Food manufacturing · 3P Diagnostic
A targeted People, Process and Performance diagnostic helped Hilton Food UK uncover further operational value at a flagship site, turning frontline evidence into a practical improvement roadmap.
Figures relate to this engagement. Identified and estimated opportunities are distinct from delivered savings; the figures should not be added together.
The challenge
Following a Manufacturing Excellence Academy launched in 2020, Hilton Food UK wanted to find the next level of improvement at a high-performing flagship site. In 2024, leaders set a challenge to uncover an additional £2m+ in operational savings over the following year.
Lean methods were being applied inconsistently across departments. Gaps in operational data, daily management routines, asset care and problem-solving made it harder to see the true drivers of loss and sustain a consistent improvement culture.
Our approach: People + Process = Performance
Project7 applied its 3P Diagnostic across two production units, combining technical analysis, frontline observation and leadership engagement. The work assessed current maturity, quantified opportunities and shaped a prioritised roadmap.
Connect strategy to daily performance
A review of Manufacturing Excellence Programme deployment and KPI ownership identified improvements to visual management, daily performance reviews and line-level short interval control.
Unlock capacity before investing
Value-stream and constraint analysis identified opportunities to improve scheduling, flow control and batch management. Better utilisation of existing assets avoided £1.5m of planned capital expenditure.
Strengthen asset care and leadership routines
The team assessed Total Productive Maintenance against seven core pillars and recommended clearer visual standards, operator routines and escalation. Leadership standard work, strategy deployment and a visual programme management office were proposed to strengthen ownership and follow-through.
Improve flow in slow-cooked operations
A focused review identified rework, work-in-progress congestion and labour imbalance. Recommendations covered cooker utilisation, layout, Kanban flow and process balancing.
Results and opportunities
- £2m+ in savings opportunities identified, with immediate planning-rate increases supporting productivity gains.
- £1.5m capital expenditure avoided through better use of existing assets.
- £15,000 per week saved through shift-pattern changes, as reported in the case study.
- Over £1.1m per annum in yield improvement reported through better use of data and problem-solving.
- A further £500,000 per year in potential material waste reduction identified in the secondary production area.
The diagnostic also established a foundation for sustained improvement through clearer visual controls, better data visibility, stronger leadership routines and internal capability.
“Thank you — this has been an outstanding piece of work. Not only did it unlock the savings we needed, but it also identified and began delivering significantly more value than we originally set out to achieve.”