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Here you will find a host of information providing insights into operational excellence and innovation suitable for a range of industries and experience levels.
How R.H. Sheppard used 3P to discover a new way to manufacture. In 2012, R.H. Sheppard, a manufacturer of power steering systems and related engineered products, faced a key business decision on capital investment for one of its parts manufacturing lines that needed updating…
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To consistently drive top-line growth, leaders must commit to a disciplined and creative focus on meeting today’s market challenges while strengthening capabilities for future competitive mastery. It’s a matter of keeping the core business running optimally without losing sight of what’s on the horizon—and being prepared for and open to “creative destruction.”
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In the midst of disruption, businesses still need to operate by optimizing systems to drive out waste and improve flow. What’s changed is the need to do so smarter and faster. In this month’s What’s Up, we look at the importance of building capabilities through up-skilling and multi-skilling, and doing so rapidly…as well as highlight opportunities for educating employees.
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TPM’s integral role, with 5 takeaways to guide your strategy.
Most business owners and general managers recognize just how critically important proper equipment maintenance is, particularly in an asset-oriented work environment.
Last month saw another round of graduates from our Lean Manager for Services Certification held on the campus of The Ohio State University. Instructor and Executive Partner of Productivity Inc., Catherine Converset, spent a few minutes with us recently to talk about implementing lean in service and administrative functions.
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In all too many instances, there are complaints that accounting departments are a barrier to the Lean transformation. There is even a movement from some proclaiming that traditional accounting methods are too contrary to appreciate the benefits of lean and a newer approach referred to as “Lean Accounting” is the answer.
Read moreProduction Preparation Process (3P)—Milestone 13
In the highly competitive world of vinyl siding production, “process yield is king.” A fraction of a percentage point change in yield traditionally is very difficult to attain let alone sustain. So you can imagine what was going through one plant manager’s head when he got the news that yield had to improve 2.4% above last year’s performance.
In the world of lean transformation, a type of complacent behavioral pattern emerges around kaizen events. As Jim Vatalaro points out in his most recent blog posting, “Solving the ‘Sustainment Problem’,” many organizations fall victim to event-driven improvement:
Read moreForbes has recently released its 2013 list of the 100 most innovative companies, and for the third year in a row the business at the top of the list is one that provides an online service - Salesforce.com. Founded as a small startup in 1999, the company's core innovation was to sell enterprise software from a cloud-based platform.
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Applying visual One-Point Lessons (OPL’s), are a quick and effective way to reinforce SOP’s and help workers learn specific tasks at point of use.
With its origins in Toyoda Loom Works Co., Jidoka, or “intelligent autonomation,” is a 4-step process enabling machines and workers to immediately halt work once problems are detected. It goes beyond firefighting to uncover the root cause of problems and develop countermeasures to prevent them from reoccurring.
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Need to improve response time and reliability in your QC and R&D Labs? Watch this overview presentation by Productivity, Inc. President, Catherine Converset to understand the opportunities.
5S is more than housekeeping. It’s the foundation of a visual management system and a successful Operational Excellence initiative that promotes improved and sustained communication, efficiently, and safety. Learn what the 5S’s can do for your organization in this month’s WOM.