12/18/2006 – Smith & Wesson Buys Thompson/Center Arms – Outdoors – Chattanoogan.com:
Yesterday, it was the maker of Ruger firearms… today it's Smith & Wesson acquiring a company and claiming that is lean manufacturing expertise will create value:
“… the acquisition ‘increases opportunities for both Smith & Wesson and Thompson/Center Arms. Smith & Wesson's ability to provide capital for growth and expertise in lean manufacturing processes will provide critical support for our new product pipeline and our need for increased capacity based on strong customer demand.”
Is this another Danaher story, but with firearms?
I should have called this post, “Go Ahead, Make Me Lean” since Dirty Harry used a Smith & Wesson…
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Mark's new book is The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation.
He is also the author of Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More, the Shingo Award-winning books Lean Hospitals and Healthcare Kaizen, and the anthology Practicing Lean.
Mark is also a Senior Advisor to the technology company KaiNexus.
I am always a little skeptical when a company trumpets their lean manufacturing prowess. If they were truly lean they would understand how far they have to go and not brag about what experts they are. I’m not into false humility, but the truly lean never go that route.