Production - Lean Manufacturing

Lean isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a systematic approach to continuous improvement. With lean manufacturing, the right information gets communicated at the right time, which results in action instead of delays, errors, or stoppages.

If eradicating waste and minimizing product variation is important to your bottom line, Birch Consulting can show you how lean manufacturing will:

• Slash lead time
• Optimize inventories
• Standardize work
• Improve quality at the source
• Reduce setup time
• Achieve batch reduction
• Eliminate waste

Let’s look at an example of lean manufacturing in action. During a recent baseline review of a food processing operation, Birch Consulting discovered some glaring problems. 80% of the lead-time was non-value added. It was basically “waiting” time. The manufacturing process required too much double handling. Standard work was not obvious, and there seemed to be no preparation for line changeovers.

Even worse, the current finished goods inventory didn’t match the order demand pattern, and inventories were driven by long replenishment times. Only 60% of the storage area was being used for material inventory. The other 40% was clutter.

So we introduced lean manufacturing. To cut lead-time by 50% while improving customer service, we significantly reduced set up and line changeover. The result? Shorter production runs. A 30% reduction in inventory and 40% reduced warehouse space. And productivity, measured in units per labor, improved by 25%. The gross margin also improved by 5% showing “agile manufacturing” at its best.

Every company can benefit from lean manufacturing. When your organization is committed to perfection of product and optimal inventories, it transforms itself. The organization becomes an agile factory that needs shorter and shorter lead times. It produces smaller batches, quicker changeovers, and peak on-time delivery.

At Birch Consulting, lean manufacturing is just one part of a results-oriented improvement process. It makes more than a bottom line difference. It means you can adapt to changes in the marketplace while your competitors are still having meetings to identify their problems. If lean manufacturing isn’t part of your strategic plan for the future, you ignore it at your peril.

Agile manufacturing lets you stop discussing the past so you can focus on the future. And to be agile, you’ve got to be lean. Call Birch Consulting today to start trimming the waste and fortifying your future.