Sentek Pty Ltd (Sentek Technologies) is an Adelaide-based technology company specialising in soil moisture-sensing systems. They provide solutions for precision measurement and management of soil water and salinity dynamics. The ground real time based device uses complex software to analyse and visualise the dynamics of the plant-water-salt-soil-atmosphere interactions. Irrigators and scientific research use these solutions to manage their day-to-day watering, fertigation (:- injection of fertilizers)  and salinity requirements.

The DSD (Department of State Development) recommended Sentek approach SAGE for assistance with a BTVP (Business Transformation Voucher Program) focused on a stepped change in their approach to manufacturing. The company, established in 1991 had limited space at their SA based Magill Rd site and with increasing orders were at risk of not being able to keep up with demand due to challenges in work flow and manufacturing processes.

SAGE Business Optimisation specialist Dan Moriarty and Andy Pitcher identified the major challenges at SENTEK and began a journey of improvement and review of several "best in class" manufacturing sites in Adelaide. This review included a site visit at SAGE Melrose Park to look at stock management, kanban systems and workcell standardisation. One of the key actions from the review was the commencement of a site cleanup and storage rationalization. This project freed up in excess of 30% of the existing storage by using 5S fundamentals. Further to this 25% of the available floor space was recovered by moving WIP and unused stock into racking. This activity was integral to being able to introduce work stations that are both ergonomically and practically superior to existing benches. The new work cells applied "one piece flow" methods and line balancing task to deliver a rapid assembly process that was also agile to product needs. Critical to the design was a product travel distance analysis reducing the distance for small batches from several hundred metres per batch to under  3 metres per unit a reduction of travel waste of over 90% of the original distance travelled.  This project was conducted in the facility working with production and manufacturing staff to minimize the impact on delivery of existing orders and product development activities.

SENTEK CEO Nick Ktoris commented on the approach adopted by SAGE to investigate the current situation and establishing rapport with staff to make a step change at site.

Both Dan and Andrew's approach to the BTV with a clear sense of manufacturing and lean systems, contributed to changing the way we think about the operations and with limited space and a growing sales volume addressed critical factors without additional spending on infrastructure, preventing the rental of additional real estate. They benchmarked using their wide industry experience to obtain access to key site in Adelaide and helped SENTEK begin the journey to transition to a medium volume manufacturer focused on improving and making the business increasingly lean. Well done SAGE Business Optimisation.