Rexam, the global consumer packaging company, has announced that its Águas Claras beverage can plant in Brazil has been awarded The Shingo Prize – acknowledged as the highest global recognition for operational excellence. This follows the award of the Shingo Silver medal and Bronze medal respectively to two other Rexam plants in Brazil: the Recife plant, which manufactures beverage can ends, and the Jundiaí plant which makes plastic packaging for personal care applications. 

Improving operational efficiency is at the core of Rexam’s manufacturing processes. Its 80 plants worldwide consistently apply Lean principles to their operations to deliver savings and efficiencies while maintaining the quality of product required by their customers. Plants are regularly assessed under Rexam’s own audit programme but, in the quest for continuous improvement, Rexam wanted to benchmark its performance against the best in the world.

Águas Claras was recognized as outstanding in all areas of operation, and was selected for this highest prize for demonstrating a culture where principles of operational excellence are deeply embedded into the thinking and behaviour of all leaders, managers and associates.  With only a small number of organizations awarded the Shingo Prize each year, Rexam now joins an elite group.

Jon Alder, Director Group Lean Enterprise, commented: “This is a fantastic achievement and a real credit to the teams working in the plants. Shingo is recognized as the ultimate achievement in operational excellence. We have our own awards to take our plants ever further along the path to excellence. But the global Shingo prize, with its process of independent assessment, is the pinnacle.”

Graham Chipchase, Rexam’s Chief Executive, added: “I am very proud of what these plants have achieved. These awards are the culmination of 10 years of constant progress towards world class status. We will now use the experience gained to elevate more of our plants to this level as we work towards our vision to be the best global consumer packaging company.”