My grandfather used to tell me, “I have forgotten more than you know!” Well if he had ever studied the concepts of the LEAN Enterprise, he would probably be correct! Occasionally I can benefit from a quick refresher, so I hope that you will find this helpful.
Whether this is a “Readers Digest” refresher, or your first introduction to how to transform into a LEAN Enterprise, you will find these concepts to be a quick and easy read. In conclusion, I will offer a few ways to take the next step toward your LEAN Transformation.
- 5 Basic LEAN Enterprise Philosophies:
- No product is made until the next customer “downstream” requires it
- Quality is designed into the product and process, not inspected in
- Employees are an integral part of the business enterprise, not extensions of machines; employee empowerment is good.
- Inventory hides problems and must be eliminated
- There is a relentless commitment to banishing waste and striving for perfection.
- The General Principles of LEAN
- Safety compliance – very safe, no hazards. Rigid adherence to policies. Full government compliance
- Just-In-Time (JIT) Production – produce only when needed.
- – scrap and rework must be eliminated
- Empowered Teams – production teams identify sources of waste in the value stream and are empowered to act and remove the waste.
- Visual Management – transparency of information in widely readable formats.
- Pursuit of Perfection – the relentless search for waste and low quality and the continuous activity of eliminating waste and solving quality problems.
- The 7 Wastes:
- Overproduction
- Waiting
- Transport
- Over-processing
- Inventories
- Wasted movement
- Production of defective parts
- The 5 S’s of Safety, Order and Cleanliness:
- Sort – separate and eliminate waste
- Straighten – arrange all essential items with clear markings
- Scrub – maintain immaculate cleanliness
- Systematize – make cleaning and organizing a routine practice
- Sustain – stay committed to the first 4 S’s and drive continuous improvement
- Value Stream Mapping (process workflows) – involves understanding every aspect of your process from Suppliers through Manufacturing and/or Distribution and to Customers. This understanding helps identify the waste so that it can be effectively eliminated.
- Your Transformation to a LEAN Enterprise requires a Championship Mentality!
- Leadership is an essential component
- Personal transformation will be required
- Let people know what to expect
- Be firm. Give them time. But not too much!
I hope that this “Reader’s Digest” version of the LEAN Enterprise Principals and Philosophies brings you an instant refresher on the keys to a LEAN Enterprise. So now, how does this apply to your organization? Do you have wasteful processes? Do you duplicate data entry? Does your organization carry extra inventory? Do you have a hard time finding, ? Do you have too many paper processes, or a lack of transparency or ? Does human error introduce waste that can be eliminated by embracing ?
If any of these apply to your organization, please look to Supply Chain experts such as the for ways to transform your organization to a LEAN Enterprise. Through our years of Distribution and Manufacturing experience we will share industry best practices, case studies, and WithoutWire™ (WoW) Customer Success Stories that will make you say WoW!
For more details see also ; copyright©1999, by Bruce Henderson and Jorge L. Larco and the Oaklea Press.
By Steve Dwyer, Vice President, Appolis
