Transforming a Nickel Operation’s Commercial Performance

THE APPROACH

ORBIZ was engaged to observe and assess the existing management practices across the processing department, spanning every forum from the shift pre-start through to the general manager’s weekly performance review, and to identify the actions required to lift operational performance.

With the findings accepted, ORBIZ co-developed an improvement plan with the client and was engaged to deliver a range of objectives, including the development of a comprehensive MOS.

The MOS was designed to align strategy to execution across the processing value stream, structured around three primary themes:

1. Strategy Deployment: KPIs and objectives for the department and each area were aligned with a Plan-On-A-Page (POAP) for the site, and with the global head of nickel’s monthly and quarterly reporting cycle. This provided a single coherent set of measures, so that performance discussed at the shift level cascaded directly to the commitments the business reports against.
2. Visualisation: A series of cascading visual performance forums across the site, department, and crew levels to provide monthly, weekly, daily, and shift-level management forums for operational control and to govern the delivery of improvement projects through to completion.
3. Leadership Capability: Leadership activities were restructured and standardised for all managers and superintendents across operations and maintenance, supported by meeting audits, structured coaching and a coach-the-coach program to transfer ongoing development of the routines to the internal leadership team.

THE SOLUTION

The site and area POAP were established as the foundation of the program, setting the strategic direction for the leadership team and for each processing area. KPIs and objectives were then aligned with the global head of nickel’s monthly and quarterly reporting requirements, giving the leadership team a consistent line of sight from the shift pre-start through to corporate reporting, and resulting in significantly greater coherence across the department.

A visual management system was developed, constructed, and implemented to combine the strategy and performance components in an understandable format that enabled daily management across the department. The visual system comprised two modules: Visual Performance Centres (VPC) and Project Performance Centres (PPC), delivered as a combination of physical boards and digital packs to suit each forum’s requirements.

VPCs were used to manage operational performance, schedules, targets, and objectives on a monthly, weekly, daily, and shift basis, structured in a tiered, multi-level format to ensure information flowed in both directions between management levels. Relevant metrics were displayed, reviewed, and discussed during meetings, with each attendee accountable for the information within their area of responsibility. Variance meetings were established alongside the VPCs to identify performance gaps and enable structured problem-solving, and a standardised shift handover process was introduced so that status, risk, and priorities were transferred consistently between crews.

PPCs supported the delivery of the priority improvement projects within the refinery. The Project Charter, Schedule, and Improvement Opportunities for each project were displayed and reviewed in weekly meetings, with stakeholders managing progress against the agreed schedule through to completion. Delays and obstacles were actively managed to keep projects on track, freeing capacity for the next initiative to begin. Project centres were also established at the crew level to define and deliver local priorities, extending the improvement pipeline to the frontline.

Leader Standardised Work was developed and deployed to all managers and superintendents across operations and maintenance within the ore leach, refinery, and utilities areas. Standardised working calendars created protected blocks of time for field presence, coaching, one-to-ones, and problem-solving, releasing approximately 35 hours per leader each month for visible leadership activity. Visible leadership performance improved from 62% to 81% across the deployment period, against a target of 80%.

Meeting audits and hands-on coaching were used to elevate meeting maturity, with pre-shift maturity improving by 23% from a 61% baseline, and daily production meeting audit results sustained between 90% and 100% against an 85% target. The contractor pre-start meeting was developed and deployed to align partner crews with the client’s own methodology. A coach-the-coach program then transferred responsibility for ongoing development to the client’s superintendents and coordinators, ensuring the established performance processes continued to mature beyond the engagement.

The refinery delivered 389 additional tonnes of nickel per month following a 2% increase in plant availability, representing an $8.2 million per month gain (at $21k/t). Floc control was implemented, reducing consumption by 12%. Contractor management cost reduced by $4 million year on year. The morning pre-shift meeting was reduced from an average of 50 minutes to 25 minutes across approximately 15 pre-starts each shift, totalling approximately 150 team members. This time was returned to productive work that helped increase plant reliability and availability.