Group technology and growth at Shalibane

Abstract. The Shalibane Company of Camberley are tube manipulators and sheet metal workers, making parts mainly for the car industry. In 1991 they introduced Group Technology (GT). In eighteen months they reduced stocks by 60% (still falling); increased sales and output by 33%; increased the rate of return on investment by 24%; and increased the number of their employees by 12%. The cost of introducing the change was covered more than 3 times by the reduction in the stock investment. GT is shown to be a method which promotes growth and increases productivity, profitability and employment.