Analysis of Production Efficiency in a Small-Scale Furniture Manufacturing Workshop Using Work Study Techniques in Aba, Abia State

Productivity improvement in small and medium-scale wood furniture manufacturing establishments is a practical industrial engineering challenge with direct implications for competitiveness and employment quality across urban South East Nigeria. This study applies work study techniques to analyse and improve production efficiency in a small-scale furniture manufacturing workshop in Aba, Abia State. Method study and time study were conducted for five representative product types, including dining chairs, wardrobes, and centre tables, using direct observation and stopwatch time measurement. Standard times, machine utilisation rates, and worker productivity indices were computed. Process charts were constructed to identify non-value-adding activities including excessive material handling, waiting time, and rework cycles. A revised production layout and improved work sequence were proposed based on the analysis. Simulation of the proposed layout using standard process flow methods projected a 29 percent reduction in total manufacturing lead time and a 22 percent improvement in floor space utilisation. Worker productivity assessment revealed that unskilled tasks consumed approximately 40 percent of skilled artisan time due to inadequate task allocation, suggesting opportunities for role specialisation. The study recommends adoption of the revised layout and standardised work procedures at the case study workshop and provides a transferable methodology for similar establishments in the Aba furniture cluster. Keywords: work study, production efficiency, furniture manufacturing, Aba, process improvement.