Bharat Heavy Electricals lean improvement strategy

Even Indian firms must confront Chinese competition with operational excellence programs, such as lean continuous improvements. Bharat Heavy Electricals leader discusses the company's competitive strategies. ...

... "Coupled with this, many operational improvement strategies were also introduced, such as design-to-cost, lean manufacturing and so on. Of course, this has been a continuous process in the company but in the recent past we have increased focus on these activities. " ...

Via Business Standard, India: Chinese competition

Philly Competitive Lean Manufacturing

Philadelphia area manufacturers use lean methods to stay competitive in the face on China export onslaught. ...

... "Lean refers to the elimination of all sorts of waste from manufacturing. For example, Probes Unlimited standardized production methods in a way that reduced the variety of setup operations needed to make its products, from several hundred to five or six. " ...

Via Philadelphia Inquirer: Factory Competition

Manufacturing Reinvention

Company Info: With more than 5,000 team members worldwide and revenues of $1.2 billion, Barry-Wehmiller Companies, Inc. has leveraged strategic acquisitions and organic growth initiatives to succeed.

Lean Six Sigma Survival Strategy

County exec has used Six Sigma and lean to bring efficiency to government. Chris Collins shares his passion and experience with these tools. He empowers the workforce to bring sustainable change to processes. ...

... "Collins said. Lean Six Sigma is probably the best survival tool there is. And someday as your competitors go out of business, I have a saying: If you're the last restaurant in town, you're going to be busy Saturday night. " ...

Via The Buffalo News: Six Sigma to Survive

PPG Six Sigma for Auto Refinishing Value Chain

PPG offers Lean Six Sigma training for customer partners in its automotive refinishing value chain, such as collision centers. ...

... "The training, a four-day intensive learning event, is intended for collision center owners and managers and teaches the practical applications of Lean Six Sigma techniques to boost quality, speed, cost performance and competitiveness at repair facilities. It will be offered Oct. 5-8 in Albuquerque, N.M., Nov. 16-20 in Eagan, Minn., and Dec. 7-10 in Los Angeles. " ...

Via PPG Industries: Schedule for MVP Green Belt training

Ford India Lean Manufacturing Techniques

Ford transforms its India operations in preparation for production of a new car. The plant has been retrofit and will leverage lean techniques for success. ...

... "The transformed Maraimalai Nagar Ford plant is built around an array of new lean manufacturing techniques to make it ultra-efficient and its products cost-competitive even in the hotly contested sub-B segment in India and other growth markets. " ...

Via Paddock Talk: Ford Investment In India

Lean Investment Leads to Payoff

Internal investment is an attribute of companies poised to weather the current business cycle and emerge in a stronger competitive position. ...

... "Toyota's margins were higher because it invested heavily in automated production systems and lean manufacturing initiatives over many years and, as a result, was much better positioned to weather the current crisis than its American competitors. " ...

Via Motley Fool: These Companies

Offshore Manufacturing

While globalization has shaped the manufacturing industry over recent past, a holistic understanding of the total cost and implications of offshore manufacturing may shift thinking on the capacity footprint. ...

... "Even though the original quoted cost of manufacturing in Taiwan looked very attractive, all the additional costs and problems had made the costs of offshoring exceed the original quoted benefits. " ...

Via Manufacturing: Back To The USA

The Lean Investment Pays Offs

Investment in productivity initiatives, such as Lean and Six Sigma, help position companies for better performance through the peaks and valleys of the business cycle. ...

... "Toyota's margins were higher because it invested heavily in automated production systems and lean manufacturing initiatives over many years and, as a result, was much better positioned to weather the current crisis than its American competitors. Investing in yourself -- especially when your competitors can't -- usually leads to a payoff down the road. " ...

Via Motley Fool: Get Better In a Recession

China Six Sigma Quality Next

Chinese products are differentiated by their low cost, but not for their high quality. However, globalization is accelerating the need for quality management processes, such as Six Sigma, in China's manufacturing industry. Continuous improvement will go a long way towards improving the reputation of products sourced from China. ...

... "China made its mark in the business world by supplying low cost products -- not top quality products. Essentially, says Carter, China has never been given a reason to strive for six sigma precision, until now. " ...

Via Knowledge @ W.P. Carey: Chinese Product Recalls

Nerf Manufacturing

Want to differentiate your manufacturing company and be globally competitive? Show respect for your workforce. It will be noticed. ...

... "The factory's management and the local officials really look down on the workers, said one laid-off worker who would only give his surname, Qiao, because he feared criticizing the company might jeopardize his chance of getting any compensation. " ...

Via Boing Boing: Nerf factory

Footwear Lean Manufacturing Creates Efficiency

Footwear manufacturers drive operating efficiencies through the application of lean manufacturing techniques. ...

... "Adidas AG CFO Robin Stalker said the company was well situated: We believe we are extremely well positioned competitively, vis-a-vis our competitors, in terms of lean manufacturing and engineering of our product. " ...

Via Footwear News: Crisis

Global Competition through Lean Manufacturing

Small manufacturing firs turn to lean techniques to increase their global competitiveness. ...

... "Quabaug and Mar-Lee, which each compete against lower-cost areas like China, streamlined their methods of operation to become more efficient and handle changing customer needs. Their use of so-called lean manufacturing and innovation puts them on the forefront of next-generation manufacturing ... " ...

Via Worcester Telegram: Next Gen Manufacturing Competes Globally

Leverage Information Technology in the Lean Manufacturing Environment

Information technology has role in the lean manufacturing enterprise of the future. ...

... "New competitive threats have emerged in Asia, and ahead-of-the curve manufacturers are leveraging IT not only to help establish partnerships in places like China, but to extract more out of their lean-manufacturing strategies, optimize business processes, enable growth, and learn more about their customers. " ...

Via Wisconsin Technology: Manufacturing IT

Seminar Explores Lean Six Sigma Role in Global Competition

APICS chapter offers Lean Six Sigma seminar on Tuesday, Aug 28th, 2007. ...

... "Competing Globally with Lean Six Sigma will offer a brief history of Lean Six Sigma, a process-improvement method, then move on to practical application of the principles in eliminating waste and variation to enhance global competitiveness. " ...

Via St. Cloud Times: Growth

Arizona Manufacturers Think Lean

Arizona manufacturing base retools for efficiency, using lean principles to compete globally. Manufacturing leaders are recognized for their performance. ...

... "As a result, many Arizona manufacturers are working on retooling both their staffs and machinery, he said. Now they're thinking in lean manufacturing terms, he said. Is your supply chain moving things efficiently? " ...

Via EastValleyTribune: Arizona Manufacturing

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?