research various potential alternatives to
the current process for mixing and filling gift tins including any new
materials or equipment.
· Hershey Direct produces 800,000 lbs.
of "mix" a year.
· The solution needs to be food safe.
· Items require anywhere between 6 oz.
to 15 lbs. of "mix". (The most difficult items are the 10 & 15
lb. Tins)
· If the solution does not include the
mixer, the "mix" must be equally distributed in each mix.
· The current mixing process takes approximately
12 minutes (5 minutes for the "mix" to flow out of the mixer Ð See photo: Mixer
emptied into tote.)
· The solution should not damage the individual
pieces of "mix".
· Try to eliminate any unnecessary lifting,
bending, etc.
· Employees earn on average $8.00/hr.
2. Develop cost effective methods that Hershey
Direct could use to reduce labor costs in the gift box operation. Estimate
a cost associated
with each method. Show results of a cost/benefit
analysis as part of your presentation.
