Abstract:
Sri Lanka’s apparel and textile industry is the country’s most dynamic contributor to
the national economy with a national target of achieving USD 8 billion in apparel
exports by 2025. Improving operational efficiency is therefore essential. Frequent
style changes on production lines create major inefficiencies, resulting in productivity
losses termed Quick Changeover (QCO) bucket loss. This study examines these
inefficiencies through a case study at MAS Intimates Casualline, where a 35% drop
in efficiency was recorded during style transitions. The research followed a positivist
philosophy and quantitative method with a deductive approach under a cross sectional time horizon. Using simple random sampling, primary data was collected
from 325 employees directly involved in QCO activities, yielding 297 valid
responses. A structured online questionnaire was used, and reliability testing
confirmed strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.821). Regression
analysis showed that machine pre-setting, operator pre-training, and critical operation
identification were significant drivers of QCO bucket loss reduction. Machine pre setting and critical operation identification had the strongest effects, while operator
pre-training showed a weaker but still significant impact. Operator absenteeism
forecasting was not statistically significant. Pearson’s correlation further supported
these findings. The study recommends adopting pre-configured machine layouts,
developing multi-skilled operator pools using skill matrices, training operators based
on Standard Minute Values (SMV), leveraging IOT for real-time monitoring, and
introducing performance-based QCO incentives. Although this case study is limited
to MAS Intimates Casualline, the insights provide practical guidance for lean
transformation across Sri Lanka’s apparel sector, promoting smarter, faster, and more
efficient production line changeovers.
