{"id":15680,"date":"2025-12-09T16:53:37","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T15:53:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theleansixsigmacompany.com\/uk\/?p=15680"},"modified":"2025-12-12T10:14:29","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T09:14:29","slug":"how-eurostars-temple-mills-depot-is-building-culture-of-continuous-improvement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theleansixsigmacompany.com\/uk\/library\/how-eurostars-temple-mills-depot-is-building-culture-of-continuous-improvement\/","title":{"rendered":"How Eurostar\u2019s Temple Mills Depot is building a culture of Continuous Improvement"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
Industry:<\/strong>\u00a0Travel At Eurostar\u2019s Temple Mills depot in East London, Continuous Improvement<\/a> principles have been quietly reshaping operations. Temple Mills is Eurostar\u2019s maintenance depot in London, responsible for keeping the fleet in service. Because the depot sits at the heart of day-to-day reliability, even small inefficiencies can affect train availability and customer experience.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n What began as a modest effort to tackle these inefficiencies has grown into a Continuous Improvement (CI) program, which has been delivering major results and supporting Eurostar\u2019s broader performance targets.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Michael Murray, the Continuous Improvement Manager, has spearheaded this development in collaboration with colleagues Andrew Park and Simon Bilsland. By combining Lean Six Sigma methods with their practical knowledge of the depot, they have shown how a local CI program can support both operational stability and financial performance.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Michael first joined Eurostar as a performance engineer, focusing on train performance and maintenance quality. As demand for maintenance increased, the workload at Temple Mills rose accordingly. The depot was still managing to deliver, but it did so with growing pressure on time, planning, and resources.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n This situation highlighted a simple problem: continuing with \u201cbusiness as usual\u201d would over time increase stress on people and systems. A more structured way of improving processes was needed so the depot could keep delivering quality without relying on constant extra effort.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Michael was asked to look into how Lean principles could be useful. With his engineering background, he recognized that Lean Six Sigma offered more than just tools. It provided a framework that could standardize how improvements are identified, tested, and sustained. This mattered because the depot did not just need quick fixes; it needed a consistent way of reducing waste and involving people across functions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n To build that capability, Michael enrolled in a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt course<\/a> in early 2024. The aim was clear. He wanted the skills to move from isolated improvement ideas to a structured program that would fit the realities of depot operations. The training helped him turn that intention into a tangible CI approach for Temple Mills.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n After completing his Black Belt, Michael\u2019s first priority was leadership commitment. Without clear support from management, improvement work risked becoming a side activity that would always lose out to daily operational pressure.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n He developed an implementation plan that linked CI activities to concrete depot objectives, such as better maintenance planning and improved train availability. This connection between CI and business goals made it easier for managers to see why they should invest time and resources.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n To build understanding, a management awareness and project selection workshop was organized. During this session, leaders did not just hear about continuous improvement as a concept. They looked at their challenges and used those to choose the first set of projects. This approach created a direct line from depot issues to CI projects, which in turn made the program relevant and credible from the start.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Revenue:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a32.0 billion
EBITDA:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a3346 million
Passengers:<\/strong>\u00a019.5 million per year
Financial benefits of CI efforts:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a34.6 million<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nThe beginning of the CI journey<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Building the <\/strong>f<\/strong>oundation for Continuous Improvement<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n