Productivity Improvement in a Block Moulding Factory in Plateau State

This study investigates productivity improvement opportunities in a sandcrete block moulding factory in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. Sandcrete block production is a significant component of Nigeria's construction materials supply chain, with thousands of small and medium-scale producers operating across the country; however, productivity in many operations is constrained by manual handling limitations, inconsistent mix quality, and poor production organisation. This research applies methods study and work measurement techniques combined with Overall Equipment Effectiveness analysis of the vibrating moulding machine, the principal production equipment in the factory. Time studies were conducted for twelve production weeks, covering mixing, moulding, curing yard management, and quality inspection operations. Current productivity is calculated at four hundred and eighty blocks per eight-hour shift, against an estimated attainable performance of six hundred and fifty blocks per shift given the machine's rated output. Key losses identified include excessive mixer downtime for cleaning, poor curing yard layout resulting in double-handling of freshly moulded blocks, and inconsistent mix water-to-cement ratios causing quality-related rejections. Improvement proposals include a revised curing yard layout reducing travel distances, standardised mix design batching procedures, and a machine-centred maintenance schedule. Keywords: productivity improvement, block moulding, Overall Equipment Effectiveness, Plateau State, sandcrete