Sustain the Lean Enterprise

Manage the change in the enterprise associated with lean manufacturing through workforce incentives, articulated vision, thorough planning, training, and commitment of resources. ...

... "The first step to successful marketing is identifying those customers, both internal and external, to whom the lean enterprise is to be targeted, such as executives, employees, investors, customers and suppliers. " ...

Via The Chicago Business Ledger: Change through lean manufacturing

Kaizen Culture Compatible With Pace of Business Change

Does the kaizen culture position an enterprise to deal with the high-pace of business change? Leadership coach discusses managing meaningful change in an organization and the commitment necessary to endure successive waves of change.

... "What is so striking in today's workplaces is the sheer volume of those continuous improvement changes and the rate of change to the changes. " ...

Via Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Leading change

Lean London Change Management

Leaders see lean manufacturing techniques as a way of transforming London for global business. ...

... "The workshop also covered the need to help employees adjust to changes to the way they work if lean manufacturing and other green improvements are introduced to their workplace. " ...

Lean London

Kaizen Love: Beyond the Factory

Can the principles of kaizen improve your life? Continuous improvement is not just for the factory. ...

... "Patience lets them test carefully and choose the best changes of the best, and then improve on them further. The deliberate process helps them know which changes were useful and important, and which were incidental. " ...

Via American Chronicle: Benefits of Kaizen

Kaizen Gradual Change in Formula One Materials

Formula One teams use kaizen improvement philosophy to create successful designs. ...

... "Such major changes in materials are unusual in modern Formula 1 but gradual changes are regularly implemented as the team pursues its kaizen philosophy of continuous improvement. " ...

Via Motorsport: Formula One

Lean Labor Productivity

Local officials evaluate lean methods ...

... "Combining Lean and Six Sigma which generates long term change is designed to incorporate the best of both methodologies. " ...

Via Cumberland Times: Celebrate Work and Productivity

Kaizen Change Empowers Shopfloor

TriMas Corp embraces kaizen principles as it shifts accountability for continuous improvement to shopfloor workforce. ...

... "In 2006 it was the inaugural winner of the Toyota Kaizen Blitz Marathon for reducing waste levels. The changes generally happen in a short order of time, Mr Saunders said. And from the perspective of management it empowers people doing the job to make a change. Kaizen change is driven by shop floor or office employees. " ...

Via Star News: TriMas Corp Goes Lean

Lean Six Sigma: Understand What You Are Getting Into

Lean and Six Sigma have their strengths and weaknesses. Lean eliminates waste. Six Sigma reduces variation. Both require culture change and leadership support. Understand your enterprise needs and vision. Choose carefully. ...

... "Lean and Six Sigma are two distinct organizational improvement methods that are being combined into an organizational streamlining program. " ...

Via CIO: Lean Six Sigma

Select Continuous Improvement Program to Compete Globally

Embrace continuous improvement to compete effectively in your industry and marketplace. Be prepared to staff a program management office and support the culture change necessary for a lean manufacturing or Six Sigma journey. Business process focus comes first. But, software systems can support change, automation, reduction of manual efforts. ...

... "Six Sigma uses statistical analysis to reduce variation. By reducing variation, the probability of producing a defect is less. " ...

Via IndustryWeek: Which Continuous Improvement Program Is Appropriate For Your Enterprise?

Lean Training Goes On Tour

Lean culture differentiates Japanese from US companies.

... "Instead of paying people to retire, a likely Japanese alternative would be to put people on kaizen (continuous improvement) teams, capitalizing on their experience and problem solving potential instead of paying them to stay at home. ... World Class Manufacturing is not a short-term concept. Justifying the hard work and application of resources to the improvement process is difficult if the focus is on quarterly reports. A fundamentally change in the way success is measured must be adopted if our economy is to remain viable and sustainable. " ...

Toyota Continues their March Past US Automakers: Lean Enterprise Training Announces Six City Tour Kicks off in Oregon ...

