Continuous Improvement

Mass Production & Lean: What’s the difference?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

OSHA and Continuous Improvement

OSHA and Continuous Improvement

Any organization doing business in the United States should be familiar with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, or OSHA. They are a branch of the US Department of Labor and are tasked with helping to ensure all working environments are safe and healthy for those working in them. They were established in 1970, and have…

Tony Ferraro | October 25, 2013 | Continuous Improvement | Continuous Improvement, Kaizen, OSHA, Regulations & Compliance | 2 min read

Heijunka – Creating Flow

Heijunka – Creating Flow

The word Heijunka is often used in the manufacturing industry, and it means sequencing, or smoothing of production. The idea behind this term is to help absorb sudden fluctuations or changes in the demand of the market. This is often done by producing several different models of a product, in smaller production batches. In practice,…

Tony Ferraro | October 9, 2013 | Continuous Improvement, Lean Manufacturing | Continuous Improvement, Facility Efficiency, Lean Manufacturing | 2 min read