Piotr Zieliński

Practical approach to shop floor processes

Piotr joined Silesia Growth Hub in March 2021. For the previous 6 years, he worked directly on the production floor, where he planned shifts at a metalworking plant. He saw first-hand how expensive machines stood idle just because someone forgot to print a single order sheet or raw material didn't arrive on time from the warehouse. That's where he learned the hard rule: the shop floor must earn, not stand idle. In our team, he deals with extracting data from machines and organizing it so the production manager knows what's happening without leaving his desk.

In his daily work, Piotr focuses on eliminating unnecessary movements that take up employees' time. During one project at a plant near Gliwice, he calculated that operators made 114 unnecessary clicks in the old system during one shift. He shortened this process to 14 quick actions, which saved a real 22 minutes for every worker every day. For him, numbers don't lie if you know how to read them, and he can squeeze concrete conclusions even from very messy Excel databases.

He specializes in implementing tools that realistically help people, not just look good on boardroom charts. He believes that ending manual data transcription is the foundation of a smoothly operating plant. Instead of writing thick manuals no one reads, he prepares short checklists on 1 A4 page. He has implemented original analytical sheets in 23 small companies across Upper Silesia. He starts every job by observing work at a specific machine for at least 5 hours to understand where time is escaping.

Piotr doesn't use difficult words because he knows that in production, specifics and clear communication matter. When he talks about optimization, he means that a forklift doesn't drive empty across half the plant, and an operator doesn't have to look for tools in cabinets. In his spare time, he deals with mechanics himself and repairs old lathes. This helps him understand the physical limitations of processes he later writes codes for in analytical systems. He often repeats that the system should make work easier, not add more clicking.

Recently, he helped a local gasket company regain 17% productivity just by changing the downtime reporting method. Instead of entering everything into a paper notebook after an 8-hour shift, he introduced simple touch panels at 4 key stations. Fault data is now visible in the technologist's office 15 seconds after an error occurs. This allows for an immediate reaction before an entire batch of goods goes to the bin.

He bases his approach on facts, not optimistic assumptions from sales brochures. If Piotr claims it's possible to shave 10 minutes off a press changeover time, he has a ready, second-by-second plan for it. Sometimes he honestly advises a client against buying an expensive software module if he sees a simple change in the current sheet will last the company another 12 months. He values honesty in assessing situations higher than selling additional consultation hours.

(Heads-up: Piotr usually replies to messages within 3 hours, unless he's measuring work cycles directly on the floor at one of our clients).