TXM Lean Solutions streamlines Price’s Fabrication + Steel shed and tank supplier
Price’s Fabrication + Steel is a family-owned business based in Williams, Western Australia. They specialise in custom-designed agricultural sheds and water tanks, serving the Southern Wheatbelt and Lower Southwest regions. Their shed offerings include machinery, workshop, hay, commercial, drive-through, and fertiliser sheds. Price’s Fabrication + Steel is a strong, well-managed, and successful WA business with a positive outlook.
The challenge
Price’s Fabrication + Steel encountered several growth-related challenges and sought external support to help resolve bottlenecks, uncover new opportunities, and enhance overall productivity. An initial visit to the Williams site revealed several areas ready for improvement.
Price’s was dealing with a 12-month backlog of orders at the time. Compounding the issue, large volumes of materials occupied valuable space on-site due to long restock times—some items required up to six months to replenish. As a result, the company held six months’ worth of inventory at any given time to manage supply chain delays.
One of their most persistent issues was design inaccuracy. Transitioning design plans from paper to digital was underway to improve precision, but inefficiencies remained. Additionally, the fabrication schedule was managed through a complex, manual process with limited visual management tools, making it difficult for operators to track progress or gain clear visibility into workflows.
TXM Senior Consultant Jeremy Wylie was brought on board to lead the initiative. He began by guiding a cross-functional team in mapping current-state processes and identifying existing bottlenecks.
The solutions
“Price’s Fabrication has a lot going for it,” said Wylie. “There are some real opportunities here to streamline processes, cut waste, and make things run smoothly across the facility.” A comprehensive action plan was developed and structured into three key components.
“The RACI method has proven valuable to ensure everyone knows what they are doing. As we employ more staff, this has become a game changer as people are not waiting for the go-ahead from Jon, nor are two people doing the same thing. Also, Jon and I are kept informed of what is happening,” said Managing Director Tracey Price.
A robust and scalable visual management system was introduced to enhance visibility of work in progress. TXM designed and implemented visual management boards, offering a simple and effective way to display key information for all staff. Additionally, a kanban system was introduced to streamline the management of consumables and stock replenishment.
“Visual management has brought the tools out of toolboxes, the information out of the computer, and helped minimise waste. It has also empowered our people by removing their frustrations and allowing them to be proud of their workplace,” said Tracey Price.
One of the most impactful improvements targeted a major bottleneck: design inaccuracies. Previously, outdated paper drawings often led to errors and rework due to unrecorded design changes. To address this, a contractor is now responsible for completing the initial design at the quoting stage, helping to catch and prevent errors early in the process.
The results
The team at Price’s fabrication has gone above and beyond to change their processes and develop a new way of working. In the process, they have found a new revenue stream. The results from the TXM engagement have enabled them to take on new and emerging work in defence as well as:
- Reducing Lead Times from 12 months to six months;
- Increasing tank installations from 120 to 240 a year;
- Increased gross profit by 45%;
- Created an alternative revenue stream – Laser cutting automation.
TXM Lean Solutions is one of Australia’s leading Lean and Operational Excellence Consultancies, delivering achievable, sustained results. Our experienced consultants have the expertise and resources to make your business vision a reality.
