The new president of Pallet Services Corp, Travis Huisman, shares principles of lean communication that he has used in consumer products manufacturing. The Art of Lean: The new president of Pallet Services Corp, Travis Huisman, shares principles of lean communication that he has used in consumer products manufacturing. A picture […]

Countries hoping to revive manufacturing should look east for answers. Reviving manufacturing has become a prime policy objective for national leaders from Washington to Beijing to New Delhi. We can debate whether chasing factories is worth the effort in the 21st century, but not the difficulty of building and maintaining a robust […]

Use these lessons from the factory floor to shape a leaner, stronger enterprise. I’ve seen manufacturing change considerably in my 24-year career, especially when it comes to lean practices. This concept of identifying and eliminating waste in the production process, while at the same time adding value the customer is […]

How you make your products needs to change. Consumer desire for more product choice will lead to more changeovers and smaller batches. Your ‘work horse’ manufacturing equipment isn’t suited to change – they’re locked into high speed, fixed product technologies. Agile manufacturing will allow you to embrace this trend, lower […]

In your efforts to improve your lean manufacturing processes, don’t ignore the vital role of talent. There is a common lean phrase, “Bad systems beat good people.” Sometimes it is attributed to Dr. W. Edwards Deming although it isn’t actually his quote. I’ve used it for 20 years but couldn’t […]

The topic on the Fourth Industrial Revolution has sparked discussions across various industries, and countries. A study by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) showed that rapid adoption of Industry 4.0 could boost the country’s labour productivity by as much as 30 percent by 2024. Advancements, from smart manufacturing, robotics, to […]

… from skeptical teammates and worried execs to the frustration of waiting for the results to emerge. Lean manufacturing is perhaps the most popular option for manufacturing operations seeking to improve performance, offering clear results and benefits that beat the competition and reduce time to market. Lean brings together aspects […]

Industry 4.0, or fourth industrial revolution, is here – and those manufacturing companies that are able to catch up, will win against their competition. Also referred to as “The Smart Factory” or “Connected Industry,” Industry 4.0 involves integrated and automated data and process management. In a “smart factory” all the […]

In Magnolia, Texas, a tight-knit workforce delivers in a truly lean fashion. Imagine you get the green light to build a new facility in which to manufacture your products in the most optimal way possible. What would it look like? Where would you place your equipment? Would the manufacturing plant […]

The scope of manufacturing goes beyond the attributes of the product, or simply the cost to produce. Helping hospitals improve safety, quality of care and cost requires a holistic approach to the value chain, including the delivery of product at the right time in the right place–and at the right […]