Mass Production & Lean: What’s the difference?

Mass production is not considered to be a Lean production method. At the height of its innovation however, it did effectively lower the unit cost of many goods and improved the efficiency of facilities. In the spirit of Lean and continuous improvement, it’s important to keep finding ways to improve the organization and over time,…

Jesse Allred | June 17, 2019 | Continuous Improvement, Kaizen, Kanban, Lean Manufacturing | Continuous Improvement, Kaizen, Kanban, Lean Manufacturing | 3 min read

Foundational Concepts of Lean

Lean manufacturing utilizes a number of strategies and tools to improve the business by boosting productivity and eliminating waste. The following are just a handful of the most common Lean tools, many have been adopted from manufacturing in Japan and the Toyota Production System . 5S (The Visual Workplace) 5S is a system of creating…

Jesse Allred | June 7, 2019 | 5S, Continuous Improvement, Kaizen, Kanban, Lean, Lean Manufacturing | 5S, Continuous Improvement, Kaizen, Kanban, Lean, Lean Manufacturing | 3 min read

Six Sigma Principles

The Six Sigma methodology is one that focuses on creating quality products and eliminating defects. Though Six Sigma is a vast idea that spans a number of Lean philosophies and methods, at its core, Six Sigma is driven by three principles: Process Improvement— Companies should take consistent action to eliminate root causes of deficiencies within…

Jesse Allred | February 18, 2019 | Continuous Improvement, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma | Continuous Improvement, Facility Efficiency, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma | 3 min read

What is a Gemba Walk?

Gemba walks are an important concept in your Lean toolbox. Managers and business leaders go on  (“go and see”) walks to observe firsthand how the production line is operating. The Objective of a Gemba Walk In businesses, managers often look to company leaders for direction. The value created by a business, though, exists out on…

Jesse Allred | February 11, 2019 | Gemba, Lean, Lean Manufacturing | 5S, Facility Efficiency, Gemba, Kaizen, Lean Manufacturing | 3 min read

The 5S Shine Pillar – Inspection and Maintenance

The third step of 5S is Seiso, a Japanese term translated to mean Shine. During Shine, workers are encouraged to do a deep cleaning of their space, ensuring there is no grime, dust, or oil spills remaining. However, it is important to remember that cleaning is not the only facet of this phase and that…

Jesse Allred | January 15, 2019 | 5S, Lean, Lean Manufacturing | 5S, Facility Efficiency, Lean, Lean Manufacturing | 2 min read

Using Kanban to Reduce Waste and Inventory

Utilizing the kanban system in your manufacturing facility can greatly reduce wastes, eventually adding value for the end customer. Kanban is commonly used in Lean manufacturing settings and JIT manufacturing settings, A kanban system utilizes visual cues to trigger specific actions, effectively cultivating a pull production system. What’s the difference between a pull system and…

Jesse Allred | January 9, 2019 | Kanban | Barcoding, Facility Efficiency, Kanban, Lean, Lean Manufacturing | 2 min read

The Tools of Kaizen

Kaizen is the methodology and philosophy of making small continuous improvements in business. It can be both an ongoing daily commitment or be implemented in a series of short-term, rapid improvement events. This way of thinking involves employers from all levels and works to make small incremental changes in nearly every aspect of the workplace.…

Jesse Allred | September 27, 2018 | Kaizen | Continuous Improvement, Facility Efficiency, Kaizen, Lean Manufacturing | 3 min read

The Toyota Production System House

The Toyota Production System, or TPS, is a widely-used and successful production system in manufacturing that focuses on reducing and eliminating waste, while producing quality products for consumers. The TPS model was developed by the Toyota Motor Corporation for their vehicle production system, but the principles and activities it encompasses can be applied to nearly…

Jesse Allred | September 20, 2018 | Kanban, Lean | Continuous Improvement, Facility Efficiency, Lean Manufacturing | 3 min read

The Top 5 Ways To Implement & Improve Lean Efforts in the Workplace

Since you’re reading this, you probably have some notion, however small, as to what lean strategies are, but you might be struggling with implementing them into your workplace for the first time. For others, you might be seeking a lean-based solution to a specific problem you’re noticing in your place of work. Whatever your case,…

Tony Ferraro | April 23, 2014 | Continuous Improvement | Continuous Improvement, Facility Efficiency, Gemba, Kaizen, Lean Manufacturing | 5 min read

Money may not be the Only Motivation for Employees

Keeping employees motivated is one of the most important thing managers and leadership teams can do for their business. Motivated employees not only contribute more to the company in the way they work, but they also come up with innovative new ideas, inspire others and provide many other important benefits. While it is obvious that…

Tony Ferraro | January 2, 2014 | Continuous Improvement | Continuous Improvement, Facility Efficiency | 3 min read

How to Get Employees More Involved

It is commonly said that the employees of a company are its most valuable resource. This is true on many different levels. Of course, employees are necessary for getting the day to day work done in any business, and without them, the company would quickly have to be shut down. What is perhaps more important,…

Tony Ferraro | December 31, 2013 | Continuous Improvement | Continuous Improvement, Facility Efficiency | 3 min read

What is an Incident Management System?

The term “incident management” is thrown around a lot in almost all types of industries today. While most people will have a general understanding of what type of thing it is used to describe, most don’t really understand exactly what an incident management system really is. Incident management is a term that has been used…

Tony Ferraro | December 23, 2013 | Continuous Improvement | Continuous Improvement, Workplace Safety | 3 min read

Is OSHA’s proposal for E-Reporting going too far?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has put forth a proposed rule that will require many employers to track injuries and illnesses electronically on a new system. If approved, the rule will require this type of reporting take place at least every quarter. For employers with 250+ employees, the website where the data will be sent…

Tony Ferraro | December 19, 2013 | Continuous Improvement | OSHA, Regulations & Compliance, Workplace Safety | 3 min read

2014 Regularity Priorities from OSHA Announced

Each year the US department of Labor, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announces a list of their priorities for the following year. In fact, they often release updates throughout the year, but the one that comes out at this time of the year typically gets the most attention. All companies would be wise to…

Tony Ferraro | December 16, 2013 | Continuous Improvement | OSHA, Regulations & Compliance, Workplace Safety | 3 min read

How Unified Communications and Collaboration can Improve Your Business

A unified communications and collaboration system can help improve just about every type of business in a variety of important ways. Before getting into the specifics of how this type of system can help, it is important to understand what is meant by a unified communications and collaboration program. This type of system will vary…

Tony Ferraro | December 6, 2013 | Continuous Improvement | Continuous Improvement, Facility Efficiency | 3 min read