lower cost to remain competitive without prejudicing quality

To have lower cost without sacrifice the quality, it can be done in
a) automation for repeatitive operations
b) send operation to low cost area to do the job instead of doing by local (e.g. Ireland/Belfast is doing all the insurance claim checking for U.S. insurance companies).
c) reduction of scrap or loss due to imperfect production.

A transport busines, key is the tools for transport. The cost of breaking down the transportation system/machine will be disastreous, hence, what can be done is using the TPM (total productive maintanence) to keep the machine/system running with very little cost of maintenance, instead of stopping the whole machine / system for body check.