How Starbank used Lean manufacturing to weather the recession

As the global recession struck the wallets of both consumers and businesses around the world, demand for manufactured goods declined. As a result, many of these manufacturers were challenged to rethink how they did business.

While there are any number of strategies companies can employ to make do in the struggling economy, one in particular that's gaining traction is Lean manufacturing. This process allows companies to do more with less by cutting inefficient measures and streamlining the remaining ones, enabling them to maximize the use of their resources.

As Manufacturing Digital notes, downturns aren't always a bad thing in this regard. Yes, traditional Key Performance Indicators (KPI) – such as sales volumes and profitability – will take a hit in the short-term, that's to be expected. However, by taking the time to make the necessary adjustments and deploy Lean manufacturing strategies, companies will be able to make meaningful changes for the future.

How Starbank succeeded using Lean manufacturing

One such company that recently had tremendous success employing continuous improvement tactics was Starbank, a leading fabricator of high-pressure laminates. The European manufacturer was growing significantly leading into the economic recession, with a staff of more than 100 individuals in a three-acre manufacturing plant.

However, when 2008 came to a close, the recession began to take its toll on Starbank. Orders were down and Phil Darbyshire, managing director of the company, knew he would have to make meaningful changes to ensure the company continued to grow. Lean manufacturing offered the perfect solution to the manufacturer's problem.

“During our period of rapid growth, we hadn't time to really review our operations, we tended to add new buildings and machinery to cope with demand,” he told the news source. “To reorganize would have caused us too many production problems.”

“This was our opportunity to reorganize,” Darbyshire added.

Starbank developed a training program that would improve processes and identify bottlenecks. Everyone from product to management was involved with the initiative, which focused on real-life examples that got employees thinking about how they impacted the company. This approach helped the company stay productive while making minimal adjustments, despite the economy.

The manufacturing industry has recently become the focus of business discussion, and many within the sector are trying to find new ways of keeping jobs domestic without sacrificing production. Lean manufacturing is one of the tactics that could be deployed.