By Mark Edmondson, LEAN Affiliates I made a day trip to the Assembly Technology Expo in Chicago last week. What an adventure. After all, here’s an event dedicated to the latest automated innovations for manufacturing: Over 600 leading suppliers were…
With permission from the recruiter, posting this as a free service. As a blog reader, does it add value to see a job posting once in a while? Give me feedback under “Comments.” I’m posting this because it looked like…
lean enterprise institute survey (Google cache HTML) Click here for Word Doc version I don’t recall seeing this survey last year and the 2006 survey is in the works, according to my contact at the LEI. The LEI asked: “What…
Got Boondoggle?: Lean Manufacturing Epiphany Great post from Mike about his Japan tour, including this gem: My lean manufacturing epiphany is quite simple, LEAN IS HARMONY. Culturally speaking in Japan, harmony is a treasured state of being for a person.…
I know not everybody travels, so y’all might not be concerned about attempts to see lean (or NON lean) practices in the travel world. But, I travel almost weekly, so this is one “gemba” I see quite a bit. One…
A tale of two factories – FORTUNE Here is an interesting piece from the latest FORTUNE magazine. The reporter visited two Tenneco Automotive plants that both make mufflers — one in Litchfield, Michigan (my home state) and one in China.…
Another question to pose to you, the blog readers and lean folks: Does anyone have experience with “Value Stream Mapping Software”? I’ve been asked to investigate options for my organization. I’m not completely sold on the value of using specialized…
I’m sure that among the readers of The Lean Blog there there is nothing but support for the lean principles of developing and respecting people. However, even with the best of intentions, consistently abiding by these principles, particularly in fast…
Like Mark, I’m frustrated today. Recently I’ve been working to support a quality improvement blitz within a manufacturing facility. The plant is taking a step towards ISPC by establishing maximum levels of defects at the end of each zone. The…
Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association union website Ok, here’s some positive balance after my crabby posts from earlier (the timing is right to dig this up after typing it — as part of a blog batch — over the weekend). I’ve…
Lean proves mean in drug manufacturing Sigh, yet another attempt to say “lean doesn’t apply in our industry.” A survey of pharma companies shows they think lean isn’t working. “The survey of more than 1,500 pharmaceutical manufacturers, conducted by solutions…
Sigh, crabby mood… for those of you who don’t like the “Crabby Mark” blog posts, here come a few today. It’s often commented about here (and Jamie Flinchbaugh makes this point in his first podcast discussion with me), that lean…
