Fleet Support Group is claiming businesses are cutting costs thanks to it using accident bodyshops which have implemented ‘lean-flow’ management techniques.

Across the UK bodyshop marketplace the industry average work time on a vehicle is about two hours per day, says FSG.

However, following the implementation of the ‘lean-flow’ initiative at 10 of FSG’s network of 115 bodyshops they are achieving five to six hours work per vehicle per day.

As a result, the ‘lean-flow’ approach, which has been developed by I & J Munn, of Melton Mowbray, promises to deliver:

• A virtual 100% on-time delivery of repaired vehicles
• A shorter key-to-key process time
• A real productivity increase for bodyshops of 20-25%
• Increased throughput of cars of 15% or more.

Julian Bailey-Watts, FSG’s technical services director, said: “Our bodyshops that have so far introduced ‘lean-flow’ are getting vehicles back on the road faster than anyone else.

“This massively reduces administration costs, means our fleet customers are getting their vehicles back quickly and that significantly increases customer satisfaction.”

Lean-flow uses many of the skills from manufacturing processes to drive through bodyshop efficiencies and change traditional behaviours.