APM Terminals Bahrain, the operator of the Khalifa Bin Salman Port, recently held a joint KAIZEN event with one of its major customers, Alba (Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C.), to drive continuous improvement across their operations. The two-day event focused on implementing principles to optimize processes, reduce waste, and enhance productivity at the port, where all of Alba’s finished products are handled and exported.
KAIZEN is a Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement of processes in manufacturing, engineering, and business management. By working closely with customers like Alba, APM Terminals Bahrain aims to identify and implement KAIZEN initiatives that drive efficiency, productivity and service excellence.
The event brought together cross-functional teams from both APM Terminals Bahrain and Alba to analyse current processes, identify pain points, and develop data-driven solutions. Through interactive workshops, the teams used KAIZEN tools such as 5S, root cause analysis, and mistake-proofing to generate innovative ideas for enhancing safety, reducing turnaround times, and minimizing operational costs.
"Collaboration with our valued customers is essential to delivering the highest levels of service and operational performance," said APM Terminals Bahrain Managing Director Matthew Luckhurst. "This joint KAIZEN event with ALBA demonstrates our commitment to working closely with our customers and the community to drive continuous improvement across the entire supply chain and lift Bahrain’s global trade. In what we hope will be the first of many cross functional ventures we will continue to focus on delivering excellent service and adding value where we can, thereby strengthening their position in the highly competitive global aluminium market.”
“Alba is committed to operational excellence and the KAIZEN philosophy embraced by APM Terminals Bahrain perfectly resonates with our own continuous improvement culture,” stated Alba’s Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali. “Together, we are unlocking unprecedented opportunities to boost productivity, streamline costs, and elevate customer satisfaction. By setting new benchmarks for operational excellence, we are driving value across the entire supply chain.”
The successful KAIZEN event is a testament to the strong cooperation between the port operator and its major customers. Both APM Terminals Bahrain and ALBA believe that collaboration and knowledge-sharing are the keys to unlocking unprecedented levels of efficiency and innovation and are committed to leveraging innovative approaches to drive sustained, positive change across their respective operations.