Change the Culture: Lean Manufacturing Fundamentals

Cultural change is the key to creating a sustainable lean manufacturing transformation. Engaging the workforce and enabling open communication with leadership supports the early phase of the lean journey as early successes snowball into sustained performance improvement. ...

... "For Ross Controls, the fundamental change that restored the company's fiscal health was lean manufacturing. In both cases, cultural change was the driver underpinning a positive bottom line. " ...

Via The Manufacturer: Lean and Cultural Change

Six Sigma Defect Elimination: Haz Waste Elimination

US Coast Guard uses Six Sigma DMAIC process to minimize defects in the elimination of hazardous waste. Voice of the customer surveys identified training improvements as low-cost, low-risk approach to creating measureable change in performance. Green techniques to environmental improvement is recognized. ...

... "The team followed the Six Sigma DMAIC process improvement model (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control). The team designed and performed a comprehensive Customer Survey targeting all the Environmental Compliance Officers (ECOs) from the various tenant units. Customer surveys revealed that training and knowledge of the system was sporadic due to ECO turnover and the lack of tenant command emphasis. The team quickly acknowledged that a robust and continual education and outreach program would be needed to improve the overall success of the Hazmat management program. In April 2005, a comprehensive training session was successfully implemented and is now offered on a monthly basis by the EB. " ...

Via US EPA: 2006 Awards: Champions of Green Government Awards | Region 9: Federal Facilities ...

Food Processing Lean Manufacturing Speed

Food processors see benefits from lean manufacturing, but must focus on cycle time reduction to increase the speed. ...

... "They are moving to lean manufacturing, to reduce waste, by incorporating shorter runs, faster change-overs and smaller inventories. However, where processors reduce waste with lean manufacturing, they lose production through downtime consumed by change-overs. " ...

Via Food Production Daily Europe: Read

Kaizen: Deming Philosophy

Modern Postcard has the mindset for success, incorporating lean thinking into its methods for continuous improvement. ...

... "Hoffman also subscribes to W. Edwards Deming's philosophy of statistical process control, as well as to kaizen, the Japanese term for change for the better or improvement used in lean-manufacturing circles. " ...

Via Graphic Arts Monthly: Kaizen: Deming Philosophy: Picture Perfect

Six Sigma Change Acceleration Process

GE shares its Six Sigma change acceleration process with non-profit to drive increased contribution to philathropic pursuits. ...

... "A trial ICFC program was just completed in October in Danbury with the Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut. A GE Six Sigma black belt led 24 YMCA employees and board members through a full day session of Change Acceleration Process training (CAP) at GE Capital Solutions Danbury headquarters. CAP is a set of principles and tools GE follows and uses to accelerate the acceptance and implementation of change. " ...

Via GE Capital Solutions: GE Capital Solutions Introduces New Corporate Giving Model Aimed at After School Non-Profit Programs

Logistics Six Sigma Savings: 3M Brazil

3M will outsource pallet management to CHEP, trasitioning from exchange pallets. Using the Six Sigma DMAIC process, 3M validates significant room for improvement in its pallet operation. It expects to realize benefits with potential cost reductions for transportation and storage. ...

... "To determine whether CHEP services were appropriate for the company's operations, 3M used Six Sigma processes, solicited feedback from wholesale and superstore retail customers and conducted a comprehensive reference call at the Brazilian facilities of a leading global consumer products company. During the review process, managers identified a chance to decrease loss of pallets and reduce the quantity of renewed equipment derived by costumer returns. " ...

Via CHEP: 3M Brazil Sees Cost Savings With CHEP Program

CHEP is the global leader in pallet and container pooling services serving many of the world's largest companies. The company has more than 7,700 employees and operates in 44 countries. Combining superior technology and an asset base of more than 280 million pallets and containers, CHEP offers its customers exceptional value, a platform that enables reduction in customer product damage, and an environmentally sustainable logistical solution. Supply chains served include consumer goods, produce, beverage, and the automotive industry. With global partners that include Procter & Gamble, SYSCO, Kellogg's, Kraft, Nestle, Ford and GM, CHEP is known for Handling the World's Most Important Products. Everyday.

