What do Four Seasons technicians know about women's clothing? Hopefully not too much, but a few of them were bound to learn a thing or two over the years, from a major, local manufacturer of women's clothing, and a long-time Four Seasons client. Hot under the collar Four Seasons' relationship with the manufacturer began eighteen years ago. At that time, the company management discovered a disturbing trend. During the months between April and September of each year, productivity decreased by an average of 30%, with drops as low as 50% in July and August. A careful assessment of the situation found that between April and September employees needed far more frequent rest periods; many could not work the duration of their shifts; the number of sick days employees took increased sharply, and; morale greatly suffered. Because these symptoms increased gradually over many months, and employees rarely complained, the extend of the problem was not previously known. But the cause of the problem was obvious: The rising heat and humidity created an uncomfortable working environment, hampering the employee's ability to produce.   The perfect ensemble The solution was also obvious: keep the air inside the plant cool, clean and comfortable. This was accomplished with the installation of a carefully designed air conditioning system, incorporating fresh air intake with high-efficiency air filtration.   To ensure proper operation and maintain efficiency, Four Seasons developed a customized, comprehensive maintenance plan. Over the years this included upgrades, scheduled overhauls and parts replacement. One such upgrade involved the installation of an economizer for the fresh air intake. Economizers optimize the amount of outdoor air brought into a building for cooling and ventilation. This reduces the load on the mechanical cooling system, saving up to 30% in energy costs. With improvements such as this, detailed diagnostics, and preventive measures, Four Seasons has kept the system running reliably and efficiently for almost two decades, with much of the original equipment still in use.   The payback The air conditioning system and maintenance plan created and maintained a comfortable and healthier work environment which provided many benefits and a substantial return on investment: • Unscheduled rest periods were greatly reduced, absenteeism dropped dramatically and morale remained high; • Summer-time production increased to winter levels, thereby maintaining consistently high productivity throughout the year, and reducing production costs; • Employee turnaround decreased, cutting the amount of time and money traditionally spent on hiring and training replacements; • The company attracted more applicants, creating a larger pool of quality, prospective employees.   Four Seasons' long relationship with the garment maker has been a productive one which has benefited all concerned. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, Four Seasons technicians even learned a few things, wether they wanted to or not, about women's clothing. One particular technician (he requested anonymity) even admitted to have gained enough knowledge of women's fashions to give his wife regular advice on creating that perfect ensemble.   How's that for a fashion statement!     back to PilotLight online