Are you looking for innovative ways to boost your lean management skills? Look no further! This comprehensive guide will walk you through real-world examples of how businesses have successfully implemented lean thinking and practices to drive sustainable improvements.
Lean Manufacturing Success Stories
Thrustmaster of Texas, a manufacturer of highly engineered products, adopted lean thinking and practices to achieve remarkable results in a short period. Learn how they used the Lean Transformation Framework to improve their operations and follow in their footsteps.
Another company, SunPower, took a bold step by combining lean principles with circular economy concepts to launch its CLean Transformation. Discover how this innovative approach helped them achieve their goals.
Sustaining Your Lean Business System
Phase 2 Medical Manufacturing, a medical device maker, faced intense global competition and had to rebuild its margins. By lifting its lean operating system to new heights and keeping it there with a "golden triangle" of sustainability, they were able to sustain their business system.
Read the follow-up story on how Phase 2 expanded its pull system by connecting its plan-for-every-part database with ERP, typically associated with big batch production.
Cultivating a Lean Problem-Solving Culture
O.C. Tanner, an appreciation business, knew that appreciating and valuing employees' problem-solving ideas was crucial to their lean transformation. Learn how they cultivated a culture of innovation and what worked and what didn't in this report.
Lean Partnerships: A Key to Success
Vermeer, a heavy-equipment manufacturer, partnered with its dealer network to reduce end-to-end inventory on top sellers. Discover how they began converting their distribution network to lean replenishment, improving service to customers and cash flow for the company.
Experimenting with Excellence
Herman Miller, a well-known office furniture manufacturer, used lean management principles to build problem solvers as well as world-class products. Learn how this approach helped them weather a brutal recession and achieve long-term success.
Building Stability in Production
Rigorous problem-solving created basic stability in a machining-intensive facility. Discover the importance of building a stable foundation for production and how it can lead to greater gains.
Journey to Value Streams
An approach centered on autonomy, entrepreneurialism, and lean principles helped create a value-stream culture. Learn how this journey drove improvements and customer responsiveness.
Change in Implementation Approach
EMCO, an iconic family-owned company, accelerated its rate of improvement by adopting a relatively quick and intensive project. Discover how this change in approach opened the door to greater gains in less time.
Creating a Lean Accounting System
A lean accounting implementation filled the frustrating disconnect between shop-floor improvements and financial statements. Learn how this approach helped bridge the gap and improve overall performance.
Problem Solving: The Soul of Lean Management
After adopting lean tools, management re-organized the transformation around problem solving and process improvement. Discover how this approach created a culture that engaged people while boosting performance.
Bucking the Status Quo
An iconic family-owned knife company turned to lean manufacturing to reduce costs by at least 30% and keep its U.S. operations open. Learn how they bucked the status quo and achieved success.
Lean Transformation: A Journey, Not a Destination
After a failed first try at just-in-time production, a company transformed tool maintenance, design, and fabrication to create a solid foundation for a second attempt. Discover the importance of perseverance and continuous improvement in lean transformation.
Avoiding the "Flavor-of-the-Month" Pitfall
A seasoned lean effort avoided introducing new tools as fads by using a structured approach. Learn how this company prevented each new technique from being viewed as a fleeting trend.
Recharging Your Lean Transformation
Two years into a lean transformation, progress can start to slow. Discover how Thomas & Betts plant recharged its transformation and reached higher levels of performance by using value-stream managers to span functional walls.
Using Plan-Do-Check-Act for Supplier Improvement
At Medtronic's Neuromodulation business unit, the plan-do-check-act cycle is used on a strategic level to guide overall strategy for selecting and developing key suppliers. Learn how this approach helped improve supplier performance.
By reading these real-world case studies, you'll gain valuable insights into how businesses have successfully implemented lean management principles to drive sustainable improvements. Whether you're just starting your lean journey or looking to take it to the next level, these stories will provide inspiration and guidance for your own app startup ideas.