3M Brazil uses a number of management methods in its operations, such as theory of constraints in its supply chain. ...

Via AGI-Goldratt Institute: TOC World 2000 Video Presentations: "3M Brazil successfully applies the Theory of Constraints to their Sales and Operational Plan (SOP) to define their ideal sales mix in terms of addressing the market, the impact on production, and to evaluate the impact on their bottom line. "

In addition to its efficiency focus, 3M Brazil focuses on sustainability in its manufacturing operations. Its skills in pollution prevention are showcased here. ...

3P Examples: "3P team from 3M Brazil's Itapetininga facility replaced the solvent-based paper treatment process the plant used to manufacture packaging, medical and masking tapes with a new, water-based process. As a result of this change, the facility reduced solvent emissions by over 45 tons per year. "

Six Sigma Dashboard: Performance Management

Performance management enables focus on the Six Sigma banner metrics that drive cultural change. ...

... "Her company taps a bag of PM-oriented tricks, ranging from balanced scorecards to Six Sigma-all of which must be managed and tracked at the people, process, and technology levels. " ...

Via Enterprise Systems: Link

Lean 80 SixSigma 20: Air Force Operations

Air Force embraces Lean Six Sigma to change its culture with an eye towards an 80/20 split, when the improvement situation warrants. ...

... "Chief Norris agreed and said the wing is looking to use Lean tools about 80 percent of the time, and Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints and Business Process Re-engineering tools the other 20 percent. " ...

Via Air Force Link: USAFE's 1st AFSO 21 manager to Lean up Spangdahlem

Lean Simulation Eases Employee Change

Company creates lean simulations to accelerate the adoption of lean manufacturing principles in resistant organizations. ...

... "Visionary Products, Inc. is the only company to offer simulations that help overcome resistance at all levels of an organization while teaching the fundamental concepts of lean. The company offers fun, educational simulations designed to stimulate, educate and motivate employees to embrace organizational change, desire improvements, and gain a fundamental understanding of lean practices. Packaged in a unique kit format, Lean Zone simulations allow managers to easily and cost-effectively train employees in a matter of hours. " ...

Via Visionary Products: New Simulation Brings Benefits of Lean Manufacturing to the Office

TPM Total Productive Maintenance: A Challenge

Incentivize your total productive maintenance initiative to position for success with computerized maintenance management systems. ...

... "Implementation of any major change such as Lean, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) or a new CMMS can be difficult at best, especially given industry's dismal track record of success. " ...

Via Plant Services: Incentive-based CMMS implementation ...

Lean Manufacturing: Local Beats Global ...

Local implementation of lean manufacturing at Ariens beats the global competition from China. ...

... "The idea of lean manufacturing is pretty close to a religion at Ariens these days. The tenets: Be quick on the draw. Improve continuously. Be open to change. Get everyone - shop floor to board room - involved. " ...

Via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A way forward for state companies ...

Six Sigma: Data-Based Motivation

Motivation is needed to accelerate culture change. A data-based approach to change can be motivating to the workforce if key variables are tracked. ...

... "A more significant impact on organizational performance improvement has been obtained from initiatives like Six Sigma and TQM – systematic, data-based methods for solving operational problems and enhancing performance. " ...

Via Management Issues: The behavior-consequence relationship

Six Sigma Entitlement Baseline ...

Navy establishes performance baseline and identifies its entitlement opportunity. Admiral John Nathman shares his insights on the organization's behavior and culture change. ...

... "We're doing things like entitlement baselines, Six Sigma, Lean. Very broad things. The Navy has changed its behavior. " ...

Six Sigma Entitlement Baseline: Via DefenseNews: Interview: Adm. John Nathman ...

Navy leader has a distinguished career ...

