Employees Rack Their Brains to Create Less Waste, More Space at GM Africa
If you have been reading this blog since its inception, you are aware that some of our environmental projects are the brainchild of our employees.
From Halloween-themed recycling projects to hosting local recycling events, the work of employees who are part of the GM family extends beyond our drive to design, build and sell the world’s best cars.
Recently, GM Africa’s team came up with an innovative way to build up the storage capacity of its parts warehouse in Egypt: reuse scrap metal to enhance existing storage racks. The six-person team repurposed cases once used to ship car side panels into storage units for the Chevrolet Lanos parts warehouse.
The team extended each rack almost three feet higher and added sheet plates for the floor, which allowed for a third stack of storage. Then they welded v-shaped bars to reinforce the sides and back.
All told, the team modified 111 racks, doubling the storage capacity and eliminating the need to purchase new racks.
Kamal Abd El Shaffee, material handling group leader for GM Africa, said this project was the result of his team’s creativity and GM’s culture of innovation. “One person’s trash is another’s next great idea,” Shaffee said. “Our team has a lean manufacturing mindset and is trained to rethink normal manufacturing operations.”
When it comes to the environmental impact of our manufacturing, General Motors believes less is more. Less waste equals a more sustainable future. For GM Africa, less waste equals more space to put your stuff, too.
