Muscat – Improvement projects implemented under Kafa’a lean manufacturing initiative are expected to generate annual savings of around RO360,000, as the government seeks to raise factory productivity, reduce waste and improve product quality.

Launched by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion in June, the programme is being implemented with Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn). It applies the Lean Six Sigma methodology to improve production processes and develop national expertise.

Fatima bint Issa Al Ajmi, Director of the Kafa’a programme at the ministry, said 13 factories were initially selected, with nine qualifying for the practical implementation phase after meeting programme requirements.

The participating establishments are assessed on management commitment, workforce capability, readiness to adopt lean manufacturing and the availability of measurable opportunities to increase output, lower costs and reduce waste.

The programme tracks productivity, production time, operating expenses, raw material and energy use, equipment readiness, product defects and the financial savings achieved. Its success will also be measured by the number of improvement projects completed and whether factories continue applying lean practices after the programme ends.

Fatima said lean manufacturing focuses on value-adding activities while eliminating wasted time, materials and effort. Standardising procedures can also reduce errors, shorten production cycles and help factories deliver higher-quality goods at competitive prices.

Oman Cables Industry has emerged as one of the programme’s early success stories, recording improvements in workflow, workplace organisation and operational efficiency after applying lean manufacturing tools.

The initiative also includes free classroom and practical training delivered by PDO experts. Participants who complete its requirements receive Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification, enabling them to lead improvement projects within their organisations.

The programme’s first phase originally brought nine factories into supervised projects designed to reduce delays, defects and non-value-adding activities. It forms part of efforts to prepare Oman’s industrial sector for smart manufacturing and support the national industrial strategy and Oman Vision 2040.

The ministry plans to expand Kafa’a to more factories and industrial sectors, with the longer-term aim of making continuous improvement a permanent feature of Oman’s manufacturing culture.