Admiral John B. Nathman's Biography: "Since his selection to Flag rank in 1994, Admiral Nathman has served on the NATO staff of Commander, Allied Forces Southern Europe (AF SOUTH), and as Director of Logistics for Commander, NATO Implementation Force (IFOR) during its first out-of-area deployment to Bosnia. In 1996, he commanded Carrier Group Seven, NIMITZ Carrier Strike Group and Battle Force FIFTY in the Persian Gulf. Admiral Nathman subsequently served as Director, Air Warfare, on the Chief of Naval Operations staff in Washington, D.C. ... Admiral Nathman served most recently as the 33rd Vice Chief of Naval Operations from August 2004 to February 2005. He assumed command of U.S. Fleet Forces Command on February 18, 2005. "

Lean Journey: Factory Work Cells ...

AMCO receives grant to enable workforce training in lean manufacturing. Their journey to lean involved redesign of factory into dedicated work cells. ...

... "AMCO Water Metering Systems Inc., a leading provider of innovative metering products and solutions received approval from the Incumbent Worker Training Program (IWT) for $20,000 in grant monies to be used to train their workforce in Time Wise Principles of Lean Manufacturing. Located in Ocala, Florida, AMCO Water is part of the Elster Metering Group, the world's largest multi-utility metering company for water, electricity and gas metering. Despite having a comprehensive portfolio of advanced metering products and meter reading solutions, AMCO knew that in order to continue to grow its position in the market, operational improvements were needed.



AMCO's journey began in April of this year with a change in leadership when Blake Snider became President of the company. Snider quickly realized that in order to sustain the company's growth, the business needed to embrace Lean Manufacturing; an initiative focused on continuous improvement and elimination of waste. John Bankey at the Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) was brought in to begin training the AMCO team in the Principles of Lean Manufacturing. " ...

Lean Journey: Factory Work Cells: Via Yahoo Finance: AMCO Awarded IWT Grant to Help Offset Training Costs ...

Kaizen Team Leaders Guide ...

BMG enhances the kaizen event for team leaders with updated guide. ...

... "This guide, co-authored by BMG Lean Master William Wes Waldo, and Lean Master/co-inventor of the SCORE methodology Tom Jones, provides users with the roadmap, tools, templates, and skills needed for moving efficiently through the SCORE process. Kaizen, meaning change for the better in Japanese, is used in Lean transformations to break down the project mentality of an organization and create a bias toward action. SCORE (Select, Clarify, Organize, Run & Evaluate) is BMG's methodology for implementing effective Kaizen events that really do change a company for the better. SCORE expands Lean's traditional Kaizen event with four additional improvement steps, adding critical project selection, planning and evaluation to the traditional running of an event." ...

Via BMG: Breakthrough Management Group Publishes First Comprehensive Team Leader's Guide to Lean Kaizen Events

Lean Manufacturing Change Necessary to Become Competitive ...

Rockwell Automation Power Systems manufacturing site in Tennessee uses lean techniques to enable it to become competitive in the global environment. The plant values its employees and the community in which it is located, even as it has had to transform itself to survive in the environment in which it competes. ...

... "We had the quality and the customer service components. Now, we have the pricing we need. That's what lean manufacturing helped us to achieve, Case said. " ...

Lean Manufacturing Change Necessary to Become Competitive: Via The Rogersville Review, Tennesee: Rockwell Automation: Lean manufacturing gave this Rogersville company a competitive global advantage ...

Lean Manufacturing Values: Streamline Production ...

Manufacturing director charged to enhance company culture with lean values. Management expects to achieve lower costs over time. It will take leadership support and the drive of the new director to transform the culture of the organization. ...

... "We are pleased that D.J. has joined the HydroHoist team and expect that he will make a positive impact on the company as we move forward. D.J. will oversee all manufacturing and production, said Webber. He will implement Lean manufacturing values to reduce inefficiencies and streamline production to reduce costs. " ...

Lean Manufacturing Values: Streamline Production: Via bymnews: HydroHoist names manufacturing director ...

