All posts from Mark Graban’s LeanBlog.org, including podcasts, announcements, articles, and more.
MySA.com: Metro | State The Toyota truck plant in Texas has started production. For all of the talk this week from the Big 3 about yen/dollar valuations and advantages that Toyota has with importing vehicles, it sure is strange that…
For what it’s worth, I’ve updated my “Standard Work” document for the blog. My last update was back in May. This is probably the fourth or fifth revision since I started that document. It’s a small reminder — standard work…
While traveling, even on vacation, you can see lean concepts abound: SFO airport, the escalator has a sign that says “no carts” (the big luggage carts), but they also put in an error proofing device, a “template” that is wide…
WXYZ: Investigators Update January 18, 2007: Ford’s Fields Finally Sacrifices This was sent my way from a friend who works at a Ford-related company. I can’t imagine how the CEO of Ford can go to the White House and moan…
There is a new book on TQM available. I have not bought the book yet but my assumption is that it builds on TQM. To me, the link between TQM and lean is pretty clear. I would suggest that lean…
Journal Gazette | 11/15/2006 | Big Three get little from Bush session Has anyone heard the “weak yen” excuse from the Big 3 lately? GM’s Rick Wagoner claims Toyota gets a “$3,000 to $9,000” subsidy per vehicle for exports to…
Detroit Free Press Article Great quote and imagery here from Gary Convis: Gary Convis, the senior vice president of manufacturing in North America for Toyota Motor Corp., remembers well the first time he stepped into a Toyota plant. A former…
From a friend who is an engineer at a major company in an industry that should know a lot about lean by now: Old way: Cleaning personnel, as they are cleaning offices, empty trash can from each desk daily. New…
Air Mail :: American Way :: November 1, 2006 I don’t know what’s worse, that I’m on a road a lot or that I actually flip through the American Airlines magazine sometimes. I actually found an item there, sent in…
Frustration Grows at Carousel as More Baggage Goes AstrayW. Edwards Deming is famous (but not famous enough) for pointing out that most errors are the fault of the system and that the system is ultimately management’s responsibility, not the individual…
PodcasterNews – Industry Report National Association of Manufacturers A good friend of the Lean Blog, Ken Rayment, scored an interview with former Michigan Governor John Engler, now President of the National Association of Manufacturers. Part 2 of the interview covers…
GM raises price of some ’07s | Chicago Tribune: The other day, I complained about how GM was “forced” to raise prices due to materials cost increases and how wrong that concept is. Yesterday’s Chicago Tribune explained it better: “‘GM…
