Lean Manufacturing Introduction

Why Lean Manufacturing is Commercially Essential for Small Manufacturing Businesses

Lean Manufacturing Introduction : Why there is a business Need

Nearly all manufacturers want to improve to remain competitive, particularly small and medium-sized businesses. However, many are often not sure how to. Some have heard of lean manufacturing but quite frankly the day job of getting the orders in, keeping production going and balancing cash-flow is more than enough. In the mean-time numerous official reports have identified improved ways of working, such as lean, can deliver significant bottom line improvements. Moreover, small manufacturers often find the cost of current training solutions and consultants prohibitive, sometimes with dubious results.

What small manufacturing businesses need is a simple, flexible way of implementing the parts of lean that are applicable to them - starting with our Lean Manufacturing introduction. Concepts and ideas need to be relevant and easy to understand, such that they can be applied quickly in the workplace when convenient. What’s more, everybody knows how tough it is out there financially. So options need to be low cost.

Well we’re so passionate about the application of lean to small manufacturing businesses, we've supplied bundles of info for very low cost or for free! Simple explanation and real world application, made as convenient as possible – this is the only way lean manufacturing techniques are going to trickle down to the hard pressed small businesses that underpin manufacturing industry. Of course, there is rightly a place for consultant-led (more expensive) lean programmes. However small hard pressed manufacturers now have an opportunity to explore lean and witness its benefits at their convenience and on their terms. Our Lean Manufacturing Introduction is a great start point

In short – this is a great source of information to help you improve the operation and profitability of your manufacturing business. The flexibility, low cost, and convenience have been developed especially for the needs of small manufacturers.

Now is the best time to make improvements. We keep it simple, to help you get the benefits more quickly.

So what is this ‘Lean’ all about then?

One of the fundamental ideas behind lean is to ruthlessly remove waste from your manufacturing process. Waste is anything that doesn’t add value, from the point of view of the customer. As such, another central theme of lean is to deliver more value, from your customers’ perspective.

In lean organisations the drive to remove waste and so add value, is continuous – it doesn’t stop. Processes can always improve; you can always find ways to do things better, cheaper and faster. As such, a third principle of lean is to continually improve your processes. In short then, lean is all about doing more for less, continually reducing waste, adding value and constantly improving your processes.

To help you achieve this, lean includes a range of tools and techniques to assist you practically improve and reduce waste. We’ll cover some of these later. However lean is more than just a set of tools. It is more a way of thinking, a philosophy, where the tools assist the application of the ideas so as to reap the benefits.

Lean Manufacturing Introduction (courtesy of SME)

Lean Manufacturing Introduction

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