CASE STUDIES

Shapers’ Group

Shapers reduces monthly overtime costs from £24,000 to £2,000 with Intouch Monitoring

Shapers is a UK-based injection moulding specialist supplying high-quality plastic components supplying various sectors including the automotive industry. Operating in a demanding, high-volume manufacturing environment, the business is focused on delivering consistent quality while continually improving efficiency, productivity and operational performance.

Like many injection moulders, Shapers operates in a highly competitive environment where every minute of production counts. Before implementing Intouch, the business relied on manual reporting to understand downtime, scrap and machine performance. By the time information had been collected and analysed, opportunities to prevent further losses had already passed.

Since introducing Intouch, Shapers has transformed the way it manages production. Live visibility across every machine has improved OEE, reduced scrap, minimised downtime and helped create a culture of continuous improvement across the factory.

Watch our case study video:

The challenge

For Shapers, the biggest issue was understanding what’s causing downtime.

Before Intouch, machine stoppages, scrap and production losses were recorded manually. The team often arrived each morning knowing a machine had been down overnight, but with no clear understanding of when it had stopped, how long it had been idle or what had caused the problem. Without accurate data, continuous improvement became difficult because decisions were based on assumptions rather than facts.

The lack of visibility affected more than production reporting. Tool change times were increasing, scrap was difficult to analyse and overtime costs continued to rise because production losses had to be recovered elsewhere.

'Tracking downtime was horrific. We didn't know when a machine went down, how long it was down for or why it had happened.'

Adam Bing, Operations Manager

The approach

Having previously implemented Intouch at another manufacturing site, Scott Pudney, UK Operations Director, already understood the value of real-time production data. When Shapers began looking for a production monitoring solution, the priority was to find a system that could deliver accurate, live insight without adding complexity to day-to-day operations.

Intouch stood out for its intuitive interface, flexibility and proven ability to provide immediate visibility across the factory. The system could be configured around Shapers’ existing processes, enabling the business to improve performance without disrupting the way its teams worked.

The solution

Intouch was implemented across the production facility, providing real-time visibility of machine performance, downtime, OEE and scrap across the factory.

Instead of waiting until the end of the day, or even the following week to understand performance, supervisors could react immediately when a machine stopped. The system also highlighted recurring issues that had previously gone unnoticed, including specific mould tools that consistently required longer changeovers or generated higher scrap rates.

The mobile app quickly became part of everyday operations, allowing managers to monitor production wherever they were on site and respond to issues before they became costly.

Key results

OEE increased from around 60% to 80%

Monthly overtime reduced from approximately £24,000 to £2,000

Special transport costs reduced from around £7,500 per month to almost zero

These improvements were made possible by giving the team real-time visibility of production performance, enabling them to identify issues as they occurred rather than relying on historical reports. With better insight into downtime, machine performance and production trends, Shapers was able to improve planning, reduce inefficiencies and make faster, data-driven decisions. The result was a more efficient operation, significant cost savings and a more reliable production process that consistently met customer demand.

The result

The biggest change has been the speed at which decisions are made.

Instead of analysing yesterday’s production, the team can respond to issues as they happen. Engineers know immediately when a machine stops, recurring quality issues can be traced back to individual tools, and improvement initiatives are driven by accurate data rather than assumptions.

These real-time insights have delivered measurable improvements across the factory. OEE has increased from approximately 60% to around 80%, while reductions in downtime and scrap have helped create a more stable and efficient production environment. The financial impact has been equally significant. Monthly overtime costs have fallen from around £24,000 to approximately £2,000, while special transport costs, previously around £7,500 each month, are now the exception rather than the norm, this is due to jobs being complete within the schedule.

Greater visibility has also changed behaviours across the business. Production teams actively monitor performance throughout their shifts, creating healthy competition that keeps everyone focused on continuous improvement. Rather than relying on opinion, conversations are now based on live production data, helping teams identify the root causes of problems and resolve them quickly.

Perhaps the most unexpected benefit has been the positive impact on health and safety. As Scott Pudney explains, working with poor OEE often creates unnecessary pressure on technicians, leading them to rush tool changes or overlook routine housekeeping in an effort to recover lost production. By providing clear visibility of the real causes of downtime, Intouch has helped remove that pressure, creating a safer, more controlled working environment where teams can follow the correct processes without compromising safety.

As Adam Bing explains:

“It’s helped us improve our OEE, reduce our scrap, reduce our downtime and put continuous improvement plans in place. It’s a very simple system to use for the benefits you’re getting.”

For Shapers, Intouch provides the live operational insight needed to improve performance, reduce costs, support safer working practices and build a stronger, more profitable manufacturing operation.

Conclusion

For Shapers, Intouch has transformed the way production is monitored and managed. What was once a reactive process, driven by manual reporting and assumptions, is now supported by accurate, real-time data that enables faster decisions and continuous improvement.

The results speak for themselves. Higher OEE, lower downtime, reduced scrap and significant cost savings have all contributed to a more efficient and predictable manufacturing operation. Beyond the measurable performance gains, Intouch has also helped create a safer working environment and a culture where every team member has the visibility needed to drive improvement.

With real-time production insight at the heart of its operations, Shapers is well positioned to continue improving productivity, controlling costs and delivering consistently high levels of performance for its customers.