Category Archives: "Lean in Manufacturing"

Toyota, the Japanese automaker  known as being the founder of Lean manufacturing, will now be leaning heavily on its production system to ride out the economic recession. The yen has been trading high as the American economy continues to wane, with exchange rates hitting 79 yen for the dollar – down from 100 yen in

Continuous improvement and the Kaizen methodology were first developed by Japanese automaker Toyota, so it's not surprising that other car companies are implementing Lean manufacturing as a way of improving their plants' profitability. Chrysler Group's return to profitability leans heavily on a new continuous improvement initiative developed by parent company Fiat. Speaking at a conference

There are a number of considerations when running any successful manufacturing plant – the layout of factories, the complexity of operations, the role of suppliers and the demands of customers are just a few factors that must be taken into account. According to Dr. Richard Price, however, the top enemy of any manufacturing company is

The Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) National Lean Conference is currently taking place at the Winnipeg Convention Center in Manitoba, Canada, where more than 750 attendees will share tips and learn how Lean can benefit their companies. The number of individuals in attendance highlights how prominent Lean manufacturing has become in the sector and beyond,

Like many other business sectors, the manufacturing industry took a big hit over the past few years due to the economic recession. However, in some states throughout the U.S., the manufacturing business is slowly starting to improve, as evidenced by an influx of new hires to factories. For example, the 2012 Indiana Manufacturers Directory –

Gregory Kenny, CEO of Kentucky-based General Cable, asserts that his industry is a tough one to stay competitive in. If his company isn't running at peak capacity, there is a very real chance that someone else in the sector could easily surpass General Cable, IndustryWeek reports. Kenny's company produces and manufactures copper, aluminum and fiber-optic

Kaizen and the Toyota Production System have revolutionized how many businesses produce goods and services. The Indianapolis Star recently explored a Toyota manufacturing plant in Indiana to see how this system worked outside of Japan. The factory, which dates back to 1928, practices many of the principles of Lean production. Unlike Henry Ford's factory mass

Cost has traditionally been a chief concern among business owners, but that is especially the case now, given the rough shape of the current global economy. In the past, businesses have been quick to outsource key jobs to offshore suppliers and other partners to take advantage of cheap labor and minimize production costs. However, the

Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement were cited by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters as being a wise business investment that can even make the difference between a successful company and one that languishes in the recession. The uncertainty of the global economy has forced many Canadian companies to rethink elementary business practices. Now, businesses – particularly

The American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson is undergoing some radical changes in an effort to streamline its product manufacturing process, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Harley-Davidson's new production planning system, which makes use of lean manufacturing, was slated to go into effect this month but has since been delayed to further improve upon it. The company