Eliminating Manual Waste and Enabling Scalable Flow for Geotextile Fabric Production

The Challenge

Eljen Corporation (Windsor, Connecticut) manufactures the Geotextile Sand Filter (GSF) System, an engineered alternative to traditional septic leach fields. A critical step in their production process involves preparing long lengths of geotextile fabric that wrap the system’s plastic core.

Before partnering with Novo, this step relied entirely on manual handling:

• Operators unrolled fabric by hand

• Daily setup consumed 30 minutes of non‑value‑added time

• Heavy rolls required bending, lifting, and repositioning

• The process occupied valuable floor space

• Ergonomic strain increased risk of injury

• Throughput was limited by operator availability and physical effort

This workflow represented classic Lean Manufacturing barriers: motion waste (muda), overburden (muri), inconsistency (mura), and ergonomic risk. Eljen needed a safer, repeatable, and scalable method to prepare fabric—one that aligned with Lean principles and supported future growth.

Lean Engagement Objective

The goal of the project was to design a flow‑driven, ergonomic, and scalable solution that:

• Eliminates manual motion waste

• Reduces operator strain and risk of injury

• Standardizes the fabric preparation process

• Supports multiple production lines

• Shrinks setup time and increases available capacity

• Frees up operators to work on value-added tasks

• Creates a repeatable, “load‑and‑go” workflow

The Solution

An Automated Payoff System Designed for Ergonomics & Flow

Novo collaborated with Eljen to engineer a custom automated payoff system that transformed the manual workflow into a streamlined, operator‑friendly process.

Key Lean Improvements

• Ergonomics First: Material handling moved to waist level, eliminating bending, lifting, and repositioning.

• Motion Waste Removed: The system automatically unrolls and feeds geotextile fabric: no manual rolling or staging.

• Standard Work Enabled: Operators follow a simple, consistent “load and go” sequence.

• Scalable Design: The payoff system can be replicated across multiple lines as demand increases.

• Setup Time Reduction: Setup dropped from 30 minutes to 1 minute...a 95% improvement!

• Floor Space Optimization: Automated flow reduced staging footprint and improved line organization.

The Result

A Safer, Faster, More Scalable Operation

Eljen gained a Lean‑aligned production system that delivers measurable impact:

✔ 95% Reduction in Setup Time

From 30 minutes of manual prep to a 1‑minute standardized sequence.

✔ Operator Safety & Comfort

Ergonomic improvements eliminated repetitive strain and reduced injury risk.

✔ Scalable Production Capacity

The automated payoff system can be duplicated across lines to support growth.

✔ Consistency & Quality

Automated feed ensures uniform handling and reduces variability.

✔ Labor Optimization

Operators focus on value‑added tasks instead of manual material handling.