Layout Design: A Case Study in a Metal-Mechanics Company: Global, supra and macro level

Due to the increase in the number of competing companies in the global market, it is essential for organisations to look for alternatives to reduce their costs and expenses in order to stay afloat in an increasingly restricted market. The aim of this research is to propose a layout solution, using Systematic Layout Planning (SLP), for a metalworking company located in the central region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The problem is related to the fact that the company has acquired a new plot of land and, as a result, a study covering the new physical arrangement of machines, equipment and workstations becomes relevant. The research was limited to working with three of the five levels of layout planning, namely the Global level, the Supra level and the Macro level. As a result of this work, new layout proposals were obtained for the new site acquired by the organisation, making better use of the space available for production facilities. The objective was achieved and proven through comparative analyses between the current situation and the proposed new layout.