Baosteel Pioneers "Big Y" Project Mechanism in China

Along the developing track of "introduction, absorption and re-innovation", Baosteel Branch explores and forms six sigma lean operation "Big Y" project mechanism, thus realizing the stride from introduction to innovation of six sigma lean operation ideology.

Six sigma lean operation is a leading management mode introduced by Baosteel Branch in 2002, and is an important means for enterprises to improve production and operation. As the enterprises develop continuously, it is hard to solve some key operational problems involving broad aspects, crossing processes and departments with single six sigma lean operation project. With the experience accumulated for many years, Baosteel Branch started to independently explore six sigma lean operation "Big Y" project mechanism from last year.

"Y" stands for the problems to be improved in six sigma lean operation. "Big Y" project, just as its name implies, is to solve the key problem involving a broad range and requiring improvement by a wide margin. The direction for selection of "Big Y" projects shall closely fit in with the pulse of corporate development and general planning, focusing on the key problems affecting the general target of production and operation and the crucial performance indexes.

Compared with previous single projects, "Big Y" projects concentrate more on how to scientifically and systematically solve problems in a process.

In a "Big Y" project, it needs to solve not only the problem of process chain relating to many technological steps but also the general problem for different technological steps. Guided by the same target, each plant and department concerned is responsible for the sub-project in "Big Y" project respectively so as to consolidate resources and efficiently solve the fundamental problems in a concerted way.

For example, in a "Big Y" project last year "Improve the input capacity of raw material wharf", in the adverse circumstance of heavy pressure on the logistics of raw material entrance and possibility of shunt, a team is formed to solve the problems, in which the Transportation Dept., Manufacture Dept.

and Iron-making Plant of Baosteel Branch together with Raw Material Purchase Center of Baosteel Co., Ltd. play their respective function. After the project is implemented, shunt of raw material does not occur, furthermore, a profit of nearly RMB 100 million yuan is created, and 1 patent and 2 technical know-how are preliminarily formed up to now.

According to the features of "Big Y" projects, Baosteel Branch explores and forms the big star and big black belt promotion method to speed up the training of professional managerial talents. For example, in a "Big Y" project "Improve the 3 target hit ratios in continuous casting", there are not only the black belts taking charge of sub-projects, but also a big black belt for unified coordination and command, which greatly improves the employee's capability for organization and coordination and the execution efficiency of the project.