HydroHoist offers hoists for all types of pleasure boats from small personal watercraft to 40,000 lb cruisers moored in virtually any type of boat dock, boat house, boat slip or pier. HydroHoist can lift boats that are often impractical for davit, hydraulic, gear driven, or sling lifts.

Lean Principles: Innovative Collaboration with Suppliers ...

Jim McNerney, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Boeing, shares his views on innovation and how lean principles have transformed Boeing. ...

... "The result is that we are able to help our customer spiral in new technology to the Super Hornet -- so it will continue to be relevant as its operators change their approaches to how they fight -- while at the same time it actually becomes less costly for them to buy. We are able to do that by applying Lean principles to the way we and our supplier-partners design the systems and operate our production facilities. " ...

Lean Principles: Innovative Collaboration with Suppliers: Via Boeing: McNerney: Innovation and the Global Economy ...

Lean Software: Visteon SAIC China JV ...

QAD software enables the lean manufacturing success of the Visteon SAIC joint venture in China. ...

... "QAD Inc., a leading provider of enterprise software solutions for global manufacturers, announced that Yanfeng Visteon Automotive Trim Systems LTD has deployed enterprise software applications from QAD to enable lean manufacturing operations and achieve exceptional inventory and manpower efficiencies. The implementation of QAD's Global Enterprise Edition. QAD GXE has enabled Yanfeng Visteon to gain dramatic reductions in material inventory, substantial reductions in stock space and enhanced data for logistical support and personnel savings. Yanfeng Visteon, a joint venture between SAIC Motor Corporation Limited, one of China's largest automotive manufacturers, and Visteon International Holdings Corporation, one of the world's preeminent automotive component manufacturers, is the leading supplier of spare parts for cars and trucks within China.

Like North American auto and truck manufacturers, the joint-venture company has been faced with the need to change its business processes to reduce inventory costs, enable higher productivity, and meet the requirements associated with sequencing assembly projects. The company's streamlining of operations using QAD provides cost as well as competitive benefits. QAD's software and expertise in lean systems has allowed Yanfeng Visteon to gain a critical advantage over other Chinese companies. Using QAD GXE, Yanfeng Visteon has cut materials inventory, reduced stock area, and cut logistics staff, enabling the company to achieve efficiencies that are unmatched by other enterprise solutions available today, as noted by company executives. Based on Toyota standards for lean manufacturing that are widely accepted by the automotive industry, QAD's Lean Manufacturing solution helps manufacturers effectively use Kanban systems to align inventory with demand for pull-based replenishment. It integrates electronic representation of Kanban processes with core ERP functions to provide comprehensive level loading, tracking and visibility of production, and supports electronic Kanban as well as physical card-based visual systems. " ...

Lean Software: Visteon SAIC China JV: Via QAD: Visteon-Shanghai Joint Venture Turns to QAD to Enable Lean Manufacturing ...

Lean Six Sigma Supports Joint Venture ...

Adam Cort explores the success of Lean Six Sigma at an exemplary plant in the UK ...

... "Then came CAT's 2001 Six Sigma initiative, whereby the company mandated that operations worldwide would adopt the methodology. According to Clark, Six Sigma helped Perkins Shibaura focus its quality efforts. " ...

Lean Six Sigma Supports Joint Venture: Via ASSEMBLY: Crossroads in the UK ...

Perkins and Japanese manufacturer Ishikawajima Shibaura machinery, Ltd. (ISM) launched a joint venture company, Perkins Shibaura Engines, Ltd., and a manufacturing facility in 1996 adjacent to the Perkins manufacturing plant in Peterborough, UK. The original product was the Perkins 100 Series engine. ISM has been manufacturing agricultural equipment and engines since the 1940s and is one of Japan's leading suppliers of small engines and tractors. ISM is part of Ishikawajima Harima Industries - (IHI), one of Japan's largest industrial companies.

