Lean
“Lean” is a continuous improvement strategy that identifies and eliminates non value added activities (waste). Lean thinking is derived from the Toyota Production System and is the foundation for the “just in time” or “lean manufacturing” movement that is sweeping the OEM market today.
First and foremost, lean focuses on continual process improvement. The emphasis is on what is of value to the customer. A common question to ask is “Will our customer be willing to pay for that activity?” If not, should we really be doing that activity? By using Lean principles, we make every effort to reduce waste, or Muda.
Waste occurs in many forms. The most common are:
- Defects/errors
- Overproduction
- Waiting
- Non-utilized personnel
- Transportation
- Inventory
- Motion
- Extra steps in the process and/or duplication of effort
The benefits of implementing lean principles can apply to a single organization or to a group of aligned businesses (a supply chain). This concept has historically been applied to the manufacturing floor but is also applicable to office and service environments. Getting your entire staff involved provides the best results.
Falcon’s entire staff has been trained in Lean Principles. Since our training in early 2009, we have continued to review our processes to find ways that we can reduce inefficient activities. Please view the following slides to see examples of what we learned from Bob Olson, Process Improvement Specialist.
We are prepared to work with your staff to streamline your product acquisition process. Please contact us for more information about how we can support your company’s efforts on your Lean journey.