Perkins Engines is a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc. and the world's leading supplier of off-highway diesel and gas engines in the 4 - 2000 kW (5 - 2600 hp) market. Perkins' key strength is its ability to tailor engines precisely to meet customers' requirements. More than 300,000 engines are manufactured every year -- that's one every minute -- to 21,000 different specifications. For more than 75 years Caterpillar Inc. has been building the world's infrastructure and, in partnership with its worldwide dealer network, is driving positive and sustainable change in every continent. With 2002 sales and revenues of $20.15 billion, Caterpillar is a technology leader and the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines.

Lean Manufacturing Success Story: Wood Products ...

Osborne Wood Products shares their lean manufacturing success story ...

... "The stories detailed the company's change from a commodity wood parts manufacturer to a specialist in small runs and short lead times using lean manufacturing techniques. " ...

Via The Toccoa Record: Osborne receives national attention ...

Operational Excellence: Six Sigma Work Process Change ...

IntraWest announces quarterly results and sees some increase in expenses as it ramps up its Six Sigma operational excellence program. ...

... "A new operational excellence initiative (modeled off Six Sigma) designed to change our work processes in order to derive cost savings and efficiencies in the future, which added $1.2 million of costs. " ...

Operational Excellence: Six Sigma Work Process Change: Via Intrawest: INTRAWEST REPORTS THIRD QUARTER FISCAL 2006 RESULTS ...

Lean TPS: Toyota Production System: Fountain Powerboat Implementation ...

Fountain Powerboats sets course for lean manufacturing through the application of the Toyota Production System (TPS). Fountain will leverage the strengths of Lean consultant, Samuel McPherson, to accomplish its lean journey.

... "Fountain Powerboat Industries, Inc., a leading manufacturer of high performance sport boats, fish boats and express cruisers, announced that it has engaged Samuel R. McPherson, a senior enterprise consultant, to implement the Toyota Production System (TPS) in its manufacturing facilities. McPherson is a proven Lean Manufacturing and public sector leader with over 24 years of experience in driving organizational cultural change and world class lean manufacturing.

The Toyota Production System is the framework and philosophy organizing manufacturing facilities and the interaction of these facilities with the suppliers and customers. The main goal of the TPS is to eliminate seven types of waste: defects, overproduction, transportation, waiting, inventory, motion and over processing. Toyota was able to greatly reduce costs using the TPS, enabling it to become one of the three largest companies in the world. Due to the stellar success of the production philosophy, many of these methods have been copied by other manufacturing companies. Mr. McPherson is a senior Lean-Six Sigma Enterprise and Public Sector Consultant responsible for providing operations, enterprise, extended enterprise level Lean and Lean-Six Sigma, Shingo Manufacturing consulting, training and product development for key commercial, state and government clients within the state of North Carolina. " ...

Lean TPS: Toyota Production System: Fountain Powerboat Implementation: Via Fountain Mercury: FOUNTAIN POWERBOATS TO IMPLEMENT TOYOTA PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN MANUFACTURING FACILITIES ...

Six Sigma Change Initiative ...

Six Sigma is a major change initiative ...

... "Larry Bossidy, while CEO of AlliedSignal, preceded the Six Sigma initiative with two smaller initiatives: Total Quality Management (TQM) and Total Quality for Speed (TQS). Using these first two initiatives, he taught the $14 billion company how to launch initiatives. " ...

Six Sigma Change Initiative: Via InformIT: Six Sigma in 90 Days: The Initiative, the Deployment, the Technology ...

Organizational Change Management: Six Sigma Change Agents ...

Organizations need to accept change as a routine part of conducting business. The management of change is crucial to organizational transformations, such as Six Sigma adoption and other improvement methdologies. ...

... "Six Sigma Black Belts are taught change management as part of their overall training and make acceptable change agents in most cases. They identify new ways of performing old operations and implement these changes in various parts of an organisation. " ...

Organizational Change Management: Six Sigma Change Agents; Preparing the organisation for change: Via Express Pharma